SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Trevor Bauer has always had a unique personality and outlook on baseball and life.
So it wasn't surprising Friday afternoon that moments after he gave up his first runs in Cactus League play in his third outing, Bauer proclaimed it was "the best I've thrown this spring."
"Results are what they are in spring," Bauer said. "But I was executing my pitches well."
Bauer had thrown six scoreless innings over two starts prior to Friday's tilt against the Giants, which the Indians won, 7-6. He got through a clean first inning before being touched up for three runs in the second in Scottsdale Stadium, including a solo home run by Brandon Belt and a two-run shot by James Rollins.

He pitched two more scoreless innings before departing after the fourth. His final line was three earned runs on three hits with a strikeout and a walk. But most important, Bauer said, was the fact that he threw all of his pitches, including his new split-finger fastball, and felt comfortable doing it.
"We're not really game-planning right now, just talking about execution of pitches, feeling like I can actually command the ball," Bauer said. "Sometimes I go out there and throw and the ball goes kind of where I want it to, but I don't feel like I'm commanding it.
• Spring Training:Info | Tickets | Schedule | Gear
"Today I felt like I commanded it to both sides of the plate. I threw some cutters and curveballs and splits, so I felt like I was making progress."
Bauer said it's usually around this time of spring that he feels like he's dialed in for the season.
Indians manager Terry Francona seemed to agree.
"He broke out his breaking ball a few times, and he threw a couple of really good ones," Francona said. "The more repetition guys get, the better they'll be."