The historic agreement between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Trevor Bauer was met with apparent reluctance and, in some cases, contempt by some of the team’s fans – although their concerns are not about his anticipated performance on the field. Bauer’s boundless social media activity includes instances leading to online bullying allegations, two of which involved women being harassed by Bauer’s followers. He has made an anti-transgender joke – something he subsequently denied knowingly – and dismissed sensitivities surrounding the Cleveland Indians logo, raising questions about his fit within a liberal market and in a tight-knit clubhouse that is increasingly social. has become. consciously.
Bauer, signed to a three-year $ 102 million contract with ongoing opt-outs, said on Thursday that he is evolving.
“All the conversations I’ve had with people from all walks of life and all the things I’ve learned – I can say I’ve learned from that,” Bauer said after taking his No. 27 jersey at a virtual Dodger press conference. Stage. “I’ve spent a lot of time talking to other people trying to understand other perspectives, and I’m doing my best to get better, as I do in all walks of my life. I don’t think it makes any difference. I want to address specific issues in this forum, but I’m determined to be better on social media, be better on the field, be better at the clubhouse, be better at life in general. “
Bauer, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, was by far the best free-agent starting pitcher this off-season. Andrew Friedman, president of Dodgers baseball operations, showed interest from the start, knowing that Bauer was one of the few pitchers available – and the only one that wouldn’t cost potential clients – who could realistically improve on a rotation that’s already one of the best. of the competition.
After three months of highs and lows, Friedman went to bed the night before Bauer made his decision believing the Dodgers were out of the running. It was last Thursday and Bauer had limited his freedom of choice to his hometown of Dodgers and the free-to-publish New York Mets. Bauer woke up at 6 a.m., still insecure, and spent most of the next five hours on the phone with his agent, his financial advisor, and his father discussing the merits of both teams. The Dodgers, with owner Mark Walter’s blessing, increased their bid in the closing hours, making Bauer the highest-paid baseball player ever in 2021 and 2022.
Six days later, as he dealt with the review process, Friedman said, “There are things that are more public about Trevor, but that was definitely something we wanted to dig into.”
“Most importantly, every teammate we spoke to, all the feedback we got from every organization he was with was incredibly positive not only in terms of the type of teammate he is, but also in terms of the impact he is making on any organization, “Friedman said when asked if he believes he has alienated some of the team’s fans by signing Bauer.” I think the talent is pretty clear. But I also think that from a cultural point of view, by continuing to strive to get better at everything we do, I actually think he will be a huge asset to that. It’s not for me to speak. for Trevor, but in our conversations he refers to past mistakes he made. And you know what, we’re all going to make mistakes. What’s important to me is how people – myself included, when I make mistakes – is how we internalize it, and what our thoughts are about it going forward. From our point of view, it was important to have that conversation. And we got away with a good feeling. Now time will tell. But I feel like he’s leaving to be a great addition not only to the field, but also to the clubhouse, to the community, and that’s clearly why we’re here. “
Bauer is praised for his competitiveness and work ethic. His unconventional training methods were once denounced and now seem revolutionary. He is as passionate about dealing with fans as any other player and has made significant charity donations over the years.
But he also had public outbursts with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Indians, taking sharp shots at Agent Scott Boras, Commissioner Rob Manfred and the Houston Astros. His reactions to subtle jabs on Twitter have put people in the crosshairs of his followers and led to intimidation. In January 2019, Bauer tweeted enough to a student to say she was harassed by Bauer and his followers. Eight months later, he got into another Twitter conflict with a New York-based media member who later wrote that she “had death threats and Holocaust jokes in my entries for months after he chased me.”
“Everyone makes mistakes in the past,” said Bauer. “I try to learn from them. I try to learn as quickly as possible, try to understand other people’s points of view on things and get better in the future. I think if you look at my history as a baseball player, my history on social media, my history as a person, those who know me well, they’ll see me apply that process to everything I do. I’m determined to do that in the future too. And ultimately I’m here to make a positive impact to have on everyone I can be, whether in the community, in the clubhouse, on the field, in the stadium, anyway. “
Bauer, 30, attended high school 33 miles from Dodger Stadium and won the Golden Spikes Award at nearby UCLA, prompting him to finish third in a full draft class in 2011. Outside of a breakout season in 2018, Bauer had mostly performed as a reliable mid-rotation starter for his first five full seasons in the major leagues, with a 3.96 ERA averaging 186 innings. But Bauer closed the shortened 2020 season with a 1.73 ERA that was only surpassed by Shane Bieber, falling within the top five in WHIP (0.79), strikeout percentage (36.0) and opponents’ OPS (.522).
Bauer said joining the Dodgers was “a long time coming” and recalled how he used to sit in the stands in the left field listening to Vin Scully on the radio. By adding Bauer, the Dodgers will push well past the 2021 luxury tax threshold, but Friedman said it wouldn’t affect the team’s ability to re-contract Justin Turner or add another right-handed batter. It’s only the second time that a reigning Cy Young Award winner has joined the reigning World Series champions, the other being Roger Clemens with the New York Yankees in 1999. Bauer is unlikely to live up to his desire to play every fourth day. pitch, but he’ll be joining a starting rotation that’s legitimately seven deep, including Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, David Price, Julio Urias, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin.
Baseball Prospectus’s projection tool, PECOTA, has the Dodgers on track for a Major League-best 103 wins in 2021.
“For me, it wasn’t about the money,” Bauer said. “It’s about being part of something bigger than myself. Being part of an organization that can win. I want to win a World Series. I’ve finished second in both college and the big leagues. I’m tired of it. from., so I want to come in first. “