Always known for thinking outside the box, Reds right-hander Trevor Bauer has another unconventional idea: Wherever he signs as a free agent after this season, he wants to pitch every fourth day instead of every fifth, Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
“It only seems crazy because no one is doing it right now,” Bauer said of his plan. “But I’m very convicted in the fact that, one, I can do it. Two, I would be better doing it. And three, it would be a benefit to my team.”
Along with that request, Bauer wants to play for a contender that respects him and values technology, Nightengale relays. That all seems reasonable enough, but whether anyone would sign him with the intention of starting him every fourth day is an open question. Regardless, it’s not the first time Bauer has expressed a willingness to pitch on short rest.
Back when he was a member of the Indians during the 2017 ALDS, Bauer made a start on three days’ rest, saying beforehand, “I consider this normal rest for me.” He added, “If I could draw it up personally, this is how I’d pitch every time.”
Bauer then went out and yielded four earned runs in 1 2/3 innings in a loss to the Yankees, though it wouldn’t be fair to pass judgment based on a one-game sample size.
Aside from offering his opinions on how much rest he prefers, Bauer has raised eyebrows in the past by expressing a desire to eschew long-term contracts and sign one-year deals for the rest of his career. While discussing that subject with Nightengale, the 29-year-old seemed less sure of how he’ll proceed.
“I mean, I don’t know how I’m going to react once free agency gets here,” Bauer stated. “I said what I said, but you can never know how it’s going to go until you actually get there.”
Bauer also noted that he’s not motivated by money at this point, having “made a lot of” it during his career. He earned just under $30MM in salaries from 2011-19, according to Baseball Reference, and will make another $17.5MM this season in his last year of arbitration control.
Bauer may be in for another big salary in 2021, but it’s fair to say that will depend in part on how he pitches this year. While he had a rough go of it with the Reds after they acquired him from the Indians last July, his combined production between the two teams was still decent. The hard-throwing Bauer wound up with a 4.48 ERA/4.34 FIP and 10.69 K/9 and 3.46 BB/9 in a career-best 213 innings (his fifth straight season with 175 or more frames), but those numbers pale in comparison to his all-world output from 2018.
Trevor being Trevor
The title suggests Trevor would be sharing thoughts on AI, space travel, or alternative energy. But instead just, more baseball stuff. I am disappoint.
His proclivity for throwing that many innings leads to him sputtering out most years. Wish he would step on the gas and just focus on quality.
Yeah, this is what he should be worrying about, not how many days he can shorten his rest by. He needs to develop 3-4 pitches that he can completely master to reach his potential instead of the 10 he cannot. Very good observation sir.
Never a dull moment with Trevor.
LA maybe? I would say Boston because they need the arm but I doubt they’d fork over the change. Plus wasn’t Bauer a Dodgers fan growing up?
The Dodgers also make sense as they’re all about shorter term commitments for higher AAV, that’s supposedly what they pitched to both Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon. Bauer’s one year contract idea would fit there.
I’m not sure if they’d embrace his methods. The Indians did, and retained a number of people who also believe in that stuff. You still see guys doing long toss, throwing with weighted balls and some other Bauer inspired stuff there. The Yankees brought over Blake, who was a Bauer believer, so maybe that would be a fit?
His act will not work in LA or NY. Texas and Houston are more up his ally.
Houston???? He’s been destroying that entire organization for years calling them out for cheating, arguing with Bregman on twitter! No way Houston signs Bauer. I could see Angels, Dodgers, maybe even the Yankees who tried to acquire him last season.
No one in NY or LA will care about his act if he pitches well.
1). It’s not an act. He is authentic, whether anyone likes it or not.
2). Have you seen his comments regarding Houston? He would probably retire before playing for that organization.
Not really, he tried to call them out for using pine tar so much that his own coach told him to shut up. Now he’s jumping on the sign-stealing like that’s what he was saying all along.
I think his relationship with Gerrit Cole would prevent him from going to NY. The barely coexisted at UCLA and it’s just gotten worse between them since.
White Sox as well. Kenny Williams loves the veterans he can sign for short duration that can make an immediate impact. Bauer would make a lot of sense for rotation stability and that leap for 2021.
this crossed my mind too, they should be pretty well tuned going into ’21 looking to contend, much like the Reds this season
So, like Puig?
