[DC 86]

Overall, I agree.  However, LA made a of immense proportions error is signing Bauer for a couple reasons.

1) He was known as a difficult personality long before the incident that resulted in his suspension.  There is a reason he bounced from team to team.  Teams could deal with him for only so long before his behavior overrode his talent.  For that reason, I was hoping SF would stay away from him last offseason.  

2) He was a guy who thrived on the ability to load the ball.  It was inevitable that MLB would crackdown.  The Athletic had an article earlier this year that detailed the analysis the Giants did on every pitcher they signed in the offseason to make certain their success wasn’t built on artificial spin rates.  They foresaw the action that was taken this summer and benefitted from the new rules.  While we will never know, I suggest that Bauer would not have had as effective a second half to the season.  

The Bauer signing wreaked of hubris.  It will be interesting to see if LA doubles down or reverts back to the “disciplined” approach…..

I agree; I thought the Bauer signing was a mistake at the time for the reasons you cited, and it's turned into a disaster. But even that signing was on brand in that it was a three year commitment at most. The Dodgers have been consistent in avoiding long term commitments to aging players (or to pitchers, who are always injury risks) who can become albatrosses. Even in the worst case scenario of paying Bauer for two more seasons LA is better off than being on the hook for years of Corbin, Strasburg, Bumgarner or similar starters, not to mention having avoided obvious long term horror contracts like Pujols, Cabrera, Cano, Davis, Hosmer, etc.

[DC 86]

Overall, I agree.  However, LA made a of immense proportions error is signing Bauer for a couple reasons.

1) He was known as a difficult personality long before the incident that resulted in his suspension.  There is a reason he bounced from team to team.  Teams could deal with him for only so long before his behavior overrode his talent.  For that reason, I was hoping SF would stay away from him last offseason.  

2) He was a guy who thrived on the ability to load the ball.  It was inevitable that MLB would crackdown.  The Athletic had an article earlier this year that detailed the analysis the Giants did on every pitcher they signed in the offseason to make certain their success wasn’t built on artificial spin rates.  They foresaw the action that was taken this summer and benefitted from the new rules.  While we will never know, I suggest that Bauer would not have had as effective a second half to the season.  

The Bauer signing wreaked of hubris.  It will be interesting to see if LA doubles down or reverts back to the “disciplined” approach…..

I agree; I thought the Bauer signing was a mistake at the time for the reasons you cited, and it's turned into a disaster. But even that signing was on brand in that it was a three year commitment at most. The Dodgers have been consistent in avoiding long term commitments to aging players (or to pitchers, who are always injury risks) who can become albatrosses. Even in the worst case scenario of paying Bauer for two more seasons LA is better off than being on the hook for years of Corbin, Strasburg, Bumgarner or similar starters, not to mention having avoided obvious long term horror contracts like Pujols, Cabrera, Cano, Davis, Hosmer, etc.