I will not presume to speak for Trevor Bauer, but I do not think the “WIN” he got today was enough or what he wanted. I also will not pretend to know if he can play while appealing the verdict. From what I know about Trevor Bauer, I think he is willing to go “balls to the wall.” But what I do not fully understand is whether he HAS TO accept this verdict and not play or whether he can challenge the verdict and continue to play while appealing.
Maybe people smarter than me can explain that. I think only an idiot will try and predict what the Dodgers will do. The perception of Bauer has dramatically changed. One moronic baseball blog said this:
“The Dodgers have a little over two weeks to decide what they’re going to do, but I think everyone expects he will be released. They will have to eat about $25 million in 2023 salary to release him. If they do, Bauer will then be free to sign with any other club for the league minimum or even on a minor league deal. He hasn’t pitched since mid-2021, and obviously there are significant non-baseball considerations that will go into any organization’s decision to bring him on board.“
Yes, the morons expect him to be released. The morons also expected the suspension to be upheld… so there is that. If I were Bauer, I would appeal it and take it to Federal Court and ultimately to the Supreme Court. I am sure he will speak to this soon, but if the Dodgers elect to release him, they are a bunch of Karen chickenshit little bitches who do not have a spine. (I have a problem saying what I really mean 😉 )
Bob Nightengale says the Dodgers are going to release him, so the fact that he is usually wrong plays well here.
More to come soon. Bauer is not done!
Discussion (50)
Disagree, not disagreeable
As a former Mayor of a well known city, I have to say that the discussion of this issue is one of the best I have ever been a participant in. Lots of valid points made on a complex issue. Unfortunately, most of our public policy issues do not have this type of robust, substantive dialogue. This is why I come to LADT first everyday instead of going to any of the traditional news outlets. To all who participated, thanks for the experience!
We see Alex Rodriguez on tv making millions. We saw ESPN bring ray lewis in to their broadcast team. Marcell ozuna continues to be on the field. Why not schedule a meeting with Clayton, Mookie, Freddie, max,& roberts. And go from there! If he can convince them he’s ready to put all this in the rearview mirror let’s get on with the next season! Trade for Brian Reynolds and go!
A Merry and a Joyous Christmas and Happy Holidays to all on this site .
As I ‘ve stated many times before Bauer will be released and the Dodgers will eat the 22 million dollar salary. because he will be a PR nightmare and a distraction especially on the road . The decision was made long before the suspension was lifted and will be announced shortly. This is one of AF’s worst signings . A rapid reaction to what other teams do in the offseason can prove to be costly. It’s time to move on and work with what talent we have and hope for the best.
The Dodgers owners are the ones who will have the say if Bauer plays for or not for the franchise further. I sure they have zero fear about PRs because any backlash about Bauer playing again could only be short lived. So I’m certain they carry some hate at Bauer for what this had cost them, they likely will let their wallets be the main factor. While they surely wish that Bauer was some other teams problem they also don’t like getting nothing from the god -zillions of dollars spent. If he could play and help recover some of their lost funds that is where this will go. If they don’t feel him playing for LA will benefit them financially then it’ll boil down selling him like a used car. I( think just dumping him without any return is simply out of the question. But financial hate is a powerful emotion too. Sometimes fortunes have been spent simply to keep certain others from profiting a penny. I think it’s likely we’ll see Bauer in blue come springtime. For how long is another question.
They have been running a couple of polls on Twitter about Bauer. Here is the kicker, when all this first broke, most fans wanted him out of the game, in the polls I checked today, the overwhelming majority are saying let him play.
Keep TB!!! He got railroaded by the groupie, Manfred and cancel culture. Saying he made a poor decision or placed himself in a compromising position has the advantage of 20/20 hindsight and the hubris of the laziest Monday morning quarterback. Which one of us has never made a bad decision and that’s assuming TB wasn’t the victim of a setup from the get go. The man hasn’t been convicted of shit and yet he’s PR nightmare, a menace to society and a cancer in the clubhouse? Put me down for F that and to those Plaschke types whose virtue signaling sensibilities have been allegedly offended by TB’s LEGAL off the field activities. He can be a solid #4 or #5 starter who can and probably will pitch more innings than any other starter except maybe Julio. I wholeheartedly support TB and to all those falsely accused and hope he contributes to another playoff run next season.
