C-Cap Recap – Game 4: Math, Magic & Irrational Panic
October 18, 2016Kevin Love And Role Playing
October 19, 2016I’m starting to feel like the J-Ram of WFNY, or at least the While We’re Waiting portion. I may be the uber-utility WWW guy for now, but you never know when I’ll end up starting at third, with a high-top orange fade, and a helmet that flies off my head. Hmmm…I did buy some commemorative nachos at Game 2…
The complicated life and career of Trevor Bauer seemed to manifest itself in the blood and gore of his mangled pinky during his most recent start in Game 3 of the ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Indians hurler had cut his finger repairing one of his infamous man-made drones on Thursday Night, requiring 11 stitches, and pushing him from a Game Two start, to Game 3 in Toronto.
As photos surfaced prior to the Game 3, showcasing what looked like a finger-prop straight out of George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, it was only a ghastly precursor to the faucet of blood that poured out onto his jersey and mound during his start.
With two outs and two on in the first inning, and with centerfield cameras zooming in on the mess, Toronto manager John Gibbons strolled out onto the field, chatted briefly with home plate umpire John Gorman, and the beginning of the end was at hand. The infield, umpires, Tito Francona and trainers converged on the mound, and a pale and clearly upset Bauer saw the writing on the wall. His night was over, adding another chapter to the righty’s enigmatic career.
With an already depleted starting rotation, Francona and the Tribe were forced to their bullpen, and in one of the statement games for these 2016 Indians, went on to defeat the Blue Jays 4-2, taking a 3-0 ALCS lead.
While the game added to the luster of what seems to be an incredulous run for the Indians, Bauer once again found himself at the center of a minefield of conversation about his pinky, his drones, his twitter account, his rocky relationship with the Blue Jays fans, and an overall teeter-totter of support and disdain. While Bauer only made 21 pitches to the four batters he faced, the ghoulish specter of his drone-cut pinky will live in a blood-soaked infamy.
But when you alcohol swab Trevor Bauer’s career; who in the hell is Trevor Bauer, anyways?
Is he truly a pitcher? Is he an intellectual who is just interested in the physics of baseball? Is he so mature in his approach that the trivialities of life are beneath him? Is he so immature that he can’t avoid the conflict and Jerry Springer-like battles that present themselves via Twitter?
When Bauer left the game yesterday, I mockingly pondered the need for Bauer to even have a pinky.
What are the chances Bauer is looking up research on how the ball flies w/out a pinky, can with it? #bauermetrics @BauerOutage
— Jim Pete (@JimPeteEHC) October 18, 2016
A couple hours after the game ended, Bauer addressed the need of his pinky.
@BradHeaton I told em just to cut it off and let me pitch but…
— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) October 18, 2016
This is Bauer. Is he serious? Is he kidding? Did he legitimately sit back and ponder whether or not he needed his pinky to pitch? Later in that same twitter exchange, Bauer noted that the lack of a pinky would likely be better for his changeup, and it became clear that while it initially seems like some college-frat-level “cut his finger off dude” sorta conversation. The reality is that Bauer likely thinks about these things.
And honestly, does he need the pinkie? Did Ronnie Lott?
Yahoo’s Jeff Passan then added to the potential lopping off of the bloody appendage by noting that Bauer wanted to cauterize the cut with a freakin’ soldering iron himself. Yes, that sounds like a good idea (okay, a part of me thinks it is, ignoring the likely infections and, well, pain that would be involved).
Who in the heck is this guy anyways?
To understand the pitcher and thinker that Bauer is, you have to understand that as analytical and academic as Bauer is, he’s always been a baseball junkie. This is a kid that used to wear baseball pants to elementary school. This is a kid that utilized walks to classes as a chance to work on his delivery or arm strength. This is the field-rat that wasn’t afraid of what people thought…ever.
He wanted to be a big league pitcher, and at any cost.
It was physics that led him to a mid-90’s fastball that he knew would be his ticket to the big leagues. It was studying one of the most violent, but effective deliveries, Tim Lincecum, that helped consummate the physics lessons he had learned. But the academic side of Bauer has always taken it further, learning the dangers of Lincecum’s delivery, so he could keep his arm healthy.
This is where I think the disconnect is with regards to Bauer. While the analytical seem to think that baseball is only a vehicle for his thinking, and while the old-school believe the thinking is only a vehicle of his baseball, the reality is that he is much more complicated than one or the other. Bauer is a baseball junkie, and an intellectual, new-era baseball player. You can see it when he plays, and watch it when he prepares. He’s not a guy that can be pigeon-holed into one category, and he doesn’t like it when folks try to…on any level.
