Levine: Todd Frazier Grabs Some Bench

By Bruce Levine--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- One of the White Sox's leaders got a one-day timeout Tuesday.

In the throes of a bad slump, third baseman Todd Frazier was told he would have the day off to do nothing. He will sit in the second game of this series against the Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field.

Frazier, who has emerged as a true leader on the team, was 0-of-6 on Monday in a 12-inning win. His season average has dropped to .206, with the slump manifesting itself into an 8-for-69 downward spiral. His current hitting drought is over a period 18 games.

The 30-year-old Fraizer admitted that a day off may not be the worst thing for him right now.

"He told me I was sitting," Frazier said of his brief conversation with manager Robin Ventura.

"I want to play; it is his decision. I think a break is needed, and I will sit back a bit and pick my teammates up. I will cheer them on, so let's get it going."

From the first day of spring training, teammates have gravitated to Frazier, who has an energetic and positive personality that made him a popular figure and leader right off the bat.

"I will not do a lot," Frazier said. "I won't do much swinging. I will just watch people hit. I will focus on getting an at-bat later in the game. I may see a little more video, get in the cage and keep going out. I think less is more right now. I have been swinging the bat my whole life. Eventually it will turn. I just think it's a day needed. I will rest and maybe get a couple swings here and there."

Ventura saw the futile swings Frazier was taking and decided it was time for a mental and physical day off for him.

"Do nothing or as little as possible," Ventura advised Frazier. "Really it's up to him. I do not want to see him sit there and try to grind it out in the cage. He has already been trying to do that. Sit and watch. That is the best thing he can do right now. That is best for his mind. I know he is frustrated. Sometimes trying to do more, really isn't helping you. Relax and watch."

Ventura wouldn't rule out a second day off for Frazier on Wednesday. If that was the case, he would have three full days off with a scheduled off day for the team Thursday.

"Sometimes you want to see a guy work through it," Ventura said. "We are at a point now where he just needs to sit and watch. It becomes hard because they all want to get it back right away. Really all you can control is now forward. It could be more than one day, we will find out later."

Frazier did try to talk Ventura out of it.

"That didn't work," Ventura said. "He is a presence in our lineup. He can hit the ball out of the ballpark. A guy who can play every day and can come and contribute the way he does, it makes your lineup a little deeper. They (the opposition) notice it when he is not in there. You have to sit there and decide if its worth it. I think its worth it going forward that he does not play tonight."

Frazier's hitting .206 with 19 homers and 43 RBIs.

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.