Mariners are going to sign him- you heard it here first
Ryan Divish shared that opinion sometime last year, actually. Says the short term deal and Driveline connection are all things the M’s would be into.
That has been discussed for a few years now. Jerry was responsible for drafting him while with Arizona. Some people thought he would be a trade target before Seattle realized a rebuild was necessary.
That said, he’ll still make sense for Seattle if he returns to previous form.
*Couple of years.
What about the Angels? With Otani probably going every sixth day, this could shore up and balance out the rotation.
I’d be stunned if he wasn’t pitching in southern California next year.
Is it crazy I think he gets 1 yr/$40-$45 mil from a team like the Dodgers?
Yes.
It’s crazy how much attention this guy gets. He’s not as good as he thinks he is.
Love the name Steve
How so, steve? He’s only had one “bad” year, and in that year he threw 213 innings and struck out almost 11 batters per nine. Sounds like you are another ignorant fool with a personal vendetta against him just because he is smarter than you.
Actually he’s only had a a season and half where he’s been really good,otherwise he’s been an erratic innings eater who throws way too many pitches,both in amount and in type.
Being intelligent isn’t a prerequisite for being outspoken, as evidenced by your cute little tirade here. He’s had one great season and other than that has been average across the other seasons he’s pitched. He clearly has the potential to dominate again, but given that more often than not he has not been dominant, he’s not getting 40 million for 1 year.
I think it’s because of how many pitches he tries to push to every outing. I agree, tanking his career.
Yes. He’s had one great year, that’s an insane amount on a 1 year deal, especially for a pitcher. Position player I could see it like they discussed with Harper (short term, high average annual value.
Yes, that is crazy. No way he gets that much. Cut that figure in half, at least..
@1drefordays6 He will not be going to Boston. As outspoken as he was about the Astros losers, he will go to another cheating team? Yeah. that won’t happen.
Daily reminder you’re the guy who threatened Dusty Baker and then flipped out and said people who call you out on the internet are on welfare, so grain of salt on your posturing here
1/10 or 2/15
Declining numbers.I realize he is in bandbox division.
There is no way he gets more than $25mil for one season. He is not an elite pitcher
Oh Doug that is much more than insane to think that
The only guys getting a 40-45M one year offer are the guys getting 35M for 7 years offer. Bauer isn’t that good
Imo he gets offered 15-20M in a multi year deal, maybe gets 1/25 if he has a great year and takes a one year deal.
Don’t forget the QO attached. He may have a mediocre market, especially with a non elite season
Yankees.
How about Tampa Bay? One, they probably would be willing to experiment with the every 4th day starting Bauer. Two, their one of the most analytical advanced teams out there, and I’m sure that would help with him wanting to be on a contending team that respects his values of technology of the game. And three, if he only wants to sign one year deals, that works in the Ray’s favor of giving him a one year, high AAV deal.
I was thinking the same thing. I believe Morton’s contract is up after this year and in the past he said he’d retire after this contract expires so that leaves some wiggle room on their budget.
Seattle would be a good fit but I’m not holding out a lot of hope because he says he wants to go to a contender. The truth be said the Ms are not close to contending and realistically won’t be for three more years.
Dodgers, padres, angels my guess
Probably in that order, too.
Because he was born in N. Hollywood. The salmon
returns to its place of birth procreates, then dies.
LA makes sense
Phillies would be my guess. Arrieta’s coming off the books, and Bauer would slot perfectly between Nola and Wheeler.
If he doesn’t pitch well this year he’ll end up like Puig without a job since teams only put up with so much if you’re performing.
People need to stop with this narrative. He has zero off-field problems. The twitter thing is overblown He is a very smart, very intuitive guy. Driveline baseball is leaving a mark in the league. He had a great impact on Clevinger helping him become a Top 6 pitcher in the league and was liked by his teammates. If Altuve and the rest of that joke of a team ever gets a job, Bauer will never have to worry. He is different but who wants everyone to be the same? Repeated nonsense
Good points, well said, triber
In my experience, most people not only want everyone to be the same, they can’t wrap their minds around the fact that there are people who don’t fit into the same box. In their defense, most people do fit into that box. It is labeled “Sheep.”
