It has been four weeks since Jake Bauers was optioned to Triple-A Columbus, yet it feels like forever ago. A month of a pennant race can feel that way.
Because of his involvement in the trade of beloved Adonis Yandy Diaz, and being a promising young bat in a dismal off-season, Bauers figured to play a large part in the Indians success in 2019. The 23-year-old showed holes in his hitting at the back end of his first year in the big leagues last year, and similar issues showed themselves again in his first year in Cleveland.
In July, this writer hoped for the lefty to simply swing less, and draw more walks, but instead of regressing to his minor league walk-rates, Bauers regressed to the minor leagues.