The Los Angeles Dodgers’ iconic deal with Trevor Bauer has been rejected with a clear reservation and, in some cases, contempt by some of the team’s fans, though their concerns are not about their projected performance in the rural area. Bauer’s unlimited activity on social media includes cases that have sparked allegations of online harassment, two of which involved women who were harassed by Bauer’s followers. He has made an anti-transgender joke, which he later consciously denied doing, and has dismissed sensitivities surrounding the Cleveland Indians logo, provoking questions about his fit within a liberal market and within a united club that has become more and more socially. conscious.
Bauer, who signed a three-year, $ 102 million contract with opt-out worldwide, said Thursday that it is evolving.
“All the conversations I’ve had with people from all walks of life over the last two years and all the things I’ve learned – I can say I’ve learned from them,” Bauer said after presenting his No. 27 t-shirt during a virtual press conference from Dodger Stadium. “I’ve spent a lot of time talking to other people trying to understand other perspectives and I’m doing my best to be better, as I do in all areas of my life. I don’t think I do any. It makes sense to delve into specific issues. of this forum, but I am committed to being better on social media, being better on the field, being better at the clubhouse, being better in life in general. ”
Bauer, the current National League Cy Young Award winner, was by far the best starting free agent pitcher this offseason. Andrew 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 who wouldn’t cost the prospects – who could really improve a rotation that was already one of the best in the league.
After three months of highs and lows, Friedman went to bed the night before Bauer made his decision believing the Dodgers were out of order. It was last Thursday and Bauer had reduced his free agency to his hometown, the Dodgers, and the New York Mets they spent for free. Bauer woke up at 6 a.m. still uncertain 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 bid in the final hours, making Bauer the highest paid baseball player of 2021 and 2022.
Six days later, as he approached the verification process, Friedman said, “There are some things that are more public with Trevor and that we definitely wanted to delve into.”
“The most important thing is that every teammate we talk to, all the feedback we get from every organization we were with, was not only incredibly positive about the type of teammate he is, but also about the impact it has on every organization, ”Friedman said when asked if he thought he might have alienated some of the team’s supporters by signing Bauer. “I think talent is pretty obvious. But I also think that from a cultural point of view, from continuing to strive to improve in everything we do, I actually think it’s going to be a big asset in that. It’s not up to me to speak for Trevor, but in our conversations he alluded to past mistakes he made.And you know what, we’ll all make mistakes.What’s important to me is how people, including me, when they make mistakes, it’s how we internalize “And what are our thoughts on that? From our point of view, it was important to have that conversation. And we came out feeling good. Now, obviously, time will tell. But I think it’s going to be an extraordinary complement.” , not just on the field, but at the club, in the community, and that’s why we’re sitting here. “
Bauer has been praised for his competitiveness and work ethic. His unconventional training methods were denounced and seem revolutionary. He is as passionate about interacting with fans as any player and has made considerable charitable donations over the years.
But it also had public consequences with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Indians, and he shot Agent Scott Boras, Commissioner Rob Manfred, and the Houston Astros. His responses to subtle spikes on Twitter have put people in the crosshairs of his followers and provoked harassment. In January 2019, Bauer tweeted to a college student to tell her that she felt 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 he “had death threats and Holocaust jokes in my mentions for months after – persecuted me “.
“Everyone makes mistakes in the past,” Bauer said. “I try to learn from them. I try to learn as quickly as possible, I try to understand other people’s point of view on things and be better in the future. I think if you look at my history as a baseball player, my history On social media, my story as a person, for those of you who know me well, will see that I apply this process to everything I do.I am committed to doing the same going forward.And in the end I am here to have a positive impact on anyone who can have, whether in the community, in the clubhouse, on the field, in the stadium, whatever.
Bauer, 30, attended high school 33 miles from Dodger Stadium and won the Golden Spikes Award at upcoming UCLA, prompting him to move into third place among a laden draft class. 2011. Outside a breakout season in 2018, Bauer had performed mostly a reliable mid-rotation starter during his first five full seasons in the major leagues, with an ERA of 3.96 and an average of 186 innings. But Bauer finished the shortened 2020 season with an ERA of 1.73, which only surpassed Shane Bieber and was among the top five in WHIP (0.79), attack percentage (36.0) and OPS of opponents (.522).
Bauer said joining the Dodgers was “a long time” and recalled how he used to sit in the left tier listening to Vin Scully on the radio. Adding Bauer will cause the Dodgers to exceed the 2021 luxury tax threshold, but Friedman said it would not affect the team’s ability to re-sign Justin Turner or add another right-handed batter. The play marks only the second time a reigning Cy Young Award winner has joined the reigning World Series champions, the other Roger Clemens with the New York Yankees in 1999. Bauer will likely not fulfill his desire to pitch every quarter. day, but will join an initial rotation that is legitimately seven depths, including Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, David Price, Julio Urias, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin.
Baseball Prospectus ’projection tool, PECOTA, has the Dodgers on track to get the top 103 major league wins in 2021.
“It wasn’t about the money for me,” Bauer said. “It’s about being part of something bigger than me. Being part of an organization that can win. I want to win a World Series. I’ve finished second in college and in the big leagues. I’m tired of that. , so I want to get in first “.