The raw emotion of the life-long baseball player is there, right beneath the surface, at all times. When Bauer makes a mistake, he boils over because he cares so much. Sure, there’s an immaturity to it, but folks, it’s the game of baseball. This kids’ game allots a certain immaturity to the best baseball players in the world. It’s the boon and bust of playing a game made for children.
On Monday Night, Bauer was hiding his finger like a kid hiding a flashlight under their pillow so they can light up the bedroom after their parents tuck them in. He wanted to stay in the game because he’s a competitor, a ballplayer through-and-through, regardless of the cost. That’s a competitor.
Sure, the reasoning behind the cut finger is controversial. He cut his finger while powering up his drone so that he could test hover the thing. This is after multiple “drone incidents” over the past couple of years. It seems easy, right? Why the hell are you playing with a drone with propellers that could cut you when our starters are depleted, and we need you in the ALCS.
But, we’re talking about a drone incident. Now no, this isn’t like cutting vegetables to most people, because most people don’t have a drone. But Bauer not only has a drone, but has probably used a drone MORE than a dinner knife in the past few years. One of the four blades engaged, and the deed was done.
Should you be mad at him for cutting his finger?
I’ve heard a slew of analogies in comparison, from wrecking his car, to cutting his finger while chopping up vegetables, and think each has merit, to some extent. But the fact of the matter is that Trevor Bauer is a starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, a team that has a starting pitcher shortage. It was an accident, but he also needs to be taking care of his hand and arm the way he’s done over his entire lifetime. He’s utilized metrics and higher-level thinking to build his arm to the point in which he’s elite.
So if you’re upset at Bauer for injuring his hand almost on the eve of his first ever ALCS start in which Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco aren’t on the roster for actual accidental injuries, I get it.
No, this isn’t sitting out a game for a stiff neck, and Bauer tried like hell to pitch, but I get it.
********
From Bauer’s freshman year to his junior year in high school, he had increased his velocity by at least 10 MPH, and become the most sought after pitcher to the top-rated colleges. His sophomore year in high school, he threw 84 MPH, tops. By the end of his junior year, he was touching 95, was less than 6’0″, and weighed 160 pounds.
He began spending summers in Texas at Ron Wolworth’s Baseball Ranch, and used science to try and hit 100. He worked on everything, from 12-second fitness, to delivery, to arm strength and the aforementioned physics.
Bauer dominated high school pitching, and it became boring for him. He went 12-0 as a high school junior, with a 0.79 ERA. So what did he do? He finished a year early, and headed off to UCLA. On a staff loaded with potential first picks, Bauer became the best pitcher on UCLA’s staff.
Bauer was the third pick in the 2011 draft for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and made his first start in 2012. Bauer immediately began shaking off Diamondbacks veteran catcher, Miguel Montero…in his first game…on his first pitch.
…
Knowing Bauer now, that’s hardly a surprise, and he’s been an eccentricity of fun ever since. His continued insistence on calling off catchers, and odd training patterns (that have kept him healthy, other than blades, by the way) sent him packing to the Indians less than a year later.
He long-tosses from 400 feet, and crow hops a 90-100 MPH pitch before the game, and every inning. With the Indians, he’s been good, and frustrating. He’s started, moved to the pen, and back to the rotation. He’s thrown too many pitches (has as complete an arsenal as anyone in baseball), but has come through the haze as a guy that’s going to be elite, if he isn’t already.
The question remaining is, will Bauer be able to pitch again during the ALCS? It’s hard to imagine the Indians won’t try, especially if the series goes deeper than it looks like it’s going to go now. A couple of things to ponder though: his arm is rested, and his curveball is elite. The Indians have been feeding the Blue Jays a steady barrage of breaking balls over the past four games, and Bauer’s could be fun…
well…if he’s not bleeding all over the field
Your music of the day…
In honor of Trevor Bauer, here’s his walk-up song. No, Bauer isn’t a metalhead, but he’s always wanted to cultivate a personality on the field that’s vastly different from his off-the-field demeanor. Enter “The Pursuit of Vikings,” by Amon Amarth.
And c’mon, after losing Game 4, shouldn’t we all be a little metal today?
25 Comments
Cleveland has a long list of idiot athletes who have done really stupid things to take themselves out of playing time, but fixing drones is not one of them. Accidents happen and you have to deal with it.
But the trolling of the TOR fanbase is too much, after he has done about zero in this series. Leave the toe chewing to Joey Bats and win another game.