Exactly. If Domestic Violence cases get jobs and spicy tweets lose you them we live in a clown world.
well that’s because they aren’t “problems” that people dislike. he does things like kick up rumors about buzzers without any proof and acts like he’s better than the 4.00 ERA pitcher he’s been his whole career save one great season. not real problems, but still annoying
He didn’t start the rumor about the buzzers. That was from a Twitter account that had nothing to do with him and don’t say you believe the altuve wife story? Or is it another story he is saying now? He told multiple already. Bauer was right about the Astros and was the first guy really that called them out. They’re cheating POS, RedSox and Astros deserve everything they get. #BauerPower
He tried to spread the pine tar rumor. That was way off, so now he can jump on this. Don’t act like his accusations were even close lol
He’ll make for a fun, consistent off season. And a good bet for the Angels next year.
i know the astros “value technology”
I’d like to see him pair up with his old college buddy Gerrit Cole in New York.
He’d just have a higher ERA
Finally a player who has the balls to say what’s on his mind. He probably knows that what he says is things that others keep to themselves because of conditioing. This guy is freaking awesome in my book.
so does Arrieta and did Papelbon and yet they got ridiculed for it.
Hey Darkside, huge difference there. Arrieta threatened to hit Todd Frazier in the head and Papelbum choked out his own teammate in the middle of a game. Not exactly “speaking their mind”.
Yes darkside that is a horrible comparison.
Ok… A team would have to be fully confident that the rest of their starters could handle that load too, cause look at this (Angels for example)
Bauer
Ohtani
Heaney
Canning
Bauer
Ohtani—
But would a team have to give up one of their starters and give four of their starters a harder workload? Or would they keep their 5 starters to make their loads lighter while making Bauer’s heavier? (For example: with 5 starters)
Bauer
Ohtani
Heaney
Canning
Bauer
Teheran
Ohtani–
am i the only indians fan that misses this guy’s antics? probably so. always entertaining and never holds back. keep being you, trevor.
Bauer (behind Ubaldo) will go down as my 2 favorite Indians pitcher ever (Bob Feller is up there). I had zero problems with him. Francona seemed to have an issue with him but that’s Francona’s deal. I don’t’ blame Bauer for that. I think people in the FO didn’t like the fact he was a better pitching coach than the pitching coach they had. Nothing against Callaway cause I did like him
Bro, come on over to the Yankees – we check the boxes for you with playing for a contender and having a technologically advanced & driven team; although not nearly as technologically advanced as the Astros. Anyway, we need pitching, you want our team. Let’s go!
Somehow I don’t see Bauer agreeing to shave off his beard just to play for the Yankees. If Trevor doesn’t want to shave, Trevor’s not going to shave. He’ll fit in much better with the Angels, Phillies or maybe even the Indians again if Cleveland can find the money to pay him with.
The Yankees facial hair thing is over-emphasized and pretty silly really. Exhibit A is Johnny “Caveman” Damon signing with the Yankees right after winning with the “Idiots” in 2005. Jason Giambi was another who often sported a beard with the A’s.
Please do not ever bring this up. To presuppose a pitcher will choose facial hair over money is counterintuitive.
So many people were absolute in their assertions that Cole would not shave and go back home. In fact it was the rumor that overtook the realistic possibility he would sign with his favorite team. Look what happened! He shaved and got a haircut!!
When you postulate these points, ask yourself if you would turn down tens of millions of dollars for a beard. Many go to work now for between 50k-100k and shave because it’s a work policy.
@Mick1956 Not singling out Dorothy but it’s sports radio mentality noise. Plenty of people support their programming.
Why not? They used to pitch in 3 days rest all the time, for decades and decades. Suddenly it’s not the norm so people think it’s a ridiculous idea. Is it though? I’d like to see someone at least try it.
How about this for ‘real men’ pitching stats. In 1917, Babe Ruth pitched in 41 games for the Red Sox, throwing 326 innings and 35 complete games with a 2.01 ERA and a total of 2 HRs allowed! This is when guys actually took the off season off and came into ST camp grossly out of shape too; especially Babe. While I know guys are throwing much harder today, we are obviously doing something wrong with mechanics as a lot of these guys had 15+ year careers and exceeded 250 IPs every year they played. Bauer would have fit right in with these guys in this era.
“This is when guys actually took the off season off and came into ST camp grossly out of shape too”
Right, so that’s who Ruth was pitching to. The 2 HRs allowed is impressive, but it’s worth noting that there were 332 Total HRs hit that season. It just wasn’t a big part of the game.