VIVA AZUL!!!
I’ve got a headache!
All this vitriol toward Bauer. And none toward wonder boy Friedman who panicked and signed him to the horrible contract.
Maybe, there is a lot they don’t know, but pretty sure ( assuming ) that they know a lot more than we think they know,
I wish the Dodgers could sue MLB for putting them in this ridiculous situation. The Dodgers now have zero room to work insofar as the luxury tax is concerned. If they are going to make a big move on Ohtani next year, they need to be out from under the highest level of penalties.
What might be in both parties interest is for Bauer to simply opt out. If he’s DFAed the most Bauer can make next year is $22m + MLB minimum. If he opts out he will get $16m and can sign with whoever offers him the largest contract. I have to believe that would be more than $7m for the season, even if he forfeits half his salary. The Dodgers would then still have room under the tax threshold. That’s assuming a team is willing to sign him. I have to believe there are teams that would be willing to deal with the push back for a pitcher of his quality. I think the Dodgers are less concerned with Bauer playing or not playing than they are this damaging their plans over the next season or two.
My prediction. Bauer opts out. Signs for $20m+ elsewhere. Still gets his $30m+ pay. Dodgers maintain the flexibility they value so much; especially for the trade deadline.
Call it stupid. Call it unfair. I don’t believe the Dodgers want him to wear the uniform again. They simply don’t want to deal with the blowback. Nor do they want to tie their hands to make additional moves as needed.
How do you, or any of us know what the Dodgers know or don’t know ?
If Bauer is as “innocent” as most here assert, why would he still be suspended 194 days by an independent arbitrator? Why would he accept it? Why have 2 other women come forward with similar allegations? There’s a lot here that we don’t know and neither do the Dodgers.
The Difference between Cartaya and Rushing is more than just L and R. Although not there at the present time, Cartaya has the potential to be the total package, including a Gold Glover. Rushing is a hitter, first, foremost, and always! In 2024 and beyond, Rushing would be a perfect Back Up catcher who could serve as a LH DH. It would save a roster spot.
Bauer and CT3 for Tatis. Any takers? minus CT3 an idiot for an idiot
Here’s something I forgot. Were the Padres on the hook for Tatis’ salary while he was on suspension for PEDs? Or is taking illegal substances to enhance performance (on the field) different that proclivity for kinky sex in the eyes of MLB?
it’s not quite the Night Before Christmas and I don’t have visions of sugar-plums dancing through my head. Instead, I have Trevor Bauer numbers dancing through my head. The best my pea brain can grasp is this (I think) by using about 4 or 5 websites to comprehend:
Bauer signed for 3 years for 102 million
Obviously his suspension was reduced from 324 games to 194.
* For 2021 he was paid until his July accusation date. 1/2 season
* For 2022 the Arbitrator suspended Bauer 144 games of the 162, so the Dodgers are on the hook for his salary for 18 games?
* Despite being able to play all of 2023, Bauer will be suspended, at least for salary purposed, for 50 games.
* So the Dodgers are obligated to pay Bauer for 296 games and he’s suspended for 190.
So I’m overthinking this but the bottom line, which I can’t grasp through all this math , is that the Dodgers will have to pay Trevor 22.5 million for 2023. So the Dodgers save 9.5 million off their CBT projected at 199 million? I read that. I also read that the Dodgers owe Bauer all of his 2022 salary no matter what. Maybe the guy who wrote that one is as confused as I am.
So the sugar-plums disguised as numbers just blew a gasket in my head.!
If anybody can explain this in real numbers, I’m all ears. I’m just an ex-player and coach with 2 Master’s Degrees , so this is way out of my league.
Next question – reading through all of the opinions and options presented here is seems to me that 1 of 2 things will happen in the next 14 days
The Dodgers will not DFA Bauer and shouldn’t. He isn’t guilty of anything except being an idiot who was more interested in strange stuff than good judgement; he’s a nut-case but we knew that. It could be a mess for awhile but look at what other behaviors have eventually faded into the sunset. Kobe Bryant comes to mind. The Dodgers need to get something for that last 22 million. He’s on the roster going into Spring Training. I don’t think the player’s wives opinions will be a determining factor.
