Trevor Bauer: "Most Watchable Player in the Draft"

[Enjoy Terror]

I didn't see this article posted anywhere, I'd thought I share it with you fine folks:

http://www.thepostgame.com/features/201106/not-your-average-bear-ucla-bruin-trevor-bauer-most-watchable-player-mlb-draft

I enjoyed reading this article; high praise for the young man. It does appear he's got loose lips tied to his gamer mentality.

[Go_Os]

I would choose Bauer over Bundy. I prefer a proven college pitcher over a high school pitcher simply because it seems like a safer pick. I doubt that Bundy would have better results at UCLA than Bauer.

[tilgaham]

What's the knock on Bauer? Is Cole favored because of the 4/5mph difference on their fastballs? I don't mind him having a little bit of a mean streak at all, as long as he works hard.

[eb45]

I would choose Bauer over Bundy. I prefer a proven college pitcher over a high school pitcher simply because it seems like a safer pick. I doubt that Bundy would have better results at UCLA than Bauer.

I doubt that Bauer will have better results in the majors than Bundy.

[RVAbird]

What's the knock on Bauer? Is Cole favored because of the 4/5mph difference on their fastballs? I don't mind him having a little bit of a mean streak at all, as long as he works hard.

Concern that stuff doesn't quite match performance, won't miss as many bats against pro hitters, size and delivery concerns, heavy workload a big concern.

[hoosiers]

There is huge focus on Cole, Rendon and Hultzen and envy of the upside of the high schoolers Bundy and Starling, but I think Bauer may be the most underappreciated top prospect in the draft at the OH.

[allstar1579]

There is huge focus on Cole, Rendon and Hultzen and envy of the upside of the high schoolers Bundy and Starling, but I think Bauer may be the most underappreciated top prospect in the draft at the OH.

There is good reason for it. He is a perfect example of why you can't just look at the top statistical performers and make your draft list. You have to ask, sure, he's putting up good numbers, but why does he need 150 pitches every time out to go 7IP and get those numbers?

[Go_Os]

There is good reason for it. He is a perfect example of why you can't just look at the top statistical performers and make your draft list. You have to ask, sure, he's putting up good numbers, but why does he need 150 pitches every time out to go 7IP and get those numbers?

That is simply incorrect. Bauer has made 15 starts and has averaged 8.5 innings per start with 9 complete games. His average pitch count is just under 130 pitches per game, but he only pitches one game per week. I'll gladly take a dominant college pitcher like Bauer and hope to get an average of 7 dominant innings with a 100 pitch count per game.

Don't get me wrong, I like Bundy and would be happy to get him, but people seem to overlook that Bundy threw 181 pitches in one day and 293 over the course of four days during one stretch this year (http://bit.ly/khmdRz).

[Obando]

I agree that Bauer is very underappreciated for some reason. The guy should really only be a sophomore but graduated early from high school so he could pitch at UCLA and has dominated ever since. When you decide to question Bauer's numbers, keep in mind that he's not a 1-year wonder who came out of nowhere. He's been doing this since his freshman year when he should have been a high school senior. The Orioles got burned once before by taking Rowell over Lincecum, primarily because they had concerns about his size and quirky mechanics. Do you think if they had a do-over they'd make that same mistake again? Scouts too often try and convince themselves why they shouldn't take a player in order to save their asses if it doesn't work out. It's the scouts/scouting directors who are willing to be bold that get rewarded. If it's between Bauer & Bundy when it's time for the O's to pick (assuming the top 3 picks are Cole, Rendon, & Hultzen), I would have a hard time passing on Bauer thinking that you might be passing on the next Lincecum once again.

