Throwback Bauer could contribute soon for D-backs
Jun 7, 2011, 9:57 PM | Updated: Jun 8, 2011, 12:19 am
PHOENIX – The Arizona Diamondbacks first round selection Trevor Bauer could be making an impact for the Major League team sooner than expected.
The third overall pick of the 2011 MLB Draft believes he can get big-league hitters out.
“Confidence-wise I’m sure I can do it. I’m fully confident I can be competitive against Major League hitters right now,” said Bauer on the Sports 620 KTAR’s Gambo and Ash show on Tuesday.
However, Bauer hasn’t yet been given any indication from the organization whether the team has any plans to call him up this season or spend the rest of the season in the Minors.
“That’s really an organization’s decision. We’ll talk to them after the draft is over and see where to go from there,” said Bauer.
The D-backs first-round pick, who ended his college career with nine straight complete games, is a throwback to old time baseball where pitchers threw longer and more often.
“Growing up I did a lot of watching video on old time baseball and learned about old time pitchers. That’s kind of how I was trained in my mechanics and training programs to go back kind of to the old time where pitchers threw on four-day rotations and they threw a whole ton of pitches and threw complete games,” said Bauer.
However, many point to his average of 130 pitches per game in college as a concern he could face injury issues in the future.
“People get scared of 130 pitches in a game. I do a lot of study on how to throw efficiently with my body and how properly to slot my arm.”
“There’s not a whole lot of stress put on my arm. There’s no tension in the arm when I throw,” said Bauer dispelling the concerns.
The former UCLA product points to his penchant for getting stronger as the game progresses as proof he knows how to take care of his arm.
“A lot of times you’ll see me throwing harder in the eighth or ninth inning than I was in the first five or six,” said Bauer.
Bauer garnered the reputation in college as being one of the most cerebral pitchers and based on his preparation, the right-hander never wants to come out of a game he pitches.
“I’ve been trained that when I go on the mound, I feel like I’m the best prepared player on the field.”
“Because of that, I don’t want to give the ball up. I feel like I’m the best chance the team has of winning,” said Bauer.