Since Bauer may not have a no-trade clause with American League teams, that opens up the whole league. What happened to the idea of trading Bauer to a team (far way) desperate for pitching and eat 1/2 of the 22 million? A team would get a former Cy Young pitcher for $11 million. That may be attractive despite all the bullshit if he can get hitters out. Seems to me AF has paid more for reclamation projects. We paid 16 million for David Price to get Mookie. 11 million for a potential top stater could be pretty attractive to the right team.
So what happened to that idea instead for just flushing 22 mill down the toilet? I must be missing some legality here.
HELP!
I don’t think Bauer should accept the ruling. At least not with what evidence that we’ve been allowed to see. This whole thing appeared like a setup from the beginning and that’s also the position Bauer has stood by and it’s what an innocent is supposed to do. I would be disappointed for Bauer to play the ‘Rube’ and just take it because that’s saying there’s some validity in the accusations and that he wasn’t just a victim of an evil plot. Manfred has acted like he was the father of the woman accuser trying to bury any discredit to her reputation by making this fiasco as big as he has. Bauer’s prior behavior to this judgement along with the evidence that I’ve been shown tells me it’s wrong to let this mess just end this way. If there’s something that we can’t be privy to be shown then public opinion means nothing. And for Manfred to hide himself behind public opinion is something he shouldn’t be able to get away with. Fairness isn’t what the man is made of. That’s part of this piece of public opinion.
On a happier note, Baseball Prospectus put out a new Top Ten prospect list.
Nastrini and Frasso both make the list. And Dalton Rushing too.
Cartaya, Miller, Vargas, Stone are 1-4.
Nastrini is 5, Rushing 6, Busch 7, Frasso 8, Pages 9 and Outman 10. (So much frenzy!)
It’s just BP, but the report suggests that Vargas could be “a Swiss Army knife,” capable of playing 3B, 2B, LF. That seems odd, since UT guys tend to be known for their gloves not their bats. Also, I was pleasantly surprised that BP thinks Frasso could be developed as an SP.
Rushing is really interesting to me. If, say, the Brewers insist on Cartaya in some big deal, Rushing’s presence would ease the pain.
I agree DNS but I’d love to be a fly on the clubhouse wall on the first day if he did come back!
Putting aside the technical implications ofa DFA or whatever, my predicition is that the Dodgers will seek to severe ties to Bauer, and it will come at a cost.
When this controversy first bubbled up, I argued that they should try to trade him and just eat part of the salary.
I think Dodgers management and his teammates have no love for Bauer and don’t want him back. I’ve never heard any signal to the contrary.
I don’t know if the Dodgers have engaged a “crisis PR” firm, but I think keeping Bauer means a constant narrative that will shadow the Dodgers’ season. He’d be the story on every road trip. An unmuzzled, emboldened Bauer could amplify the negative vibes. That would not be good for the Dodgers, not good for Bauer, not good for the MLB.
So the best outcome would be turn the page and give all the parties a fresh start.
That’s my prediction.
I just googled this paragraph about the no-trade portion of Bauer’s contract.
I don’t see where there would be any limitation if he’s traded between seasons, so feel free to send him to an AL team.
“Bauer has a limited no-trade provision that requires his consent to be dealt to an American League team from opening day through the All-Star Game. He has a contingent limited no-trade provision for the rest of each season requiring his approval to be dealt to an AL team if he is an All-Star, has thrown more than 80 innings before the All-Star Game or pitches at least one inning in each start before the All-Star Game.”
I think I’ve lost a post.
In better, non-Bauer, news Baseball Prospectus has their review of the Dodgers system.
It’s a paid site, and it’s one that I don’t pay for. But I can crib some overviews:
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/article/79544/2023-prospects-los-angeles-dodgers-top-prospects/
Co-author Jeffrey Paternostro writes on Twitter:
The Dodgers system is maybe not quite as good as the Orioles system but it’s staggeringly deep in terms of potential above-average major leaguers. As good as this system is, it’s incredibly boring to research and write as they have optimized player dev to the point you feel like a grizzled basketball coach complaining that no one shoots mid-range jumpers anymore. In this metaphor the mid-range jumper is “have a BB/9 rate under 4” I guess.
