Trevor bauer, = zero risk at min salary,

[mrtwinsfan]

Nothing long term affected,  why not ?

[big dog]

 

zero risk? I'm having a hard time understanding that.

[Cornholio]

just having him in the clubhouse is a huge risk.

[Squirrel]

MODERATOR WARNING: we’ve had Trevor Bauer threads before, and they usually go off the rails. So keep it concise and keep it to baseball and him as a player - a pitcher and teammate - and leave it there. If anyone goes beyond that with events of his personal life, your posts will be removed and the thread shut down,

[JD-TWINS]

Beating my drum for an alternative thought:

3.77 ERA - 131 innings in ‘23 - 24 starts in ‘23 - 3.45 career ERA over 7 seasons……….,245 innings over last 2 years after arm surgery in ‘21. 9-9 for lowly White Sox in ‘23.

2 years at $15M/yr. - available.

Trade DeSclafani with other piece (reliever) to someone like Baltimore (urgent need for starter with rotation injuries) to free up his salary……..,would have to move some or most of the $$ that came with him to the receiving team.

Worthwhile?

Seems more of a real, lower risk option to Bauer.

[ashbury]

We like to think that we pay someone above major league minimum for their baseball abilities, but the truth is that the FO calculates that salary to some degree against ticket sales.  Normally if a player's abilities project to increase the win total, the assumption is pretty simple that the salary will pay for itself by maintaining or increasing revenue.  For some players with extremely high salaries, the calculation must be more detailed - jersey and memorabilia sales, for instance.  But in the case where you have reason to think signing a player might cause ticket sales to go down, the calculation gets even more complicated.  I think that's the case with Bauer, to a potentially rather extreme degree.

[mrtwinsfan]

On 2/16/2024 at 2:18 AM, mrtwinsfan said:

Nothing long term affected,  why not ?

if he is not a fit --  in the Dugout.  fine dump him, cant use that reason the Dodgers did ,  its a low risk and maybe big payoff , he only gets paid  minimum  salary, --   Dodgers pay over 30 million this   year,  Someone will sign him, if not ill be shocked

Edited February 17, 2024 by Squirrel
Removed off-topic comments

[mrtwinsfan]

On 2/16/2024 at 7:17 AM, Cornholio said:

just having him in the clubhouse is a huge risk.

ask alot of dodger players, Mookie Betts and Trevor were close,  

[jorgenswest]

Derek Falvey knows him well. There are several insights into their relationship in the 2019 book “The MVP Machine” by Ben Lindbergh and Travis Sawchik. I am not sure there are many in his position who know Bauer better. I will trust his assessment of whether Bauer would be an asset to the Twins.

[Squirrel]

1 hour ago, mrtwinsfan said:

ask alot of dodger players, Mookie Betts and Trevor were close,  

A majority of the Dodgers players voted they did not want him back after his suspension was over, one of the reasons the Dodgers cut bait. It’s been a common theme throughout his career with many of his teammates from college throughout his MLB career. I think he would be a very bad clubhouse fit given the reports of the camaraderie in our current clubhouse. I think Bauer would be a huge distraction. If he is such a bargain signing, why hasn’t he been signed yet?

[cHawk]

Trevor Bauer hasn’t pitched in an MLB game in nearly three calendar years. It’s highly unlikely that he would come in and suddenly be the same pitcher he was years ago.

[Schmoeman5]

1 hour ago, cHawk said:

Trevor Bauer hasn’t pitched in an MLB game in nearly three calendar years. It’s highly unlikely that he would come in and suddenly be the same pitcher he was years ago.

Agreed. But let's just say he's still effective. That's a lot of innings eaten up. The question was put forward. What is the risk?  I say the risk is a lot lower than the potential rewards.

[tony&rodney]

There really is very little question that Trevor Bauer is a low risk, high reward type of player. I don't believe the other players give a crap about any potential distractions from Trevor Bauer. They are actually grown adults.

Ask yourself - why hasn't any MLB team signed Bauer? The pen is in the hands of corporate. What do you think the odds are?

[Schmoeman5]

15 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

There really is very little question that Trevor Bauer is a low risk, high reward type of player. I don't believe the other players give a crap about any potential distractions from Trevor Bauer. They are actually grown adults.

Ask yourself - why hasn't any MLB team signed Bauer? The pen is in the hands of corporate. What do you think the odds are?

0%. Owners more worried about public blowback and image than potential dugout unrest. Although that would be the narrative. That would be more along the lines that he's not a good fit. If Buxton or Correa or Lopez along with the FO simply state that he needs to be the exemplary student or else would be a sufficient motivator by itself.  For all we know, those behind the scenes discussion have already taken place.

[Parfigliano]

Risk is the PR problem with some fans.  Twins already have PR problem with some fans do to the TV contract.  Dont really need another.

[jimbo92107]

I'd give him a try. He's a quirky fellow, but well within the boundaries of civilized humanity. Low bar, I know...

I think he could still get guys out. Not sure if that's as a starter or what, but the man's got some real stuff.

[mrtwinsfan]

On 2/17/2024 at 7:32 PM, Schmoeman5 said:

Agreed. But let's just say he's still effective. That's a lot of innings eaten up. The question was put forward. What is the risk?  I say the risk is a lot lower than the potential rewards.

The question was put forward. What is the risk?  I say the risk is a lot lower than the potential rewards.,  Thank you for also stating what i did, Go Twins !!!!!

