Baseball needs more Mookie
Better game with stars like Betts in spotlight
MIAMI — Baseball could use more of Mookie Betts. Not just his talent. But his smile, too. “Me and the young guys who are starting to become nationally known, we’re starting to show that the face of the game of baseball is ‘fun,’ ” said Betts, who will start in center field for the American League and bat ninth in the 88th All-Star Game tonight. “I know we’re having fun playing for sure.”
As good as Betts is — and he is indisputably one of the topfive position-player talents in the league — one facet to his game is that his game face comes and goes. He is intently focused in the batter’s box or while positioned in right field for the Red Sox when a pitch is thrown, but in between those moments, and off the field, he makes zero effort to hide the pleasure he derives from getting to play baseball for a living. His broad smile, his hand motions to the bench after a clutch hit, his wide receiver mode to Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr.’s quarterback tosses after third outs — Betts is the antithesis of the “aw shucks,” stoic and bland baseball superstar model.
If you are wondering why this is even worth mentioning or matters at all, remember that baseball is struggling to gain traction among the youth.
Basketball and football players dominate the marketing and endorsement world. Imagine LeBron James or Tom Brady walking into any mall in America and going unrecognized.
Imagine Betts or the Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout or Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals walking into that mall. Yeah, who are they? Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star utility man Josh Harrison has an answer that applies to Betts’ appreciation for playing for the sheer fun of it.
“I don’t think baseball needs a ‘face’ because every year you’ve got someone coming up that’s making a name for themselves,” Harrison said. “I think you take all these faces and you market them more. You’ve got LeBron James and other basketball players — there’s a difference. Those guys you can turn on Fox, and they’re on a commercial. You can turn on ABC, they’re on a commercial. We’re on MLB Network. Which is fine, but I think you can do more to market a little bit more in those aspects because we’ve got some guys that are just as deserving as those guys. I don’t think it’s anything we worry about, because at the end of the day we all enjoy playing this game and we love what we do.”
On the scene of baseball’s in-season exhibition game, it’s timely to emphasize that Betts and Harrison are 100 percent right that injecting more “fun” into baseball is the first place to start to keep the game alive and grow it.
“I’m sure if you show the game is fun that people will take notice,” Betts said. “I smile because I obviously have friends and whatnot, and we’re laughing and joking and during the game. I can’t just focus for three and a half hours straight. I don’t know if anyone can. I’m really good at taking three or four seconds of focus and then be away from the game for those 20 seconds in between and then lock it in for three or four more seconds. That’s how I look at it.”
And Betts knows people are watching him.
“Everybody has their own style or swag per se, you’re starting to see it more,” he said. “Once you see one guy’s, I think you take notice of everyone else’s.”
That Betts is far from the average budding baseball star is essentially old news in New England, whether it’s his dabbling in professional bowling, his mastery of a Rubik’s Cube and dance moves in the Red Sox outfielders’ #WinDanceRepeat celebration.
Betts does not go around advertising he’s multi-dimensional, but he plays the social media game as well as anyone.
Flying in and actually flying, kind of, a private jet to this AllStar Game with Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer was a cool example of someone who does not live, breathe and eat baseball — and is not so cool that he wants to hide it.
“I enjoy playing the game, I enjoy life, every aspect,” Betts said. “Whether it’s off the field or on the field, going to the store, I want to enjoy it, I want to speak to people, I want to learn different personalities, be able to relate to different kinds of people. I think that takes you a long way in life.”
The concept of “the face of baseball” is a fuzzy one, and there’s no line in the rule book that dictates the sport needs one.
“There are a bunch of guys, Mike Trout or Bryce Harper, those guys are the biggest national names for sure, young guys who enjoy playing the game,” Betts said. “There are plenty of guys that can be the face. I think all of us enjoy playing the game and having fun, and you can see that for sure.”
The face of baseball could be a lot of different young stars. It doesn’t need to be Betts. It could be Betts. “I mean, if it comes, it comes,” Betts said. “If not, whatever. I’m going to continue to play and have fun.”
‘I’m sure that if you show the game is fun that people will take notice.’ — RED SOX ALL-STAR MOOKIE BETTS On attitude benefiting baseball