Bet’ on him
Game's most versatile player takes on brutal position
GLENDALE, Ariz. — away, Red Sox fans. The great Mookie Betts continues to astound and amaze here in the great circus of talent otherwise known as Dodgers camp. In the human category — we’re not counting Betts’ Dodgers teammate Shohei Ohtani, the DH/pitcher extraordinaire because he’s apparently superhuman — Betts is showing once again that he’s the most versatile baseball player not only on this all-time great roster, but very likely on this planet, as well.
Betts, who’d already switched last season from right field to second base, is doing it again, making the move to shortstop, a transition that carries a much greater degree of difficulty according to scouts (and everyone else around the game). No kidding, he’s attempting to learn the second toughest defensive position on the field, and he has all of a couple of weeks to do it.
Not too many players could go from a Gold Glove-caliber right fielder to an excellent second baseman to anything close to big-league caliber at shortstop. Especially in no time flat. But Mookie might.
When Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made the announcement of the surprise switch, Roberts latched onto the phrase “permanent for now” to describe the move, which loosely translated, means they hope it works, but it may not. One reason it may not be forever is likely the reason he had to switch in the first place. Gavin Lux was told to trade places with him due to Lux’s overt throwing problems to the point where the yips can’t be ruled out. Lux got through a bout of the almost unspeakable condition once before but there are no guarantees.
The other reason is the demands of the position of shortstop. As Ron Washington might say, “It’s incredibly hard.” Not counting catcher, where you’re risking limb if not life, it’s easily the hardest spot to handle on the field. Basically, no one else could even attempt this.
“If there’s somebody that I’d bet on, it would be Mookie,” Roberts said. “But to go out and expect him to be (Dodgers backup and Gold Glove-caliber shortstop) Miguel Rojas is something that’s not realistic.”
Betts played only 16 games at shortstop last year out of necessity, and he got through it. Barely. He judged his performance as “kind of raw,” which of course it was. It had no chance to be anything else. This time, at least, he’ll have almost a fortnight to learn something that takes a lifetime.
One NL scout gives him a chance, which is high praise in itself.
“He has a chance to be serviceable,” the scout said.
Mookie, characteristically, is leaving nothing to chance. He takes grounders in the morning, at practice, during games and often after games. It’s a rush job to the earliest of Opening Days, on March 20 in Seoul, South Korea vs. the Padres, and he’s rushing hard. Rojas, the inhouse alternative if it turns out this is the one thing Betts can’t do, is here to help. He’s mostly helping with all the nuances of the position, he explained, which are many.
“You’re going from one of the easier positions on the field to the hardest outside of catcher… I’m definitely not catching,” Betts joked.
That won’t be necessary as the Dodgers have an All-Star-caliber player behind the plate, Will Smith. This is a team with few weaknesses. But if they find one, Mookie fills it. Permanently for now, he’s the guy.
Betts is the kind who can get bored when things get too easy. So this is actually right up his alley. “I enjoy challenges,” he said. He’s learning on the fly, picking up pointers along the way. He’s learned a lot in a few short days, he said.
“The most import thing I’ve learned is I can do it,” he said. “I believe I can do it.”
He may just be able to do anything well on a baseball field, to the point where — sorry, Boston — it’s still hard to believe he was traded.
He remains a presence in two clubhouses. He’s a name heard all the time around the Red Sox, especially when the subject of regret comes up. In the second worst exchange in Red Sox history (we’ll still count the sale of Babe Ruth as worse), the Red Sox received three players for Betts, the best of whom, Alex Verdugo, was sent to the rival Yankees. The only player left from the deal is Connor Wong, a backup catcher.
They think about him, but he’s moved on. Though he did mention when asked that he met “great people” and has “awesome memories” that he’ll cherish from his time in Boston. The transition to LA was an easy one, though, and he signed a 12year, $365M deal almost immediately. The Red Sox made an offer, but apparently not that one when they underwent their own foolish change.
“I’m a Dodger. I’m a Dodger for life,” Betts said. “And I play shortstop for the Dodgers.”
Permanently, for now, he does anyway.