Betts preaches patience on contract talk
FORT MYERS — Since the beginning, Mookie Betts has been betting on himself.
He was willing to stand up for a fight that was unwinnable before the 2017 season, when he refused to agree on a contract that paid a tad more than the major league minimum after his breakout 2016 season. He’s been willing to fight in arbitration for record-high salaries. And he’s been strong in his fight for what should be a historic contract extension, if the Red Sox want to re-sign him.
With two years before free agency, Betts said Wednesday that the key is patience.
“Just kind of depends on who you are, where you are in life,” he said. “I can’t speak on anybody else’s free agencies, how that’s going, but for myself, it helps to kind of be patient and let it happen.
“When you start rushing into things, that’s when you get some deals that may not be the right ones. I think I can just kind of settle down and think about what’s going on.”
Betts called arbitration a “fun process.” He’ll make $20 million this season, a record for second-year arbitration eligible players and perhaps a good-faith showing by the Red Sox with free agency getting close.
“I’m definitely happy we came to an agreement,” Betts said. “Contract and those type of things are kind of tough to do, especially with the market being kind of how it is.”
Team ownership made it clear they want him in a Red Sox uniform for life.
“I mean, yeah, if everything works out well, I love this place,” Betts said. “I love Boston. It’s one of those things where you have to see how it goes.”
With an MVP and World Series under his belt, Betts still has lofty goals for himself.
“Personally it just means that you put in a lot of work and it showed,” he said. “It showed during the season. You don’t get to where you are by just sitting on your butt and expecting it to come. I worked hard to get to where I am and I’m continuing to get better and better. So I know and understand that. In order to be great you have to continue to put in the work. I had a good year. In order to be great you have to have a bunch of good years.”
Getting leg up
Dustin Pedroia arrived to spring training and took groundballs and hit in the cage. The 35-year-old is trying to make a comeback after invasive knee surgery held him to just two games last year.
“He looks good,” manager Alex Cora said. “We talked a little bit. He met with the medical staff and he’ll be out there Monday. He looks in good spirits. He looks in great shape.” . . .
Tyler Thornburg is off to a good start in camp as he attempts to earn a roster spot that would lock in his $1.75 million salary this season.
“There’s more carry through the ball,” Cora said. “Today he was actually working with mechanics, which is good. … Can’t wait for him to go out there and compete and see where it takes us. If this happens, with the way he throws the ball, it’s a big plus for our club.”
Bullpen Brewing?
There are plenty of candidates for the Red Sox bullpen, but the manager said one player in particular has his attention: Colten Brewer.
Brewer, 26, has a 4.01 career ERA in the minors but the Sox have high hopes after acquiring him from the Padres in the offseason.
“He intrigues me,” Cora said. “I know he has big league experience but size, stuff-wise, he’s pretty interesting, what we’re going to do with him, and I can’t wait to see the end result. Stuff-wise he’s up there with (Matt) Barnes ,( Ryan) Brasier ,( Heath) Hembree, (Brandon Workman), all those guys. If we can adjust a few things, he’ll be fine.”
MVP checks in
Steve Pearce made his camp debut. The World Series MVP is thrilled he’s not one of the 90-plus veteran free agents still on the market. He signed a oneyear, $6.25 million deal soon after the postseason.
“That was the goal, we wanted to get it done fast,” Pearce said. “And then you see what’s going on now, there’s a lot of guys out there that aren’t signed . . . . They’re at home without a job right now and that was something I was really wanting to avoid.”
Twitter: @JMastrodonato