Trevor Bauer is an enigma. He can get locked in early and dominate a game with flawless precision and just the same he can give up a base hit and get so far into his own mind he may never come back. He is the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of the Indians’ pitching staff, leaving fans to wonder nervously which Trevor will start. Bauer has the “potential” to be a great starter, but potential is a word used for prospects and rookies, not a major league starter with 354.1 innings under his belt. The question is, “does he have what it takes to continue as a starter? Alternatively, will a stint in the bullpen help to reign in that potential, draw the real talent from it, and temper down that attitude the media loves to poke?
Bauer was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011 as the third pick overall in the first round of the amateur draft and moved up the levels quickly. There are many pros to a player moving up at his pace, but just as many cons. One problem is that someone so young and with so much to offer a franchise, perfection is the goal and with that the adjustments are not “needed” as much. That player lacks the insight of when to adjust and how, but gains somewhat of an ego with that standard of perfection. It is great to be so good but that is the minor leagues, where mistakes are supposed to be made, and if they are not then that player can fall under pressure when facing the big squads.
With a record of 11-12 and a 4.71 ERA on the season, there is no doubt that he can pitch. However, going with what has been presented thus far, his short time in the minors and with someone like pitching Coach Mickey Callaway saying he has a lot left to learn as a pitcher, is it more of an investment for the Indians to pen him now? They have had success in doing just that in recent years, especially with starting pitcher Carlos Carassco. The other option is that he could find his niche in the bullpen and never look back, like Zach McAllister. This team has many ways of matching their staff abilities to the needs of their pitchers in order to get the best results, and I believe Bauer is no different.
I want him to push his limits yet stay within the bounds of what the team asks of him. I would almost go along the lines of saying that keeping him, as a starter, is a waste of his arm and even his mind. He is a tool in this game, saying that in the best way possible, and you cannot expect a tool like a screwdriver to do the exact job of a hammer.
The Indians have a pitching rotation that should cause other teams to fear them and I include Bauer in that but he can be so much better than what he is showing this season. At best, it can humble him a bit and possibly show him a fresh perspective of baseball and pitching that he has not figured out yet. At worst, it can make him increasingly stubborn and he might only see it as a demotion, though I believe he is smarter than that.
The bullpen is not a death sentence for starters, yet it is usually seen as such when looking at pitchers like Justin Masterson, who have fallen from their starting mound and through the pen into being DFAed in a short time. Bauer has years on his side though, being only 24 and a brain built to create solutions for every situation. It could be the saving grace for his career, and an opportunity for growth and perspective that if not taken could be a huge regret later on.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
