Competition in rotation could benefit D-backs
Mar 6, 2012, 9:42 PM | Updated: Mar 7, 2012, 3:03 am
The hype surrounding Trevor Bauer became magnified after the great success he enjoyed in his first Spring Training start for the Diamondbacks. Bauer was dominant, retiring all six batters he faced and throwing 14 of his 21 pitches for strikes.
Despite only having 25.2 innings of pro ball and two Cactus League innings under his belt, there has been increasing belief that the D-backs should give Bauer a bonafide shot at competing for a spot in their already talented and deep starting rotation.
Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson, Trevor Cahill, Joe Saunders and Josh Collmenter are projected to break camp as the starting rotation for the D-backs. Manager Kirk Gibson didn’t openly discuss the possibility that Bauer’s ascending star could create more competition in the rotation, but one has to wonder if he could pose a threat to Collmenter for the final spot.
“We try to get [them] equal innings,” Gibson said in regards to the handling of his hurler’s workloads this spring. “Starters we’re going to try to stretch them out, when we start running out of innings then we’ll have to start making decisions.”
It would be awfully hard for Gibson and his coaching staff to ignore Bauer as a legitimate contender to make his ballclub this season if he continues to shine in his Spring Training starts.
“We’re looking for somebody to make an impression and we throw a lot at them and we’re looking to see who can process it and execute it,” Gibson explained.
But for right now, Gibson is only focused on his rookie right-hander’s next start and slowly bringing him along.
“He’ll probably get another two innings,” Gibson said of Bauer. “I don’t know if he’ll go three this time or not.”
As a manager, creating healthy competition can only be looked at as a positive for the long-term success of his club.
“I think we all try as an organization to bring that [competition] out,” Gibson said. “That’s how you get sleepers. They may be inhibited a little bit with their mental capacity and their belief — get them to expand that and some of them open up very well. That’s happened many, many times.”
If Bauer’s first start is any indication, he seems to be starting to blossom.
Arizona Sports’ Kyndra de St. Aubin contributed to this report