Unless he sneaks off and solders his wound together (NOT RECOMMENDED) there is 0% chance he pitches again in this ALCS. World Series though….
I think the people who are upset with Bauer are being unreasonable and selfish. (Or they just want to be a hot take machine.) This was an accident.
By definition, an accident is an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury. You can’t plan for the unexpected. You aren’t deliberately attempting the unintentional.
Sure, certain activities are inherently riskier. But where do we draw the line when it comes to which activities are reckless and which are accidents? Athletes can’t be vacuum packed and sealed away from life in between starts. (Although, I’m sure some people would advocate for it).
“You take a chance every day when you get out of bed . . . cross the street . . . or stick your face in a fan.”
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/58175d868514fec158c069813a79b49bc96cf5ad6fadda883ffc0fb760560035.jpg
jpf…thanks for reading!!!! Much appreciated.
I’m not sure there are many people that love Bauer more than I do, and while I understand that accidents are just accidents, I also think if you’re Kluber or Bauer right now, you’re encasing yourself in bubble wrap, doing everything to stay healthy. I don’t think it’s far fetched for someone that has ever used a drone to think, “If I’m trying to fix it, and there are spinning blades, I could get cut.” But, opinions are opinions.
As far as the trolling…could care a less. It’s twitter. So I guess I’m the teeter to your totter.
lololololol….
Solder away!!!!! Perhaps they can just get a nice cattle prod, and initiate his pinky?
Again, I agree with all of this. Every bit of it. I think you can constitute holding a knife at dinner, or holding something you are adding power to (and trying to fix, because it isn’t working) that has four blades on it as something that potentially could cut your hand.
I joked about bubble wrap before…but c’mon. To ignore the fact that he wasn’t as careful as he could have been is insane.
I have heard of NUMEROUS athletes that have discussed using their oppo hand to do everything during seasons to avoid accidents…especially pitchers.
I agree, accidents happen. I equally think that being a starting pitcher on the Indians would advocate a bit of caution using your pitching hand to do anything but pitch. Of course, that’s just me.
And I honestly could care less about hot takes.
Many moons ago I was at Firestone, back when it was the World Series of Golf. Greg Norman came out to the practice green, was all smiles to the cameras, walked over and signed a few autographs and back to putting.
I followed him from the green to tee 1, and he had a couple of security people next to him. He kept shouting (in the aussie accent impossible to duplicate here) “Keep your pens away! Keep your pens away!”
I thought he was just being a schwartz, but someone pointed out he was afraid of getting stuck with a pen just before his round.
I cannot even imagine the fan outrage if Bauer had William Green-ed himself!
Yes, I know the fiancee was charged with the stabbing later…:)
Agreed. He wasn’t racing dirk bikes or trying wheelies. He wasn’t out parkour-ing on Public Square. Wasn’t rock climbing. Didn’t host a party the night before a game. Hell, he wasn’t even playing basketball.
I would equate this to tinkering with a vintage car on his off day. It happened, it sucks, get over it and move on.
Ben Zobrist rides his bike to Wrigley Field. That is significantly more dangerous than a 8-ounce drone.
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Great read Jim and I’m a huge Bauer fan as well. IMO, he’s taken the science of pitching to a new level. At first I was pretty pissed about the whole drone thing, but after thinking it through and listening to Tito and Kipnis, it’s just who the kid is. He’s an idiot savant. You can see him focused on circuit xyz, and how it does blah blah blah, and if he just cleans up this little thing here and bam, oh sh*t.
My larger point is after he costs his team a start, a little humble pie would be in order, not smack talk with Bautista. That to me is a sign of his immaturity, which has really been his only problem. One which he has made a ton of progress on this year.
I was a little annoyed at first, but they won that game anyway. Give it time to heal and hopefully see him pitch the next round.
“Idiot Savant”
His behavior is certainly…I don’t know…Uniquely Awesome?
I agree that there’s a domino effect here that doesn’t quite fit. I pitch to four batters, and engage in a trolling affair that, while effective, is certainly head-scratching. He’s this amalgam of immaturity, and perhaps peppered with a cavalier attitude? I could write a book. Not sure if the circumstances warrant such behavior…;)
lol…this may be an old school thing. Not sure. I forget which pitcher used to walk around with his arm wrapped all the time…maybe back in the 70’s?
Are you speaking of the same circumstances to which Bautista was referring?
Like Nick Fink of 92.3….
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I’m sure now that it’s happened once, he’ll keep his fingers clear when he plugs the thing in, lol. Fool me once…
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