Trevor Bauer, the LA pitcher who was suspended for 324 games, for violating the MLB’s sexual assault policy, was reinstated into the league’s “fold.” His suspension was cut to 194 games. The Cy Young Award winning pitcher was accused of sexual assault in 2021. He continues to maintain the encounters were consensual.
Bauer returns to the field this season, with his pay “docked” for the first 50 games. The Dodgers have until January 6, 2023 to decide to play or trade. The fans appear to be divided.
According to CNN writers Jill Martin and Zoe Solittle (December 23, 2022):
“The woman has alleged that while she had consensual sex with Bauer on two occasions, he performed violent acts during their sexual encounters that she did not consent to. Bauer has maintained that the interactions were fully consensual.”
It might fully have been a case of “He said/She said” however, there were other uncomfortable truths. In August 2021, another woman claimed that Bauer assaulted her in a similar manner.
The 324 game suspension was the longest ever handed down for an active player — and no, we don’t know the prurience of his actions. We are certain there are details lurking about the sports under-world. What we do know is that Bauer received one heck of a gift when the arbitrator cut his penalty in half.
Said MLB:
“While we believe a longer suspension was warranted, MLB will abide by the neutral arbitrator’s decision, which upholds baseball’s longest-ever active player suspension for sexual assault or domestic violence.”
The Message
As a sports ethics keynote speaker and consultant, I often shudder when I hear “what kind of a message does this send to other athletes?” It is a trite throw-away.
Does the message say that crime doesn’t pay? Does it say that sexual assault only pays half as much as we think? Does it say that the policy is a joke?
To me, it says that ethical behavior is still not important, and despite the growing consequences, ownership is still whistling past the ballpark.
However, this is not about the abuser, so much as the abused. What are their protections? Hate to say it, but rich and entitled people are far too often held in such high regard that few consequences come their way. Trevor Bauer was probably not a choir boy prior to the accusations from these women but, that is conjecture. Maybe he was headed for sainthood before he assaulted his sexual partners.
In any case, we won’t be going to his church, for the evidence allegedly indicates that on at least two occasions, there was nothing righteous about him.
The MLB is not capricious in its investigative process. They had damn good reason to issue a two-year suspension. What do the victims think of Bauer’s negotiated present? That the MLB is only half-serious about policy and that victims only matter half as much?
However, aside from the fact that two women were sexually assaulted, we grow concerned as to what a collegiate or even high school athlete might be thinking when they smack around a sexual partner (that an assault is only half-as-bad as everyone makes it out to be?); that it’s no big deal or half-a-deal?
There’s often a price to pay for an ill-gotten gift. What will be Trevor Bauer’s price?
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