If you look to the HOF there are a bunch of pitchers from the early days with those gaudy career G/IP numbers. But early baseball is littered with 100x as many poor rag-armed SOBs whose arms fell off after a couple seasons of that kind of workload. This also mostly predates the development/popularization of arm-killing breaking pitches.
Not to diminish the old-timers too much but they were throwing softer, pretty snap-free pitches to overall weaker competition.
Exactly. There really is little comparison between the game today and the game of a century or more in the past, in terms of stats. Too much is drastically different.
becsuse the rest of the rotation has to be on board with it too
Who needs a 6.39 ERA pitcher to pitch every fourth day? Take away his one great season and he is nothing special.
True, he has not been great over his Career, but this year is a Contract year and with this Offence behind him he will have a great season and be traded in July for a kings ransom.
Doubt Bauer ends up on my team, just hope that he doesn’t end up on a rival team so I can keep pulling for him
As a Reds fan, I just hope we get a draft pick out of this guy next off-season.
I wonder how much having one pitcher starting every fourth game regularly for an entire season would affect the routines for the rest of the rotation, who would likely be used to going every fifth game. I assume it could be adjusted, but that is something I would take into account when bringing on a new pitcher who wouldn’t even be a top of the rotation guy on a contender which, according to the article, is the kind of team he would want to join.
Yeah I cant really see any reason a team would honor the request, Even beyond any concern about risk-increase from the workload or adverse effects on the rest of the rotation, the reasons/benefits exist solely in Trevor Bauer’s head based on nothing concrete, beyond an impressively sized self-image.
Also, imagine the adjustments the rotation would have to make if he were to get injured…They cannot simply plug in someone to fill that role and the team can’t deploy and opener every fourth day. Good points guys.
If he has another year like he did after coming over to the Reds he’ll be sitting on his couch in July 2021…
1 year wonder and buzzer hoax artist. i worry he ends up in Philly next year.
The buzzers are real darkside, according to most players in the league who believe it. Philly needs Bauer.
according to most players in the league [citation needed]
I’m hopeful he resigns with the Reds. They hired his guru and are making a serious effort to compete. Should be the perfect environment for him.
Watched him for years in Cleveland, talented arm nothing between the ears.
Yes, the guy who runs analytical data models on his pitches, and spends his offseason researching biomechanics has “nothing between the ears.”
He has to do that much work to be that mediocre? Eeeesh.
Also “researching” biomechanics =/= understanding what he’s reading, or that what he’s reading is worth anything. Could be the shooting script for Van Damme’s “Cyborg.”
Excellent reference. Underrated movie. His name in that movie – Gibson Rickenbacker.
Ha! That movie is positively flocked with 80’s cocaine ideas and the cyborgs with guitar names idea gets the gold medal. I wanted to know EVERY name. “This is my cyborg girlfriend Epiphone, and that cybog over there is my best friend, uh, Paul Reed Smith.”
the same analytics that have caused him to have only a single good year in his career and double his ERA between 2018 and last year?
I don’t understand the love affair with Bauer. Yes, he is an entertaining individual, but he’s no Ace and I wouldn’t even call him a #2. He’s the most overrated pitcher in baseball not named Chris Archer. Anyone who gives him more than $15mil a year is a fool.
I don’t see it as a love affair, with the exception of a very limited few. I think it’s a general view that the guy has potential and many teams, like the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, Jays, etc… need starting pitching badly. He’s not an ace but he is definitely a 2-3 depending on how he pitches and the rotation that’s in place.
Astros value technology.
A lot. So much so that some would say they aren’t nearly as good without it; like may not have won the WS even!
He’s a prime target for the Jays.
Young up and coming team, likely rotation spot open next year, increasing use of analytics, more likely to prefer higher avg shorter term contracts and they’re in another country.
That’s a very Trevor Bauer thing to do.
And Shapiro already traded for him once.
Isn’t that what they do in Japan?
6 Man Rotation is the Japanese standard.
So the Reds didn’t already trade him because….? I know they can be contenders but I’m sure they aren’t the ones he is considering.
You’re sure he’s not considering them? Well then, case closed, despite the Reds hitting every one of his desires and having the next 8 months to negotiate.
