Gerrit Cole needs MRI on elbow: Should the Twins jump on Bauer before the Yankees?

[Fat Calvin]

I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Bauer gets a panic phone call from the Yankees' head office this week.  Maybe we should try and beat 'em to the punch?  We could spin it like that he seems contrite, and we're extending him a chance to redeem himself, and blah, blah, blah.  I'd just hate to see the Yankees scoop him up for minimum (MLB) wage, while we wait for Disco's elbow to feel better.

[Squirrel]

1 hour ago, Fat Calvin said:

I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Bauer gets a panic phone call from the Yankees' head office this week.  Maybe we should try and beat 'em to the punch?  We could spin it like that he seems contrite, and we're extending him a chance to redeem himself, and blah, blah, blah.  I'd just hate to see the Yankees scoop him up for minimum (MLB) wage, while we wait for Disco's elbow to feel better.

As has been said, ad nauseum at this point, he’s not getting any offers not because of a settled lawsuit, but because of him. He is a bad teammate and a clubhouse cancer and he puts the ‘I’ in team. This has been discussed already in other threads, you are now beating a dead horse. He hasn’t received an offer from one MLB team and is now ‘auditioning’ for teams in Asia.

And as before, you are welcome to discuss Trevor Bauer the pitcher and teammate, but we are not going down the rabbit hole discussing his very public personal life and all that has wrought, despite the outcomes.

[Squirrel]

2 hours ago, Fat Calvin said:

I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Bauer gets a panic phone call from the Yankees' head office this week. 

Read this article just now. It says the Yankees may open their talks again with Snell or try and work a trade for Cease from the White Sox. If we were going to go for anyone, I’d prefer these two to Bauer, and it seems the Yankees do, too. But I think the Twins are done and focussing on what they have at this point.

https://www.mlb.com/news/yankees-rumors-latest-trades-and-signings

 

[Hrbowski]

1 hour ago, Squirrel said:

As has been said, ad nauseum at this point, he’s not getting any offers not because of a settled lawsuit, but because of him. He is a bad teammate and a clubhouse cancer and he puts the ‘I’ in team. This has been discussed already in other threads, you are now beating a dead horse. He hasn’t received an offer from one MLB team and is now ‘auditioning’ for teams in Asia.

And as before, you are welcome to discuss Trevor Bauer the pitcher and teammate, but we are not going down the rabbit hole discussing his very public personal life and all that has wrought, despite the outcomes.

This simply isn't true. I know people who have played in the Major Leagues with Trevor and they've all told me they loved being his teammate. Others, including Mookie Betts, have publicly stated this as well. The reason he has remained unsigned is because teams are worried about the negative reaction from fans if they signed him - it has nothing to do with his abilities as a player or how good of a teammate he is.

[Squirrel]

1 hour ago, Hrbowski said:

This simply isn't true. I know people who have played in the Major Leagues with Trevor and they've all told me they loved being his teammate. Others, including Mookie Betts, have publicly stated this as well. The reason he has remained unsigned is because teams are worried about the negative reaction from fans if they signed him - it has nothing to do with his abilities as a player or how good of a teammate he is.

How many have told you this? Sure he has friends, but the majority of his teammates do not want him around, and that goes back to his time in college. There is a reason that Francona, one of the best managers in the game, had him traded in the middle of the season when the Guardians were in the playoff hunt. The Dodgers players were polled after Bauer finished his suspension if they wanted him back and his teammates voted no. This is well documented vs some hearsay, and claims of ‘I know people who know him’. As I said, I’m sure he has friends, but the majority of players don’t seem to want him around. Falvey was in Cleveland when he was there. Don’t you think he knows something? There is a reason no teams want him around despite how he may be able to pitch. It’s never just about skills and abilities.

As for his abilities he has had a couple of really good seasons sandwiched in between more average seasons. And he has been away from the MLB for a couple of years. Might he be better than DeSclafani? Maybe, probably. But other factors matter.

As for negative reaction from fans, it’s a real thing. You might not like it, but PR matters, and there is such a thing as bad PR. The Twins have always been noted as having a good clubhouse and mostly good guys. There’s a reason Donaldson didn’t fit in here and there’s a reason Bauer won’t, either. I’ve seen interviews with him and he basically says he doesn’t want to participate in whatever the team wants from him, that he will do his own thing. As I said earlier, he puts the ‘I’ in team, and that seems very contrary to what the Twins have always tried to build with their teams.

