2019 MLB figures getting coal from Santa Claus this Christmas

2019 MLB figures getting coal from Santa Claus

Trevor Bauer

If this were one of those junior high school field day events, Trevor Bauer would have won the baseball throw.

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Angered by Cleveland manager Terry Francona’s decision to remove him in the fifth inning of an eventual 9-6 Indians loss to the Kansas City Royals July 28 in Kansas City, Bauer heaved the ball literally over the center-field wall before he trudged off the field.

From a purely physical standpoint, it was an impressive heave, carrying, more than 300 feet and clearing an eight-foot barrier. From a wisdom standpoint, not so much; Francona not only removed Bauer from the game but about as quickly as it was possible to do so the pitcher was exiled to the Cincinnati Reds in a trade.

You did have to sympathize with Bauer’s frustration level; he had just suffered through a dreadful half-inning made far more so by bad luck. After the first batter lined a clean hit to right-center, the next lofted a fly ball to deep center that was lost in the sun for a cheap double. A walk on a close three-ball pitch preceded a weak tap between the mound and home that Bauer unsuccessfully tried to flick toward catcher Roberto Perez for the play at the plate.

With Bauer’s lead reduced to a single run and the bases loaded, the next Royals hitter dropped a base hit into short right field inches out of reach of the Indians second baseman. One more hit, this one clean, sent two more runs home, put Kansas City in front to stay, and sent Francona to the mound.

From there it was ‘lookout in the bleachers.’