Toronto is a darkhorse candidate for Bauer’s services and will emerge as a strong contender if Bauer is just decent or bad in 2020.
I like the idea, but Trevor needs to realize that by going every four days, he’ll need to become more of a classic “pitcher” and less of a thrower, which is what pitchers are now in the game (maybe except Josh Tomlin).
That means throwing with much less velocity and using movement and location to get guys out.
Even Nolan Ryan (fastest pitcher ever) would do this. And he’d also throw 230 pitches in a game. Just only rarely at his top speed to make the fastball much more effective when he did use it.
Bauer is no doubt becoming my favorite non Rays player in baseball
Agreed brother
He does has a rubber arm and always wants the ball in his hand (until he chucks it over the CF fence) so you gotta show some love for that. His odd workout regiment seems to work for him.
Trevor Bauer needs to be protected at all costs. Love that guy.
Yeah this dude is gold. He’s the hero we need but don’t deserve.
Feature suggestion: Bauer mute
I was just going to say that Cincinnati has climbed out of the “Siberia of Baseball” analogy that Pittsburgh and Baltimore are in, and talented players may change their viewpoint where possible destinations are concerned
Will be interesting to see if Bauer sticks around
Yankees should have traded for Bauer, or Stroman last year.
Instead we got Green as a starter..yuck.
He wants to start every 4th day? He knows his body better than anyone.
As for the 1 year contracts? I’d take the 100 mil, but what the hell do I know? LoL
At this point, can you really say that? He pitches himself into the ground every year. At some point a team just has to shut him down and do what’s best for the organization and not let him try to throw 120 pitches a game
“He wants to start every 4th day? He knows his body better than anyone.”
He knows how his body feels having started every 5th day for his whole career. To extrapolate that into “I can definitely increase my workload by almost 30% while losing a recovery day between starts…and be better!” is fantasy.
Not a lot apparently as Green is terrific at what he is – opener/long reliever and cheap. Bauer and Stroman wouldn’t have moved the needle as it was the Yankees’ offense that was sleeping in the playoffs. Neither of these pitcher are aces that are going to shut down completely a strong (cheating-or-not) Astros offense.
Bauer is obnoxious. Teams should be weary of bringing his antics into their locker room.
I think Bauer has to say stuff like this and act all controversial just to stay relevant. I’ve never seen a pitcher get so much love and be talked about as a near ace with only one career season with an ERA under 4
i don’t like anybody saying my team, unless they are the owner
A player referring to the team they play for as “my team” bothers you? Why? Is it too “100% normal/routine/accurate” for you or something?
my is possessive, they don’t possess the team
there’s no my in team
It’s a possessive determiner, yes. “of, belonging to, or associated with.” Bauer is of/belongs to the team he speaks of. It is his team. They are his team (Team meaning multiple things as well).
It’s not rocket surgery.
I like a player who takes his team personally. Indicates attachment, commitment, loyalty.
It’s really more just a guy using a word in one of it’s hyper-common ways. My team. My job. My street. Etc. Just My being used all regular-like.
What about “my teammates”? Is that possessive? Does he own them? Should he say “the organization in which I’m employed”? Lol. At any rate loosen up a bit it’s not good for your health
He kinda be perfect on Anaheim. He could yell and scream all he wants and our fan base won’t care as long as it considered remotely positive. There’s no barries to entry in la.
Love Bauer and his being so outspoken.
Old school thinking, I like it. Now all he needs is for someone to hire Dr. Mike Marshall as the pitching coach who will let him do it..
People forget that Dr. Mike has a Ph. D in Exercise Physiology from Michigan State University obtained in 1978, and he was a relief pitcher who tossed 200+ innings throwing a screwball and not messing up his arm. Given all the injuries happening to pitchers these days, it’s almost a form of baseball malpractice that no one has hired him.
Good luck Mr. Bauer!
Nothing against Dr. Marshall but it’s a different game nowadays. You won’t ever again see pitchers accumulate 300 IP in an season while starting one day and relieving the next. The sacrifice bunt from a non-pitcher hitter is dead. I don’t have the data but I’m willing to bet that the average career length of players back then is significantly shorter than it is today.
I can watch the video of Bauer throwing the ball into CF over and over again. The looks he and Francona exchange after are gold
Pirates! I love his fire.