MLB Draft 2011: Trevor Bauer, Welcome to the Arizona Diamondbacks

With the third pick of the 2011 MLB draft, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected Trevor Bauer of the UCLA Bruins.

I don't usually follow Arizona teams, but since I do live in Arizona and am an avid UCLA fan, I really could not be happier with this pick.

UCLA did seem to underachieve all year, but the one constant with this baseball team was in fact Trevor Bauer.

I know all the knocks on Bauer: He is too small, he has thrown too many innings and he will want to keep doing his own routines.

But to that I say, who cares?

Bauer has drawn comparisons to Tim Lincecum not only because of size, but also because of both of their funky deliveries. Also, Bauer has thrown a ton of innings and logged high pitch counts, but his delivery is supposed to relieve tension on the arm...at least, that is what Lincecum said, and it seemed to work for him.

His routines are also a little out there. To stretch before starts he basically plays with a hacky sack, and then he uses "the javelin" to loosen up his arm.

To me, there is nothing wrong with this because it really does seem to work for him.

These out-there routines helped Bauer to become UCLA's career strikeout leader and also the No. 3 pick of the draft.

Arizona fans should be ecstatic about this pick, and he really should be on the fast track to the big leagues. His competitive spirit should help him out in the pros, and the fact that he knows his body and knows pitching in general is a major plus as well.

The numbers he put up do not happen by accident. One would have to credit his work ethic, competitiveness and just pure knowledge of the game.

The only way I could see this failing is if the Diamondbacks try to change him. By drafting him, they should know what they are getting into. They are getting a quirky, out-there, competitive pitcher with out of the norm routines that seem to all work for him.

If the Diamondbacks just let Bauer be Bauer, he should be cracking the rotation in no time and putting Arizona baseball back on the map.