Betts’ mom not worried about future
Benedict focused on what’s best for son
Once concrete news is delivered straight from the source – in this particular case, Red Sox star outfielder Mookie Betts – that’s when Mookie’s mom Diana Benedict will have a definitive answer that places a firm capper on the current wave of speculation concerning the 2018 American League MVP.
Until something concrete emerges, it’s best to put the hood over the head in an effort to avoid the bluster.
“Until something comes from Mookie, the team, or his agents … I don’t look at a lot of tabloids or what the reporters write,” said Benedict when reached earlier this week.
Has Betts played his final game in Boston despite his arbitration eligible status heading into 2020? Will the Sox try to put trade feelers out there for a player who, per salary figures crunched by MLB Trade Rumors, is slated to earn $27.7 million in an effort to create payroll relief?
If this offseason doesn’t represent Mookie’s last call in a Red Sox uniform, what about after next season when the 27-year-old enters free agency for the first time?
“We’ll let Mookie make that decision and whatever decision he makes, we’re happy with it because we’re going to support him,” said Benedict. “Until he tells us different, it’s strictly a business decision. We’re not trying to influence anybody either way. That’s where we are with that.
“We’re not going to be swayed by reporters. We’re going to wait and see what’s real and go from there,” added Benedict. “It’s a business decision for them too and I definitely understand that.”
The business side of baseball can be cutthroat if not all of the proper facts have been gathered. From the sound of it, the Betts family has been ahead of the curve in terms of understanding the market and what’s fair.
“A lot of what we’ve learned has been through trial-and-error, but we have great agents and a great family support system. We ask a lot of questions and of course so does Mookie,” said Benedict. “We’ve relied on other people to kind of guide us.
“When Mookie was drafted [by Boston in 2011], we didn’t have an agent. We were just winging it as we went along. Basically you ask questions and then go back to try and do your homework to see how logical the proposal was,” Benedict added. “When you have a child that’s 18 years old and you’re talking numbers, it’s just one of those things where there’s trial-and-error and you have to go through it.
“We’ve never been swayed by big numbers because we wanted Mookie to make his own decision. If he wanted to go to college [Betts held a scholarship offer to play at the University of Tennessee], that was fine. If he wanted to play pro ball, that was fine. At that point in time, it really didn’t matter to us what the dollar figure was. We weren’t swayed by that at all.”
Regardless of how everything plays out as it relates to Betts and the Sox, Boston’s leader in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in each of the past five seasons is in store for a huge payday – the kind that on the surface yields major financial peace of mind.
“That would be exciting for anybody. That’s what you live for and that’s what you dream about as a kid … playing ball and making a really good living at it and making a difference. I don’t think we’re any different than any other families to be honest,” said Benedict. “We’re excited for him and whatever he wants, we’re going to roll with him 100 percent.”
Asked about Betts’ 2019 season that featured 29 home runs and 80 RBI and a triple-slash line of .295/.391/.524, Benedict said, “I’ve been watching Mookie since he was an infant. I enjoy it with the utmost and I think he enjoys it too. It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to see your child perform at the highest level.”
On the possibility of Betts remaining with the same franchise who he broke into the majors with, Benedict said, “It’s about whatever is best for Mookie. If it’s best for him to stay at Fenway Park, we’ll support him. Again, it’s a business decision. If your talents and personality and everything that goes with being a ballplayer speaks for itself, it’s going to shine wherever you go. At this point, it’s a guessing game for everybody but the Red Sox and Mookie. Until they do what they do, there’s nothing for us to guess about. We can speculate all day long, but until the decision comes from the higher-ups, there’s nothing for us to say as far as ‘We wish.’”
Asked if the Sox and Betts have talked contract extension since the end of the 2019 season, Benedict said, “We don’t get involved in that part. Mookie might give us a little insight but not much at all. We’re not looking for that because we want him to be happy. It has to be his decision. He hasn’t shed any light about that to us.”