Trevor Bauer and MLB power
Foucault looks at power as force relations and Marx oppressor and oppressed. The binary conflict is only manageable in a profiteering world. When people want to keep their spot lest they fall from grace. In the ancient world it was irrelevant because divinity or framework claimed their hierarchical permanence. There was no oscillation between classes. Only once the rich and the poor were placed together in a profiteering society. Where people can switch classes. People can move up and can also move down.
Trever Bauer is the most controversial baseball player because of his commentary. Known for his quirks and superior training models. Most scandalously noticed for his comments on cheating. He argued that players were cheating and the MLB did not care. Trying to raise awareness to equalise the sport and its integrity. Explaining extensively the methods used to cheat. Accusing players of cheating under credible suspicion but the MLB ignored it. Bauer boasted he could cheat, how he would do it and how effective it would be. In the year he admittedly cheated, he became the best player is baseball. His outbursts were soon observed with scrutiny by the league. With his hype, MLB began to crack down on the cheating. His hysterics were reaching all time highs and it did not bode well for the league’s image.
The rise in spin rate was the key to proving cheating. Impossible spin rates were beyond natural form. Pitchers have cheated for generations. Putting all types of ingredients on the ball to gain an advantage. The spit ball is the most notorious. Pitchers would spit on the ball to give it a greater swerve confusing batters. Pine tar and new factory produced specimens are hitting the market. To conceal the substance and then use it to deal out the batters. In the 80s a pitcher famously used an illegal substance bragged about in his book and then continued to use for the rest of his long career. Rarely any enforcement by the league. While this is not uncommon it does reflect either impotence or unconcern. Flopping in the NBA became an outrageous problem and the league responded with a small fine that they enforced a few times in a flopping mania decade. An illegal move with no repercussions. In many cases it changed the course of the game. Getting a crucial foul call over a bulldozing spazzy hurdle.
If the league will not enforce it, what is the point of the rule? To an extent it is in place to display some care. Hearing the grievances and responding in the most inadequate way. It undermines the effort but can attest to action. It is an attempt even if executed horribly or rarely executed at all. It is on the books so it counts. Whether or not it is actually enforced. Blaming referees and players instead of taking a stronger stance. Looking the other way is a far cry from commuting to solving the issue. Knowing it is happening and only ceasing the operation when it falls in bad favour. MLB was all for the steroid use until it got out of hand. Illegal but still permitted under the guise of better ticket pricing. Once the news came out and public outcry became so hefty the league answered. The public’s challenge is effective if executed accordingly. Not a perfect model but pressure is successful. A unsatisfied public could ruin the league. Some action is necessary.
Yet it was Bauer that raised the league’s eyebrow. This menace of a player causing so much turbulence. It wasn’t a matter of right or wrong but his impact. He had a strong following and a dedicated fan base. He was telling the truth and the league disliked it. He was publicising their erroneous behaviour. Their response was blackballing. Blaming his behaviour. He had his temper but silencing him was to undermine his integrity. His statements are false. Even though it was obvious the league was covering up cheating. With Bauer at the helm it was clearly an issue they needed to solve quick. Prioritising his personal activity and personality woes attempted to demoralise his message. Blackballing him would isolate him and his cause. Everyone would forget about him and his message would be deteriorated. The message would be voided if his credibility was in jeopardy. Though speculative, the indictments against him for sexual problematics sought to terminate his veracity. The league upheld their stand even after acquitted. It was for their image they said. He was not deserving of a roster for his character despite his extreme skill.
Once Bauer began cheating like everyone else the league decided to crack down. They were going to squash his reputation. He was the anti-cheater now he is one of them. Just as the league overlooked the Astros cheating so too with pitchers. It was the public observer that investigated and accused the cheaters of their dismay. For Bauer it was worse since he was a part of the system. He was not an outside author but part of the company ratting on coworkers. Ratting on his bosses to the public police for permitting corruption. His decision to cheat to play along with the cheaters sealed his fate. He was now the face of the scandal. He was the sacrificial lamb. He was a prime target since he inferred he was cheating and just to make it seem legitimate there looked elsewhere. A thorough response was necessary but the investigation was internal vermin. A virus to be expunged. Bauer became the new Bonds. Cheating to play fair and then sacrificed in a the spectacle of the scaffold. A public execution and derailment of his character and career. No context just the crime.
Bauer has since relocated to Japan and playing quite well. His media following has grown exponentially. The irony of this was that the public caught onto the dubious MLB response. Blackballing would have a different response than Jackson’s experience more than two decades ago. Fortunately, the issue has little do with ideology and death. It is easier to get on the Bauer bandwagon. The player exploited for exposing the failures and lies of the league. The more they mock him the more people gravitate towards him. It is similar to the Trump affect. Trumpers emerged from his populist honesty. Polemically assaulting the establishment’s endless lies and despair. People bonded with the message. Yet what sent him over the edge was the fear mongering and anti-trump rhetoric. He won because people saw through the nonsense spouted. They more they tried to discredit him the stronger he became. Then the more they blamed the people for triggering him, the more they wished to vote him. Who wants to vote for the person who is shaming you for your grievances.
Fighting the powerful is not easy. Due to his outbursts he was released. Kicked out of baseball. He settled elsewhere and only expanded his following. Refusing to concede to the oligarchs running the show. Wishing to have their cake and eat it too. Hoping the fans do not catch on and the players maintain their sheep mentality. To silence the problem and bury it. Independent media grew out of nuanced thinking. Exhausted from the media lies, people quit and started fresh away from the conglomerates. The masses are still glued to the anchor’s words but the diminishing reach is consequential. Older folk won’t be around much longer and there is no future plan. Podcasts have eviscerated the monolithic moguls. The powerful will act as they please and without recourse will continue head on. Happy with their paranoia. Ridding those are problems. Sending them to the gas chambers to maintain an echo chamber. Silencing quickly and quietly. Social media is not like it used to be. Its presence and prowess enables these victims to fight back against the powerful. With remodelled tools to speak their mind and challenge the powerful.
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