Just like everything else associated with him, Trevor Bauer’s free agency was an epic troll job.
Throughout the winter, Bauer has positioned himself as baseball’s version of Lebron James, hyping up his free agency decision as an earth-shattering event. Bauer capitalized on the anticipation by intermittently dropping hints about his potential landing spots on his Twitter account and YouTube channel, at times donning the hats of potential suitors like the Angels, Padres, Mets, and Dodgers.
Bauer’s teases sent fans into a tizzy…at first. After the new year dawned and Bauer had yet to sign, speculation grew stale. Anyone invested in Bauer’s choice simply wanted him to make up his mind so the incessant rumors could end.
Bauer has made his decision: he’s taking his talents to Hollywood, not Queens as many had speculated.
To the Mets fans disappointed in Bauer’s choice: don’t be. Here’s why the team dodged (pun intended) a bullet by failing to secure his services.
2020: Fluke or Breakout?
Just how good is Trevor Bauer?
It seems like a simple question, yet I doubt anyone truly knows the answer. Bauer won the 2020 NL Cy Young on the strength of a 1.73 ERA in 11 starts for the Reds. As I’ve previously discussed on this site, Bauer’s most recent stats look like a mirage when factoring in the context of the pandemic-altered 2020 season.
The Central divisions were historically futile last year, and because of the irregular schedule, they were the only teams that Bauer faced. Of Bauer’s 11 starts, only one came against an opponent that wasn’t one of the eleven worst offenses in the majors by wRC+ (the White Sox).
It is perhaps overly simplistic to assert that Bauer’s numbers are solely the result of inferior competition. Still, it seems ludicrous to ignore how much of his free agency hype was driven by such a minuscule sample. Does it really make sense that a 30-year-old pitcher with a higher career ERA than Tanner Roark is about to become the game’s highest-paid player based on Average Annual Value? Or that his 2021 salary is more than the entire payroll of three teams (Orioles, Pirates, Indians)?
To think that Bauer is worth that kind of dough, one must also believe that his 2020 was no mere fluke. That’s the risk the Dodgers are taking with their three-year, $102 million deal for Bauer. The defending world champions don’t need Bauer per se. But money is no object for the Dodgers, so forking over $40 million for a star pitcher in 2021 and another $45 million in 2022 (assuming he does not opt out) is a luxury they can afford.
The Dodgers are in a completely different position than the Mets, who under new owner Steve Cohen are looking to usher in a new era of sustained success. With the Dodgers, Bauer is another cog in the machine, just one of the many expensive assets who will contribute to the team’s winning ways.
Had Bauer signed with the Mets, the expectations would have been far greater. At the price of $40+ million per year, Bauer will be earning more than Jacob deGrom, the undisputed best pitcher in baseball.
Would Bauer have improved the Mets rotation?
Of course. But his annual salary would have been a steep price for someone who, at most, would make 32 starts a year.
A Problematic Personality
In addition to concerns about the sustainability of his performance, there is also the lingering question of how well Bauer’s personality would play in New York.
After all, this is the same player who once told Sports Illustrated, “I’m good at two things in this world: throwing baseballs and pissing people off.”
Bauer’s unpredictable antics are well documented, like the time he sliced his finger while repairing a drone, forcing Cleveland to lift him in the first inning of a postseason start. And in 2019, he threw a ball over the center-field wall as part of a childish reaction to his removal by manager Terry Francona.
Then there are the more problematic and troubling aspects of Bauer’s persona, specifically his behavior on social media. It was just two years ago that, after a female college student tweeted that he was “her least favorite person in all sports,” Bauer responded by mentioning the student in 80 different tweets. Several of Bauer’s followers joined in attacking the student, who said she was reduced to tears by the harassment.
Bauer later tweeted, “I often defend myself against internet trolling, bullying and slander. My responses to fans are good-natured. I do not encourage any of my fans, followers, or friends to attack, insult or harass anyone on any social media platform, or in real life. There is no room for that in the world. I have been made aware that some of the interactions related to a specific Twitter exchange may have had a negative impact. That was not my intention. I will wield the responsibility of my public platform more responsibly in the future.”
To put it charitably, Bauer’s response was weak and disingenuous. Public figures have an obligation to use their platforms responsibly, which involves understanding the power dynamics at play. Whenever a celebrity mocks a non-famous person with a small online following — especially a woman — it’s an invitation for trolls to engage in a targeted attack. Bauer is too media savvy to play dumb on this issue; he knows full well how his most loyal followers will respond to his rabble rousing.
Bauer’s constant controversies are yet another reason why the Mets ultimately lucked out in his free agency saga. If Bauer could guarantee that his interactions with fans and media would be wholly positive, then he might have been worth the risk. But Bauer’s defense of his actions as “good natured” displays a lack of accountability and introspection.
Leopards don’t change their spots, and I doubt Bauer could leave his penchant for problematic behavior in the past.
Searle’s Final Say
Despite losing out on Bauer, the Mets are enjoying a successful offseason — with plenty of time to still improve. Though the club was unable to sign George Springer, the Amazin’s did swing a trade for one of the game’s most well-rounded players (Francisco Lindor) and a terrific #2 starter in Carlos Carrasco. They’ve also added an All-Star catcher in James McCann. The Mets’ pursuit of Bauer shows that the club is willing to go over the luxury tax threshold in order to win a championship. The $40 million per year that would have gone to Bauer can now be allotted to remaining free agents like Jackie Bradley Jr. and Jake Odorizzi, quality players who, thankfully, possess no hint of Bauer’s baggage.