The other co-author, the ludicrously funny and great Craig Goldstein writes:
Today on @baseballpro: The Los Angeles Dodgers Top Prospects. The first list to extend past 20 names due to the depth in the system. It lacks the Orioles’ star power at the top but has a ton of Top 101 names.
Eric Stephen, as always, has a great write-up:
https://www.truebluela.com/2022/12/23/23513520/dodgers-prospects-diego-cartaya-miguel-vargas-bobby-miller-gavin-stone-baseball-prospectus
Eric quotes the article about Nick Frasso:
“Like Stone, he was mostly a reliever in college, so there may be further gains to come if he can stay healthy and stick as a starter in 2023,” Paternostro wrote. “That could make him one of the best pitching prospects in baseball this time next year. Or it just might make him the Dodgers eighth-inning guy by August.”
Well Now!
I think public perception of Trevor Bauer has changed based upon the Microcosm that is LADT!
That is evident. A year ago, 95% were against him. Now it seems like it’s more than 50% in favor of Bauer.
I used to comment here regularly. I slowed down because I thought too many here didn’t have enough confidence in their opinions/takes to let their comments stand alone. They had to crucify opinions that didn’t match their own even when those opinions were yet to be made.
My take:
Criminal charges were not made against Bauer. He should be able to move on with his life as anybody else would who wasn’t charged with a crime. But, I don’t look at this as a guilty or innocent situation. He decided to put himself in a situation that a person in the public eye and making millions should not do. It was not in the best interest of his profession, baseball, teammates, and his employer.
He paid for his decision like a person that serves time in prison does. He didn’t cheat or bet on games. His offense was outside baseball. He should be able to return to baseball. Would his return turn off fans who in return would not buy tickets or buy merchandise? Who cares if they are right or not. It’s their prerogative.
There have been other players suspended and reinstated for MLB domestic policy violations. There is precedence.
There have been players that have been suspended and reinstated for cheating whether it be use of corked bats or PEDS. On the other hand, Los Angeles Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling was banned from the NBA for life. The banishment came as a result of racial comments Sterling made.
Are there teams that are more sensitive to family values that wouldn’t want Bauer on their team? Undoubtedly there are.
IMO, the Dodgers got out of the Bauer contract cheaply enough. Signing him was a mistake and compounded by the amount of the contract. You can’t lose something you never had. A twenty-one and a half million dollar mistake in Baseball money, like in Monopoly money, is easier to chalk up to a learning experience and then move on.
If there are teams that would sign Bauer once he is released then there will be competition. Who would win that competition? The Rangers, Yankees, Mets, Padres, Giants to name a few.
If a team wants Bauer at $22.5M and not at a bidding war price, they would have to trade for him. I think he has trade value. But, if Bauer thinks there are teams that would bid for him then he should opt out, take his $15M, and try to get another $20M+.
That said, I am going to vote to keep him until they can trade him. I assume Bauer has the same 14 days to opt out as the Dodgers have to keep or release him. They can’t trade him before he can still opt out because no team would make such a trade. It’s going to be a waiting game. First one to blink loses. Dodgers can release him anytime this year.
Giants also signed Taylor Rogers to a three-year 33-million-dollar deal. He joins his brother, Tyler in the Giants’ bullpen. Taylor becomes the third lefty in the Giants’ pen joining Scott Alexander and Sam Long. Yankees signed Wilmer Difo to a split contract with a July 1 opt out date.
I’m not saying that I want the Dodgers to DFA him. I’m saying that’s what they’ll do. Anyone think that a current Dodger player will come out in support of him?
Chalk me up for play him if he can regain his pitching form. He was never convicted of a crime and we all knew he was an idiot prior to signing him, make him earn his money. If you are a Dodger fan and Bauer starts winning baseball games, the stigma will pass quickly. We all know you can never have enough pitching.
https://twitter.com/batflipbombz/status/1605014659018346496?s=20&t=MJWsUcG7pt7-xv6gEE4Rqg
Bauer contract appears to have a $15 million player opt out and a no trade clause to AL teams.
Not sure on the deadline for opt out provision this year or whether the amount would be adjusted for suspension.
MLB journalists and leftists are calling for immediate release of Bauer or boycott of Dodgers.