[mrtwinsfan]

On 2/17/2024 at 8:57 PM, tony&rodney said:

There really is very little question that Trevor Bauer is a low risk, high reward type of player. I don't believe the other players give a crap about any potential distractions from Trevor Bauer. They are actually grown adults.

Ask yourself - why hasn't any MLB team signed Bauer? The pen is in the hands of corporate. What do you think the odds are?

one in 32 ??

[big dog]

OK, I don't want Bauer at all, but realistically he's going to have an even better stat line if he never has to face Kepler again. So that's something.

[tony&rodney]

1 hour ago, mrtwinsfan said:

one in 32 ??

Clever, fair ... good odds for gambling a small note ....  just don't make any bets on a signing before April. Ok?

[Eris]

Found this article from 2019 about Bauer to be interesting. 
 

https://www.si.com/mlb/2019/02/19/trevor-bauer-cleveland-Guardians-training-tools-twitter-controversy-cy-young#gid=ci0254ea9900002511&pid=trevor-bauer-pitching-overhead-tall2jpg

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

Subjective to say that there's zero risk in signing Bauer. The moment he signs with an MLB team, there will be a ton of media scrutiny and likely backlash from the fans. For most front offices, that's enough of a risk to say, no thanks.

[TopGunn#22]

Eris, that was indeed a fascinating article on Bauer.  He certainly puts a lot of thought and effort into improving his skill as a pitcher.  To say that he is somewhat eccentric would be an understatement and he's certainly opinionated, but how many other professional athletes are the same way?  He's also very driven, and that turn some people off.  

I've been clear from the beginning that I'd be willing to take a chance on him.  The benefit exceeds the risk, certainly the financial risk.  However, as others have pointed out, Falvey knows him pretty well.  If he passes on him, he's got better reasons than I would ever be privy to. 

I don't think it means anything that Bauer hasn't signed with anybody yet.  I think many teams are keeping tabs on him if they have a "situation" or "emergency" pop up, (like Baltimore has with Bradish right now).  Spring training is just getting started.  The way Bauer trains he would be in tip top shape prior to anyone signing him.  He'd show up at camp "ready."  

He could still be a pretty effective #2 without having to consider trading an Emmanuel Rodriguez, Eddie Julien or Brooks Lee.

[tony&rodney]

The possible opening for Trevor Bauer back to the majors may come in April when some team that expects to win this year has a pitcher injured and a big need opens. There are a few front office suits whose jobs are being evaluated and one of them may see Bauer as the guy to give him and the team a boost. 

Personally, I don't have the vigor to condemn someone like Bauer. He has been a pain for establishment folks, made a number of bad choices, and is clearly a different dude. We have all seen far, far worse behavior and actions from too many famous people, some of whom are respected and revered by millions, to be bothered by Trevor Bauer. 

The issue is that corporations like control and Bauer has been one to forge his own path of how to pitch. He runs counter to corporate norms. If the matter was merely confined to Trevor being a contributor to winning games, a team would have already signed him.

I do wish a team would sign Bauer. Despite Bauer being out of MLB for a decent amount of time, he did pitch reasonably well in Japan. 

[Cory Engelhardt]

I'm in the camp that says he comes with a LOT of risk, both with public perception and with how he is inside the clubhouse. 

I also find it interesting that players who have played with him aren't exactly the ones loudly voicing that he deserves a chance in MLB again. Or at least I haven't seen it.

Falvey, with his Cleveland connections, as well as Kyle Farmer, Tyler Mahle, Carlos Santana and how many others who have played with the Twins in the last year or two certainly would all have opinions on what it is like to be a teammate of Bauer. 

There is a reason that he isn't in a major league camp right now, and I'd be willing to bet it's not JUST potential fan reaction.

[jmlease1]

Financially, there might be low risk, but he's still a 33 year-old starter who hasn't been in MLB in 3 years, so that's a lot of risk in whether he can be effective at this point in his career. (And let's not pretend he's been consistently great for many years; he was great in 2018, and back down in 2019. He was great in 2020...for 11 starts. he was very good in 2021, but had a big split between his FIP and his ERA, so...how good would he have finished the year if he'd hadn't imploded?)

And that's without the PR risk associated with signing a player with his...history. Negative publicity is a real thing that can cause problems both on and off the field. (how happy do you think Correa, Buxton, Jeffers, and the rest of the Twins pitchers would be about having to answer Bauer questions every day for months?) So there's clubhouse risk as well. This isn't fantasy baseball.

not interested.

[Squirrel]

On 2/21/2024 at 4:40 AM, Eris said:

Found this article from 2019 about Bauer to be interesting. 
 

https://www.si.com/mlb/2019/02/19/trevor-bauer-cleveland-Guardians-training-tools-twitter-controversy-cy-young#gid=ci0254ea9900002511&pid=trevor-bauer-pitching-overhead-tall2jpg

It is interesting. But it also cements my position that he will not be a fit, at all, in our clubhouse. A rigid and unyielding philosophy on how he goes about his work might be commendable on one hand, but, when it's a team sport, there needs to be some kind of compromise with those in charge and with your teammates. This article makes it clear ... it's my way, or no way. Almost as if he’s saying if you aren’t with me you are against me so **** you. I found his personal detachment as a big red flag. If he had multiple seasons in a row of great success, I might be okay with it. But ... he has not had multiple seasons in a row of great success, so he should be open to changes and tweaks. This article makes it pretty clear that he is not open to that at all. He really puts the ‘I’ in team.

[Craig Arko]

Here is the ten-foot pole that I wouldn’t touch that deal with.