[Hrbowski]

7 hours ago, Squirrel said:

How many have told you this? Sure he has friends, but the majority of his teammates do not want him around, and that goes back to his time in college. There is a reason that Francona, one of the best managers in the game, had him traded in the middle of the season when the Guardians were in the playoff hunt. The Dodgers players were polled after Bauer finished his suspension if they wanted him back and his teammates voted no. This is well documented vs some hearsay, and claims of ‘I know people who know him’. As I said, I’m sure he has friends, but the majority of players don’t seem to want him around. Falvey was in Cleveland when he was there. Don’t you think he knows something? There is a reason no teams want him around despite how he may be able to pitch. It’s never just about skills and abilities.

As for his abilities he has had a couple of really good seasons sandwiched in between more average seasons. And he has been away from the MLB for a couple of years. Might he be better than DeSclafani? Maybe, probably. But other factors matter.

As for negative reaction from fans, it’s a real thing. You might not like it, but PR matters, and there is such a thing as bad PR. The Twins have always been noted as having a good clubhouse and mostly good guys. There’s a reason Donaldson didn’t fit in here and there’s a reason Bauer won’t, either. I’ve seen interviews with him and he basically says he doesn’t want to participate in whatever the team wants from him, that he will do his own thing. As I said earlier, he puts the ‘I’ in team, and that seems very contrary to what the Twins have always tried to build with their teams.

I know two people who have said this to me - one a position player from the Dodgers and another pitcher from Cleveland. I also could find no source to support the report that Dodgers players were polled - just hearsay from one journalist. My point is teams aren't signing him because of PR - not because of what kind of teammate he is. Gerrit Cole has had a lot of accusations of being a terrible teammate as well and he'd be snatched up immediately if he was available for league minimum.

What I find odd is that players who were actually convicted of abuse like Marcell Ozuna and Aroldis Chapman are still around the league, so it seems like some kind of double-standard is in play here, and I suspect it is because Bauer has criticized Manfred. Even Miguel Sano, who had an accusation of sexual abuse against him, was able to get a Non-roster invite this spring.

 

[Squirrel]

1 hour ago, Hrbowski said:

I know two people who have said this to me - one a position player from the Dodgers and another pitcher from Cleveland. I also could find no source to support the report that Dodgers players were polled - just hearsay from one journalist. My point is teams aren't signing him because of PR - not because of what kind of teammate he is. Gerrit Cole has had a lot of accusations of being a terrible teammate as well and he'd be snatched up immediately if he was available for league minimum.

What I find odd is that players who were actually convicted of abuse like Marcell Ozuna and Aroldis Chapman are still around the league, so it seems like some kind of double-standard is in play here, and I suspect it is because Bauer has criticized Manfred. Even Miguel Sano, who had an accusation of sexual abuse against him, was able to get a Non-roster invite this spring.

 

Make a case, then, based on his pitching why teams should want him. This is not about his personal life and we aren’t going to entertain deep throat conspiracy theories. We deal in opinions on this website and I stand by my opinions. But what kind of pitcher is he now? He had a couple of really good seasons years ago and hasn’t pitched in the MLB in two years. So you want to sign him based on past accolades?

I think we would be a worse team with him than without him based on past comments. And two teammates (out of how many?) that you allegedly spoke to personally is hardly an endorsement from the many who have not stood by their teammate. I think team chemistry is real and I think Bauer would be as disruptive as Donaldson was to that. And I was one that was on board with that signing but it was not a good fit. Fit matters.

And PR is a real thing. Teams need support of their fans. I’ve said this. Why would any team want to take that on? PR is real and does need to be considered. 

[Fat Calvin]

10 hours ago, Squirrel said:

As has been said, ad nauseum at this point, he’s not getting any offers not because of a settled lawsuit, but because of him. He is a bad teammate and a clubhouse cancer and he puts the ‘I’ in team. This has been discussed already in other threads, you are now beating a dead horse. He hasn’t received an offer from one MLB team and is now ‘auditioning’ for teams in Asia.

And as before, you are welcome to discuss Trevor Bauer the pitcher and teammate, but we are not going down the rabbit hole discussing his very public personal life and all that has wrought, despite the outcomes.

 

[Schmoeman5]

What rabbit hole? The Twins have tried used up arms in the past. Shoemaker, Happ, Archer and others. Bauer might actually have something left in the tank. My question is why not Bauer. If he is a cancer. Cut ties. Easy peazy lemon squeezy. But the public would howl so it won't happen. Plain and simple.

[Fat Calvin]

The topic is still relevant.  We're in the middle of Spring training, our starting pitching is as thin as could be as we prepare for the long season.  You obviously hate Bauer and would like to bury him in the rabbit hole and be done with it.  But that's your personal animosity speaking.  The fact is, Bauer is available at a bargain price and he's a very good pitcher.  He'd easily slide into the number one or two slot on our team.

I don't think we should sacrifice Trevor to the Gods of PR. I think he's paid his fine both financially and personally, and I think he should be given a second chance.  And I think he'd be a great fit for the Twins.