It is possible Bauer will opt out and negotiate his own destination. Bauer and his agent may take the decision out of Friedman’s hands. And Friedman should force Bauer to opt out instead of just outright releasing him, since Dodgers obligation would drop from $22.5 million to $15 million. (Just enough room to trade for Brian Reynolds).
Actually, I’m not a big Farhan fan.
The mess with Carlos Correa is a case in point. He’s also the guy who threw in Yordan Alvarez into the Josh Fields deal. Before someone says that Alvarez wasn’t into the system when the trade was made, someone must have thought highly of him, giving him a $2 million signing bonus. His videos and scouting reports were impressive. Why is it that Houston knew all about him and LA didn’t. Didn’t sound like Farhan even knew who he was.
Farhan looked like a genius a couple of years ago, but he got lucky, everything fell into place. The chances of that happening again were very slim. No surprise how the Giants finished this past season.
Yes, he found Max Muncy. But Farhan is more myth than legend.
I like to break things down to the simplest parts possible:
Trevor Bauer was never charged with a crime. His accuser sought but was denied a restraining order against him, and Los Angeles prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence to prove the woman’s accusations beyond a reasonable doubt.
Among 15 players previously disciplined under MLB’s Domestic Violence Policy, the longest suspension was a full season and postseason for free agent pitcher Sam Dyson in 2021. None of the players previously disciplined under the policy appear to have challenged the penalty before an arbitrator. They all accepted the penalty.
Bauer’s suspension was the longest of any MLB player since pitcher Jenrry Mejia was given a lifetime ban in 2016 for a third violation of the drug agreement. Mejia was reinstated for 2019 and returned in the minor leagues.
Here’s the full list of suspensions:
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_suspended_for_domestic_violence
In all of the cases, the player either agreed to the facts and suspension or there was clear evidence of the crime. That is not true here. This was a Kangaroo Court. Other cases have involved firing guns and other disturbing behavior. In Bauer’s case, the facts are not clear, BUT WE WILL FIND HIM GUILTY ANYWAY BECAUSE WE DON’T LIKE HIS POLITICS… AND THAT , LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IS EXACTLY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.
What was done to Bauer is unprecedented and there is no basis for it whatsoever. It does not pass the smell test!
In 1769 William Blackstone wrote, that “the law holds that it is better that 10 guilty persons escape, than that 1 innocent suffer (innocent person be convicted).” It is presupposed that any ratio presented should not be taken to indicate that it is worse to convict an innocent person than to acquit a guilty one. An interpretation presented as more adequate is one from an 1895 U.S. Supreme Court case which stated, “it is better to let the crime of a guilty person go unpunished than to condemn the innocent.”
Giants, Michael Conforto Agree To Two-Year Deal
By Darragh McDonald | December 23, 2022 at 8:50am CDT
The Giants and outfielder Michael Conforto are in agreement on a two-year, $36MM deal, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Conforto will be able to opt out after the first season, per Buster Olney of ESPN. The deal is pending a physical.
Conforto, 30 in March, was arguably the best upside play remaining on the free agent market based on his excellent run of results from 2017 through 2020. However, it’s not without risk for the Giants, as Conforto had a disappointing season in 2021 and then missed the 2022 season entirely due to shoulder surgery.
As usual, Bill Plaschke wants the Dodgers to publically stone Bauer. It is futile to talk about facts and analysis with someone like Plaschke who is enjoying a sense of moral superiority in his ignorance. He cherrypicks his “facts” and here is s classic example:
“So, if the Dodgers brought back Bauer, they would essentially be rehiring a player who just served the longest sexual assault and domestic violence suspension in the seven-year history of that policy.”
Instead, it should read:
“So, if the Dodgers brought back Bauer, they would essentially be rehiring a player who just served the longest sexual assault and domestic violence suspension in the seven-year history of that policy, with the least amount of evidence ever produced in a sexual assault case. The alleged victim tried to file charges, and the Prosecutor refused. Not only were there no criminal charges, to date, there are no civil charges, but there is substantial evidence that the woman deliberately misled authorities and committed perjury, and we are supposed just ignore that part?”
Plaschke is a wordsmithing dumbass! Public opinion has changed – he is just too narrow-minded to understand it. Talk to random women about it. They have changed their perception as well. The ones who cast the first stones are possibly reacting to and attempting to exorcise their same demons. I call Bullshit on Plaschke and the LA TIMES. I hate Cancel Culture!
