Though the Cincinnati Reds 2020 season ended in an embarrassing series of events there was a shining light that prevailed.

Throughout the 2020 season the Cincinnati Red’s ace Trevor Bauer put out weekly vlogs that gave an in depth look at what the 2020 “Covid” season looked like. Bauer took viewers along on his pro-ball escapades and showed them what his every day life in the majors is like. He highlighted his training regimen, what he eats, and certainly gave some hot takes on everything from ballpark food to the infamous Joe Kelly suspension.

This brings me to my point. American’s are losing interest in our pastime. According to Statista.com, thirty-one percent of Americans consider themselves a casual fan, twenty percent consider themselves avid fans, and forty-nine percent of people said that they are not fans at all. This is in contrast to the NFL, where only thirty-nine percent of people surveyed said they were not fans at all.

There are a few reasons as to why interest and viewership for the MLB is down. Firstly, MLB games are long, and often slow. Secondly the MLB’s reach isn’t nearly as big as the NFL’s, and therefore fewer young people watch and pay attention to baseball.

That is where Bauer comes in. for those who may not be aware of what “vlogging” is, it is a video documentation of everyday life, even the most mundane aspects. Bauer was able to take those mundane aspects of professional baseball and turn them into something entertaining. This is just what the MLB needs, a star player spreading the influence of the league. The MLB however is reluctant to welcome Bauer as the unofficial poster boy.

Bauer has had his fair share of disagreements with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. The feud began over the offseason when Bauer criticized Manfred’s handling of the Houston Astro’s scandal, calling it “soft.” Bauer and Manfred butted heads again amidst the MLB’s restart in May during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The duel came to a head when Bauer planned to wear cleats that read, “Free Joe Kelly.” The cleats were in reference to the Joe Kelly suspension for intentionally hitting two Astros players. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred stated that if Bauer wore the cleats he could be removed from the Game and face further repercussions.

That is what people love about it – the drama. Fans eat up not only what happens on the field, but what surrounds the game. Bauer is very vocal and can always be counted on to bring a little bit of fire to wherever he is at. I’m not saying that the drama should overtake the game itself, but if the MLB wishes to stay relevant, then Trevor Bauer and his fiery attitude are what is going to keep them there, and become a league for the future, not of the past.

In short, Trevor Bauer is the MLB’s unsung hero. He is going to be the one to keep them relevant, and the people at the commissioners office should either accept that, or accept their fate without him, as a league that is losing relevancy.