Trevor Bauer Gets a Partial Win…

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:

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:

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.