Some of the team’s fans got a clear reservation, and in some cases contempt, from the Los Angeles Dodgers deal with Trevor Bauer – although they did not worry about his prediction on the field. Bauer’s unrestricted social media activity includes cases that have led to allegations of online bullying, involving two women who have been harassed by Bauer’s followers. He made a joke against transgender – something he later denied he did deliberately – and rejected the sensitivity surrounding the Cleveland Indians logo, which raised questions about his pace in a liberal market and within ‘ a close-knit clubhouse that has become increasingly social. conscious.
Bauer, who has consistently signed a $ 102 million three-year contract with opt-outs, said Thursday he is developing.
“All the conversations I’ve had over the last few years with people across all walks of life, and all the things I’ve learned – I can say I learned from that,” Bauer said after wearing his No. 27 jersey during a virtual news conference from Dodger Stadium. “I’ve talked a lot of time with other people trying to understand other perspectives, and I do my best to be better, just like in all walks of life. I do not think it makes sense to dive into specific issues in this forum, but I is committed to being better on social media, being better on the field, being better at the clubhouse, being better at life in general. ‘
Bauer, the reigning winner of the National League’s Cy League Award, was by far the best free agent starting pitcher this season. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has shown interest from the start, knowing that Bauer was one of the few pitchers available – and the only one that would not cost prospects – which was a rotation that was already one of the best in the league, could improve.
After three months of highs and lows, Friedman went to bed the night before Bauer made his decision, believing the Dodgers were out of action. That was last Thursday, and Bauer limited his free agency to his hometown of Dodgers and the free-spending New York Mets. Bauer woke up at 6 a.m. and became still insecure and spent most of the next five hours on the phone with his agent, his financial advisor and his father to discuss the merits of both teams. The Dodgers, with the blessing of owner Mark Walter, have increased their offer in the last hours and made Bauer the best paid baseball player ever in 2021 and 2022.
Six days later, addressing the investigation process, Friedman said: “There are a few things that are more public with Trevor that are definitely something we wanted to dig into.”
‘The most important thing is every teammate we talked to, all the feedback we got from every 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 said on Friedman on whether he believes he would alienate some of the team’s supporters by signing Bauer. “I think the talent is pretty obvious. But I also think that, from a cultural point of view, continuing to strive to get better with everything we do will be a huge asset. It is not for me to speak, for Trevor, but in our conversations he alluded to mistakes he’s made in the past. And you know what, we’re all going to make mistakes. What matters to me is how people – including myself, when I make mistakes – is how we internalize it, and what our thoughts about it go forward. From our point of view, it was important to have that conversation. And we felt good about it. Now, of course, time will tell. But I feel like he’s going to be a great addition, not only on the field, but also in the clubhouse, in the community, and that’s why we are sitting here, of course. ‘
Bauer was praised for his competitiveness and work ethic. His unconventional training methods were once denounced and now look revolutionary. He is just as passionate about connecting with fans as any player and has made significant charitable donations over the years.
But he also had public outbursts with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Indians, and he took sharp shots at agent Scott Boras, commissioner Rob Manfred and the Houston Astros. His reactions to subtle jabs on Twitter put people at the crossroads of his followers and led to harassment. In January 2019, Bauer tweeted enough to a university student to say that she was being harassed by Bauer and his followers. Eight months later, he got into a Twitter conflict again with a New York media member, who later wrote that she “had death threats and Holocaust jokes for months after chasing me.”
“Everyone has made mistakes in the past,” Bauer said. “I try to learn from them. I try to learn as quickly as possible, to understand other people’s views on things and to be better in the future. I think if you look at my history as a baseball player , my history will be social media, my history as a person, for those who know me well, they will see that I apply the process to everything I do. I am committed to doing it going forward as well. And finally I’m here to to have a positive effect on someone I can be, both in the community, in the clubhouse, on the field, in the stadium, whatever it is. “
Bauer, 30, attended high school 33 miles from Dodger Stadium and won the Golden Spikes Award at nearby UCLA. This prompted him to take third place in 2011 among a loaded concept class. a reliable mid-rotation starter through his first five full seasons in the major leagues, posting an ERA of 3.96 while scoring 186 overs. But Bauer ended the shortened 2020 season with an ERA of 1.73 that was awarded only by Shane Bieber and fell among the top five in WHIP (0.79), an elimination percentage (36.0) and opponents’ OPS (.522).
Bauer said joining the Dodgers was still a long way off and recalled sitting in the left field bleacher listening to Vin Scully over the radio. The addition of Bauer will surpass the Dodgers beyond the luxury tax threshold in 2021, but Friedman said it will not affect the team’s ability to re-sign Justin Turner or add another right-handed hit. The move is only the second time a Cy Young Award winner has joined the reigning World Series champion, the other being Roger Clemens with the New York Yankees in 1999. Bauer probably would not want to play every fourth day, but he will participate in an initial rotation that is legally seven deep, including Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, David Price, Julio Urias, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin.
Baseball Prospectus’ projection tool, PECOTA, puts the Dodgers on track for the league’s best 103 wins in 2021.
“It was not 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’m second in both college and the big leagues. I’m tired of it. , so I want to come in first. ‘