Trevor Bauer is paying attention to the New York City market as a suitor for his abundant talent. So far, it sounds good to him.
Like most of the baseball world, Trevor Bauer tuned in to Tuesday’s Mets press conference featuring a broad range of topics and well-received comments from Steve Cohen and Sandy Alderson.
Bauer can have his pick of the litter so to speak, but his interest in landing with one of two teams in New York is difficult to hide. It has little, if anything, to do with the money that is by now pretty much stipulated by the market (4-years $128 million minimum).
Here’s a takeaway that Trevor Bauer gleaned from Sandy Alderson’s comments that go to the heart of what Bauer may be looking for. As reported on by Dan Martin of the New York Post, Trevor Bauer offered this insight:
“I heard Sandy’s comments, and it was refreshing to hear him speak that way about me,” Bauer said. “In the past, a lot of the narrative surrounding me is I couldn’t handle a big market, a big media market; I was a headcase, or whatever the case is, that’s been the narrative.
To hear that someone as high-ranking as Sandy feels the way he feels about that is refreshing and good to hear him speak like that. I’m certainly very appreciative of that.”
The media has generally been wary of adding Bauer to a staff already headlined by Jacob deGrom or Gerrit Cole.
Twice, this column has wondered if Bauer’s checkered behavioral past is a red flag to be considered before outlaying the financial commitment necessary to secure his talented right arm.
Trevor Bauer: Let The Buyer Beware?
However, what is emerging is a different side of Trevor Bauer that extends far beyond the immaturity.
Behavior that has been seen when, for example, he thought it was a good idea to hurl the ball over the outfield fence, instead of quietly passing it to his manager, mild-manner Terry Francona, when it was time to remove him from the start.
Although the Mets are in the driver’s seat in their level of commitment to signing Trevor Bauer, it should be noted that Bauer went to great pains to smooth things over with collegiate rival Gerrit Cole.
Leaving all doors open, Trevor Bauer is displaying an astuteness for how this game is played.
Trevor Bauer: What He’s Really Seeking
From his comments noted above, we can infer that it’s about more than the money he is sure to get no matter where he signs.
Trevor Bauer wants respect, and he believes that his performance last season erases all from the past.
Sandy Alderson on WFAN: #LGM
“I actually think Bauer would be a great personality in New York. The kind of guy that fans would endorse. We’re in the entertainment business.” pic.twitter.com/IbwZzk4ZOR
— GENY Mets Report (@genymets) November 10, 2020
Once again, Sandy Alderson removes all barriers, and not only that; he moves the conversation to the level where it belongs.
The Mets, far more than the Yankees and their staid brand, are looking to bring the fun part of baseball back to Citi Field.
Trevor Bauer is all about fun, and his 400,000 followers on Twitter get that.
Outspoken and smart, in many ways, Trevor Bauer is the new face of baseball, whether we like it or not. He’ll grab the back page of New York newspapers more than some others. But what we won’t see is the “brainiac” studying film and refining his delivery during bullpen sessions.
Steve Cohen, in his remarks on Tuesday, clearly indicated he feels comfortable with Mets players exercising their First Amendment rights. Do it responsibly is all Cohen asks.
Trevor Bauer’s instincts are to speak what he believes to be “the truth.” He doesn’t shy away, for example, from the oil and water reality of his “relationship” with Gerrit Cole over the years. He suggests – so what – that was ten years ago – let’s move on.
All Aboard The Trevor Bauer New York Express
Reserving the right anyone has to change their mind, I am now tempered by the Trevor Bauer we are getting to know.
No one can erase the past or forget it, but there is always room for growth and learning from one’s past mistakes.
The Mets, simply because the franchise has been pulled from hell and is on the upside of new ownership, probably represents the challenge Trevor Bauer is looking for instead of the Yankees, who are always obsessively distracted with maintaining their image.
Both the Red Sox and Blue Jays are also in the hunt, and each is capable of matching or exceeding any offer made during the Trevor Bauer sweepstakes.
But my senses now tell me that for Trevor Bauer, this is about a lot more than money, and that’s why he is tuned into the New York City market…
Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal.
