The historic Los Angeles Dodgers deal with Trevor Bauer was met with clear reservation and, in some cases, disdain, by some fans of the team – although their concerns are not about the projected performance on the pitch. Bauer’s unlimited social media activity includes cases that sparked accusations of online bullying, two of which involved women who were harassed by Bauer’s followers. He made an anti-transgender joke – something he later consciously denied doing – and dismissed sensibilities around the Cleveland Indians logo, raising questions about its suitability within a liberal market and within a narrow club that has become increasingly socially conscious.
Bauer, who signed a $ 102 million three-year contract with opt-outs, said on Thursday that he is evolving.
“All the conversations I’ve had with people from all walks of life in the past two years and all the things I’ve learned – I can say I learned from them,” said Bauer after receiving his No 27 shirt during a virtual press conference at Dodger Stadium. “I spent a lot of time talking to other people to try to understand other perspectives and I am doing my best to be better, as I do in all spheres of my life. I don’t think it makes sense to dive into specific issues in this forum, but I am committed to be better on social media, to be better on the field, to be better at the clubhouse, to be better in life in general. ”
Bauer, the current winner of the National League’s Cy Young Award, was by far the best free-kick pitcher this off-season. Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, showed interest from the start, knowing that Bauer was one of the few pitchers available – and the only one that would not cost prospects – that could realistically improve a rotation that was already one of the best of the league.
After three months of ups and downs, Friedman went to bed the night before Bauer made his decision, believing that the Dodgers were out of the running. It was last Thursday and Bauer had restricted his free agency to his hometown, Dodgers, and the New York Mets, who spent money free of charge. Bauer woke up at 6 am still unsure and spent most of the next five hours on the phone with his agent, his financial advisor and his father debating the merits of both teams. The Dodgers, with the blessing of owner Mark Walter, increased their offer in the final hours, making Bauer the highest-paid baseball player of all time in 2021 and 2022.
Six days later, when addressing the verification process, Friedman said, “There are some things that are more public with Trevor that are definitely something we wanted to delve into.”
“The most important thing is each teammate we talk to, all the feedback we received from each organization he was with was not only incredibly positive in terms of the type of teammate he is, but also in terms of the impact he has it causes every organization, “said Friedman when asked if he believes he may have sidelined some of the team’s fans by signing Bauer. “I think the talent is quite obvious. But I also think that from a cultural point of view, as I continue to strive for improvement in everything we do, I actually think he will be a great asset in this. It is not for me to tell Trevor but in our conversations he alluded to the mistakes he made in the past. And you know what, we’re all going to make mistakes. What is important to me is how people – including me, when I make mistakes – is how we internalize and the that we thought about it. From our point of view, it was important to have this conversation. And we came out of it feeling good. Now, obviously, time will tell. But I feel like it’s going to be a great addition, not just in the field, but at the clubhouse, in the community, which is obviously why we are sitting here. “
Bauer was praised for his competitiveness and work ethic. Its unconventional training methods have already been denounced and now seem revolutionary. He is as passionate about engaging fans as any player and has made huge charitable donations over the years.
But he also had public disagreements with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Indians, and fired shots at Agent Scott Boras, Commissioner Rob Manfred and the Houston Astros. His responses to subtle scams on Twitter put people in the crosshairs of his followers and led to harassment. In January 2019, Bauer tweeted to a college student enough that she said she felt harassed by Bauer and his followers. Eight months later, he got into another conflict on Twitter with a New York-based media member who later wrote that she “had death threats and Holocaust jokes in my mentions for months after he went after me”.
“Everyone has made mistakes in the past,” said Bauer. “I try to learn from them. I try to learn as quickly as possible, I try to understand other people’s views on things and be better in the future. I think if you look at my history as a baseball player, my story about social media, my story as a person, for those who know me well, they’ll see that I apply this process to everything I do. I’m committed to doing that in the future too. And, ultimately, I’m here to make a positive impact for anyone I can be, both in the community, at the clubhouse, in the field, at the stadium, whatever the case may be. ”
Bauer, 30, attended high school 33 miles from Dodger Stadium and won the Golden Spikes Award at the nearby UCLA, which led him to go third overall among a crowded draft class in 2011. Out of a breakout season in 2018, Bauer performed primarily as a reliable half-rotation holder during his first five full seasons in the major leagues, posting an ERA of 3.96 with an average of 186 entries. But Bauer ended the shortened 2020 season with a 1.73 ERA that was surpassed only by Shane Bieber and fell in the top five in WHIP (0.79), elimination percentage (36.0) and opponents’ OPS (0.522) .
Bauer said joining the Dodgers would take “a long time” and recalls how he used to sit in the bleachers on the left listening to Vin Scully on the radio. Adding Bauer will push the Dodgers well beyond the luxury tax limit of 2021, but Friedman said it would not affect the team’s ability to rehire Justin Turner or add another right-handed hitter. The move marks only the second time that a Cy Young Award winner has joined the current World Series champions, the other being Roger Clemens with the New York Yankees in 1999. Bauer is unlikely to fulfill his desire to shoot every four days, but he will join an initial rotation that has legitimately seven depths, including Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, David Price, Julio Urias, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin.
The Baseball Prospectus projection tool, PECOTA, has the Dodgers on track for 103 major league wins in 2021.
“It wasn’t about money for me,” said Bauer. “It’s about being part of something that is bigger than me. Being part of an organization that can win. I want to win a World Series. I came in second in college and in the big leagues. I’m tired of it, so I want to get in first. “