This is the story of how Trevor Bauer got his personal drone stuck in a tree
Major Leaguers: They really are just like us. Just look at Indians starter Trevor Bauer. He's got the same problems as any average, non-curveball dropping citizen -- he sleeps through his alarm, he pushes the "pull" door and, of course ... he can't stop getting his personal drone stuck in a tree.
Sooooo...suggestions on getting your drone out of a tree? It's stuck in the branches about 60 feet up at the top of a large tree
— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) July 18, 2016
Yes, Trevor Bauer 1) designed and built his very own drone and 2) managed to get said drone stuck in a tree. All of which begs the question: Just how does one get one's drone both in and out of a tree? Let's go down this rabbit hole together.
According to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian, Bauer was flying the drone -- which he designed on his computer and built using a mix of parts he printed from a 3D printer and some he custom-ordered -- in Kansas City's Jacob Loose Park (Cleveland was in town to take on the Royals). It nicked a branch and got stuck about 60 feet up, and despite firing the motors, the thing wouldn't come down. Then things got weird.
Attempt one failed. In search of a water balloon launcher now.
— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) July 18, 2016
Operation: Water Balloons apparently unsuccessful, Bauer attempted to crowdsource his problem:
Appreciate all the suggestions. The tree is in a public park though so fire and chainsaws aren't going to cut it. Pun intended
— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) July 18, 2016
Alas, not even the experts had a solution -- although, in their defense, "tree service" doesn't typically cover "drones":
Have called about 10 tree services. No one will answer. Still have not been able to retrieve my poor little friend
— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) July 18, 2016
At his wit's end, Bauer reached the third stage of grief: bargaining and/or bribery.
Per a follower's suggestion, I will give free tickets to Tuesday's or Wednesday's game against the royals if you can recover my drone
— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) July 18, 2016
Not even the promise of free baseball could provide an answer. Just when things looked bleak, though, a hero emerged -- or, more accurately, heroes. We'll let Bauer take it from there:
A couple of the [Royals'] clubhouse staff called me up at 12:30 last night. They brought a fishing pole out, fishing line and a hook. We were casting it up in the tree and the hook kept getting stuck. We had to cut the line. So, we decided to screw the fishing line into a baseball. We had three baseballs, so we were throwing baseballs out there at it, tring to hook it on the branch. We got two baseballs stuck in the tree. We had one left, so we screwed the fishing line into it and one of the clubbies threw the ball up there and missed the drone by a couple inches the first time. The ball fell down and he threw it up there again, literally, in the perfect spot and knocked it down.
Yes, our story has a happy ending -- the day was saved, and the drone returned to its rightful place.
Late night rescue mission was a success!! Welcome back little guy! Visiting clubhouse staff is 💯💯💯👌👌👌 pic.twitter.com/0cx0616w07
— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) July 19, 2016
Live in or around Kansas City? Cat caught in a tree? Don't worry, Trevor Bauer is the man for the job -- assuming you're comfortable with water balloons being flung toward your cat.
