Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer gave up back-to-back-to-back home runs to a trio of Chicago Cubs prospects on Tuesday afternoon. Did that have anything to do with Bauer thinking too much on the mound? Go ahead and ask him — we dare you.
Shortly after the Cactus League game, someone on Twitter asked Bauer if he ever feels he is “overthinking” things on the mound. The question obviously struck a nerve, and Bauer was incredibly long-winded with his response.
“I know that question shouldn’t make me mad but it kinda does. That term “over thinking” is so annoying,” the former UCLA star wrote. “What does that even mean? So if an intelligent person explains why he’s doing something and no one else understands it’s overthinking. But if I say I’m not thinking on the mound and give up a run then everyone will say well maybe you should think on the mound.
“It’s such an oversimplification of a complex issue. Obviously you have to think on the mound. If I have success, great. If not, I am overthinking. And I’m doing nothing different, just the results change. So what gives?
“Now if someone said I was activating my prefrontal cortex or trying to run a bottom up system from the top down, then we might be able to have a productive discussion but I challenge you to even define what overthinking is. Where’s the line? How do you even quantify something like that? It’s just a way for fans who have no idea why something is happening to sound like they know something when they don’t. IMHO.”
You got all that, right? If not, Bauer simplified things a bit when he was finished with his rant:
@Brill_Grates to answer your question, no. I don't have mental issues. I have a very solid mental routine in place. Thanks for your concern
— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) March 11, 2015
Bauer has a reputation for being a very strange guy. He’s one of those cats who writes rap songs and builds his own drone in the offseason. He may think a lot, but he clearly doesn’t *think* it has anything to do with his recent struggles.
