Bauer’s routine could affect usage with the Diamondbacks

Trevor Bauer should be a starter in the Major Leagues at
some point in his career, but what if he needs to come out
of the bullpen? Can Bauer’s routine translate to a role
as a reliever?

“I don’t see how it would be a problem; I’m not exactly
sure what they came up with,” D-backs’ manager Kirk Gibson
said Tuesday. “Every other pitcher gets loose coming out
of the
bullpen. It is new for him. We’ll certainly want to give
him consideration and make sure he’s ready to pitch. We’re
not going to bring him in if he’s not comfortable with
that.”

Bauer does a one-hour warmup before he even gets on the
bus for Cactus League road games and continues the warmup
once at the field.

“I think this is part of him understanding how to conform
to a different situation. He’s a starter, he’s always a
starter,” Gibson reiterated. “I would raise the question,
if we got into the middle of the year and somebody went
down and we wanted to bring one of our kids up and we
needed some length in the bullpen, would Patrick Corbin be
a guy or Tyler Skaggs or Trevor Bauer if they absolutely
have the best stuff. I mean we all see him as a starter
but we also want to try and win the World Series this
year.”

Bauer was selected third overall in the 2011 First Year
Player Draft by the D-backs. He dominated at UCLA as a
starter with that unusual routine, but will it translate
to the big leagues, and can Bauer adjust?

“Partly this might be the beginning and see how he might
be able to modify the way he gets ready,” Gibson said. “We
don’t want to hurt the kid, that’s for sure. We want to
have him feel comfortable going out there and be ready.”

Bauer is scheduled to come out of the bullpen and
pitch second on Wednesday in the Diamondbacks’ day game
against the San Diego Padres at Salt River Fields.

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