The thing that boggles my mind is that people act like Bauer's stuff is just average when in fact he throws in the low-mid 90's with several effective off-speed pitches, the best of which is a hammer curveball that he uses to get a lot of his K's. To be honest, Bauer reminds me of a mix between Lincecum & Mike Mussina. He seems to have Lincecum's build and delivery & Mussina's brain, work ethic, competitiveness, and single-mindedness. Moose was a talented pitcher who threw a lot of pitches for strikes, but to me it was his mind that set him apart. He was a natural at reading hitters and sequencing pitches to keep hitters off balance, rather than a guy who would just blow people away (and I think this is how Bauer is as well). I think guys like Gerrit Cole always get more hype just because they are built how a pitcher is "supposed" to look and throw hard like all aces are "supposed" to throw. There's no doubt that Cole is very talented, but I'd take Bauer over Cole if both were available at the 4th pick. In fact, I'm willing to bet that when all is said and done, Bauer has the better major league career than Cole.

Anyway, the top 3 guys I want the O's to pick at #4, assuming all were still available, are Hultzen, Bauer, & Bundy (not necessarily in that order). I just think all 3 are special and all will be good to great major league pitchers. If Rendon were there I'd have to think long and hard about taking him, but to me there are too many injury questions surrounding him right now to feel totally comfortable passing on all the great pitching talent in order to take him. Rendon just has the feel of a guy who will get hurt a lot and we'll never see his true talent shine like it should. To me, he's like Eric Chavez, who was very good when healthy but always had trouble staying healthy and is now a shell of what he once was.

[bigelow]

I have Bauer nmber 2 behind Rendon. Dare I say he reminds of Lincecum mixed with Palmer in terms of stuff and wanting to finish games.. 20 years old. 130 pitches a week is tough and worriesome. Also think he's the quickest signing. The rest of top 6 looks like August

[Enjoy Terror]

The Orioles got burned once before by taking Rowell over Lincecum, primarily because they had concerns about his size and quirky mechanics. Do you think if they had a do-over they'd make that same mistake again?

Absolutely. Not because they're the Orioles and make awful decisions though. It's about risk and protecting your investment. The Giants took a huge risk (one that a lot of other teams passed on) in taking Lincecum. It panned out for them.

[allstar1579]

That is simply incorrect. Bauer has made 15 starts and has averaged 8.5 innings per start with 9 complete games. His average pitch count is just under 130 pitches per game, but he only pitches one game per week. I'll gladly take a dominant college pitcher like Bauer and hope to get an average of 7 dominant innings with a 100 pitch count per game.

Don't get me wrong, I like Bundy and would be happy to get him, but people seem to overlook that Bundy threw 181 pitches in one day and 293 over the course of four days during one stretch this year (http://bit.ly/khmdRz).

Ok, my fault I didn't feel like digging for the exact stats, I was making a point. His last like 7 starts he has been going 9IP and throwing 130+ pitches, still, the kid is in love with the strikeout and throws too many pitches trying to get it. When he gets to the pros and HAS to pitch to contact to survive he's going to get hit. He is good in college because his delivery is funky and deceptive, he has a good FB and a good curve, but his other two pitches aren't really that great, they are just hard to read. When he gets to the pros and the hitters are much better the smoke and mirrors tricks aren't going to work as much.

[eb45]

To those claiming Bauer is Lincecum meets Mussina or Palmer or something else, allow me to pull this out again:

1. Gerrit Cole - Roger Clemens

2. Anthony Rendon - George Brett

3. Danny Hultzen - Warren Spahn

4. Trevor Bauer - Pedro Martinez

5. Bubba Starling - Mickey Mantle

6. Dylan Bundy - Bob Gibson

7. Sonny Gray - Pedro Martinez

8. Jed Bradley - Kevin Brown

9. Matt Purke - Sandy Koufax

10. Francisco Lindor - Alan Trammell

The point is, saying what players are good at and then naming outstanding players who were also good at those things has almost no value. Yes, Bauer has similarities to Lincecum, but to say he'll be another Lincecum is missing the point. The issue isn't Bauer's mechanics, nor his size; it's that his stuff isn't nearly the level Lincecum's was.