Well, it seems that the court of public opinion has already changed here on this site. Not long ago, there were only about 2 people that said he should come back.
I find it a bit callous that people want him run out of town. Don’t people deserve a second chance? Especially when found innocent? How would you like it if someone accused you of doing something you didn’t do and your life was turned upside down and you lost your job because of it? Not a great feeling.
What I don’t see is people insisting that he’ll never pitch again? What happened to that narrative?
Now, I wouldn’t mind of the Dodgers made the decision to keep him, and then traded him for something valuable, like that center fielder we need. But, I would be pretty mad if they just cut him and got nothing in return. I would be more than happy to keep him and make the pitching staff that much stronger.
The entire LA Bauer affair will be closed with a whimper (quietly released). Dodgers will make a statement like, *Trevor Bauer is no longer a member of the Dodger Organization. Next question, please.”
I don’t think the Dodgers want to keep him so it seems to me the best option is to trade him and pay some of his salary – if possible. To negotiate a settlement and let him become a free agent for the Mets, Giants or Padres to pick up is not going to go down well the 47K showing up every game…..
Yep, agree with MT and others who think TB should be brought back. He had weird kinky rough, but consensual sex, with evidence proving the alleged injuries were not present the morning after as the alleged victim slept in his bed.
If there is any local District Attorney looking to charge someone to make a statement and further the “me too” movement it is the George Soros backed LA County DA George Gascon. When the case was presented to them they evaluated and determined no charges would be brought forward. Simply stated, the case did not meet their charging standards and could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Without doing an exhaustive search there are many, many other sex and violence related cases both criminal and morality based where the athlete was accepted back into the fold and not “tossed aside.” Kobe Bryant was to have allegedly raped a hotel clerk, Magic Johnson attained the HIV virus from bedding many, many women, Aroldis Chapman fired a gun inside a garage in a domestic violence episode, Tiger Woods had multiple extra marital affairs, Ben Roethlisberger allegedly had sex with a hotel worker, Deshaun Watson had many happy endings from massage therapists, Brett Favre allegedly sent selfies of his junk to a media personality.
My point is TB served a 144 game suspension + a 50 game/no pay penalty in 2023 for allegedly having rough sex and nothing else. He wasn’t charged, the evidence is weak at best and he has paid his penance and now it’s time to move on.
If the Dodgers are serious about wanting to win a WS they will keep him on the roster and accept him back as an athlete and an accomplished ML pitcher, not a choir boy. Mark is right……. the Dodgers lack a spine if they release him.
Based on the Mets spending and the ubiquitous need for more pitching! Bauer would be picked up in a heartbeat. Winning soothes the savage beast of PR. Bad business and tactical strategy to release Bauer with nothing in return. The decision to sign Bauer turned into a mess, but the Dodgers have already suffered greatly. Why add to the suffering by releasing now? Bear is right, as usual: the only good choice for Bauer is to opt out for more money. Based on the deals over this winter, it’s possible.
Well, isn’t this a hoot.
I have absolutely no idea what the Dodgers will do. Maybe they go for a quick strike, make an announcement today or tomorrow. Under the cover of Christmas and all. I believe they have until Jan. 6. But why drag it out. Won’t take long to figure out the ramifications. They’ve probably already done this.
If they keep Bauer on the roster, a circus follows and the distraction will certainly take all the air out of the room. If they don’t it’s a $22 million dollar hit and they get nothing in return.
But this definitely puts them up against the luxury tax. They still need a center fielder. Not sure how all this plays out with the players. There was a story or two the players didn’t want Bauer back. Now there is no Justin Turner to help with the clubhouse.
No great options here. I’m guessing they cut Bauer loose. It’s up to the Dodgers now, finally in their court. We wait for Andrew Friedman to speak.
Totally with Mark on this.
Back him and keep him because he hasn’t done anything wrong.
The overlong process has taken place and he’s innocent.
Nothing to do with money or his value, back him because it’s the right thing to do.
If the Dodgers are serious about competing in 2023 they will keep him. Our offense with all the unproven kids probably will not be a top 10 or top 15 offense. Dodgers will have to do it with pitching, pitching and some more pitching. Bauer has ace stuff when he is on his game.
