reSee.it Podcast Summary
Trevor Bauer describes a career shaped by relentless self‑education, physics, and a willingness to rethink risk. Born in Valencia, California, Bauer recalls afternoons at the park with a bucket of baseballs and the sport consuming his early life. He played soccer too, but baseball dominated, and he pursued constant practice and self‑improvement. A ninth‑grade mentor, Martin Kirby, taught him physics concepts like leverage, velocity, energy transfer, and momentum, which he later applied to pitching at the Texas Baseball Ranch and in college. He later applied those ideas to pitching at the Texas Baseball Ranch and in college. His goal was college baseball, and he trained intensely, starting mornings at the YMCA before school and practicing after practice. He emerged in high school as a star, throwing in the 90s, posting strong ERA and strikeout numbers, and drawing college attention. He graduated early, enrolled at UCLA, and won the 2011 Golden Spikes Award, a milestone that guided the next decade. He joined Team USA and later describes physics‑driven curiosity about Japan, which he fulfilled years later in Nippon Professional Baseball. In Japan Bauer encountered a passionate, orderly fan culture, translators provided by teams, and a reverence for teamwork. He notes Wagyu beef, sushi, and the cleanliness and politeness of daily life, contrasting it with U.S. sports culture. Back home he built a media presence, starting a YouTube channel in 2011 to entertain fans and later founding Momentum in 2019. He paused the channel around 2013–2020 due to organizational concerns and later controversy, then rebuilt Momentum to grow baseball audiences. Momentum aims to help players grow their brands and to deliver viral clips that make baseball more appealing to younger fans. He discusses how entertainment clips from the NBA model inspire his approach to celebrating achievements without harming competition. In 2020 he won the Cy Young with the Dodgers, and a later ceremony referenced his time with the Reds. The interview also covers the 2021 allegations and the lengthy investigation, suspension, and eventual non‑charges. Bauer stresses the difficulty of public perception, the value of a trusted support network, and the importance of talking through trauma. He recounts how depression and craving for validation affected his behavior online, and how he learned to separate personal health from performance. He describes ayahuasca and plants as tools for introspection and integration, and how those experiences shaped his self‑awareness. He explains the 2013–2020 channel hiatus and his later return with Momentum, plus the role of Eric Sim and others in the content group. A fierce competitor, he discusses ego on the field versus off the field, and the need to believe you are the best while avoiding hubris. He opens up about the 2021–2023 legal situation, describing support from family, partner Rachel, and teammates, and acknowledging media dynamics. He reflects on how a public relations process and restraining orders affected public perception, while noting the need for fair processes and accountability. He emphasizes the importance of talking with trusted people, building a new personal life, and pursuing meaningful goals, including coaching, content creation, and a return to MLB. He remains hopeful about returning to MLB, chasing another Cy Young, and contributing to baseball while remaining open to short‑term deals and incentive‑based terms. He envisions playing for teams such as the Padres or Dodgers and continues to train, mentor young pitchers, and grow Momentum. The conversation closes with appreciation for the journey, the pull of competition, and a wish to see Bauer on the mound again.