You do not waste 23 million of cap space on an ace pitcher if you want to win. Especially not when you are the Dodgers and already have been shedding cap space to reset the luxury tax.
And another aspect: Should the Dodgers fall out of contention , which is not that unlikely looking at their current roster and some other loaded teams like the Padres, Braves, Mets, Cards they have a huge trade chip in Bauer.
Ace pitchers are always in high demand come the trade deadline even if they carry some problems like Bauer.
Overall: Releasing Bauer would be a bad business decision.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Dodgers are in a catch 22 with Bauer. If they keep him the court of public opinion will likely make it a public relations nightmare. If they release him, on what grounds? Criminal charges were dropped and the league had no choice but to settle because they clearly lacked the grounds to justify the suspension. Unfortunately, it will damn if they keep him and damn if they release him without merit.
They will release Bauer and watch the Giants or the Astros will pick him up just thinking he will want to get back at the Dodgers. My vote seems like the Giants keep on taking exDodgers tahts my guess.
He’s a distraction at best, a PR nightmare at worse.
The Dodgers will chalk it up to a lesson learned and release him. This actually happens a lot: Eric Hosmer is the latest example of a guy with a big contract who got DFA’d. The Dodgers picked up Pujols when the Angels decided he no longer fit. Those were baseball /business decisions. Bauer is more of a pure business decision–a PR liability.
His contract–one that many fans like me opposed– just turned out bad for a weird reason.
Bauer was suspended and this ruling is hardly an exoneration. It’s not like he’s coming off a PEDs suspension and will promise to be a good boy.
Releasing him is not just the smart move for the Dodgers, but it’s the smart move for Bauer and the MLB.
Time to turn the page and move on. A fresh start and all that.
Interesting.
So, with the 50 game docking of Bauer’s pay, the Dodgers owe him 22 million. With the CBT at 233, and with the two conservative FA signings of Syndy and JDM, that puts the Dodgers JUST UNDER the cap by a mil. Gosh! It’s almost like the Dodgers had a pretty good idea beforehand what the outcome was going to be. Either that, or AF is Nostra-fricken-Damus. That’s pretty hysterical when you think about it. Oh, no! The process is not rigged, AT ALL.
It did strike me as weird that Bauer is now reinstated immediately, but his retroactive fine means he doesn’t get paid for 50 games. So, if he plays, that means he plays 50 games for free? Who would work for free?
I guess, if I were a betting person, I would say the Dodgers just release him and eat the 22 mil. It’s basically them saying, “we’ve moved on from Bauer. We don’t want to talk about him. Please, Molly Knight, don’t bash us with bad press.” … and I guess that message is worth eating 22 mil. I think, if there was a poll, that the majority of Dodger fans would say the accusation was really fishy and that he should be reinstated, but you can’t discount the effect of a few social justice warriors who write for the LA Times.
I would have to say though that Bauer actually does have trade value. Why not get something for him?
Or … maybe the Dodgers just say EF You! to the Molly Knights and the Dustin Noslers and the virtue signalling Santa Monica denizens and let him pitch for them this year. Here’s a story – 99.9% of people who shop at their local Trader Joe’s grocery store have absolutely no problem with TJ’s marketing their Mexican inspired food as “Trader Jose’s,” but of course some affluent white millennial Wokester speaking on behalf of downtrodden LatinX people started a campaign to stop that egregious display of cultural appropriation. TJ’s initially agreed to change the packaging for all of that stuff, but a funny thing happened. Regular people started complaining about the change. TJ’s reversed course and kept Trader Jose’s and Trader Ming’s, and normal, sane people were happy …. as it should be.
I suppose the Dodger front office could get a spine. Naw! Who am I kidding? Bauer’s fucking gone. Sayonara Trev!
Well, I have it from a pretty good source that Bauer is going to accept what the arbitrator ruled.
The end!
I’m with you MT ! Make him earn his $$ next year. My question is if they do release him will anybody pick him up ?
He can’t take it Federal Court if it’s binding arbitration, which I think it is. Nightingale is a moron, please, obviously completely correct here.
Well that’s who they are then! Cause they will never sign him. You do remember what state they play in! The industry with the worst track record in the history of workplace abuse toward women would be upset if Dodgers retained him.