Boston Red Sox: Mookie Betts Powers Fenway Park
By Ron Juckett
A strong August and 2016 overall makes Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts one of the most feared hitter in baseball at 23.
Boston Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts is overpowering the American League.
Well on his way to earning AL Player of the Month honors for August, Betts is hitting .403 with seven home runs and 20 RBI since July ended. He now leads the team in home runs with 29 and eclipsed last year’s total bases mark already, 287 to 286 with around a quarter of the season left.
Aside from developing into a force at the plate in his second full season in the Majors, Betts made the change from center to right field as if he was a natural outfielder. Coming into the Red Sox organization as the fifth-round pick in 2011 from Brentwood, TN, he was in infielder.
The pride of John Overton High School is a second baseman by trade but, with Dustin Pedroia anchoring the position at Fenway Park, Betts moved to the outfield. With nine assists and two errors in 258 total chances, one can say the transition went well. His speed and the awkward war Fenway’s right field curves toward the foul pole makes it tougher than most parks. His 1.3 dWar is a huge asset for Boston.
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Throw in his 11 Total Zone Runs in right, second in the AL, and you have a Gold Glove candidate.
His speed can swipe a base or two. In 22 attempts, he has 19 stolen bases. Last year, he purloined 21 out of 27 attempts. Whatever task you throw at Betts, he not only achieves but excels.
Think of this, he leads the league in runs with 96. His 67 extra-base hits are tops. His 6.8 WAR is third and his presence in the Red Sox offense makes him a legitimate candidate for Most Valuable Player. Did we mention he is 23?
Not as flashy as David Ortiz and not as hyped as Xander Bogaerts or Andrew Benintendi, Betts is putting together a start of a career worthy compared to Chicago Cubs slugger Kris Bryant and Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper. In the storied 117-season history of the Red Sox, only once has a player cracked the 400 total base mark, Jim Rice had 406 in 1978.
With a strong finish, Betts can be the second. By the way, Ted Williams career-high was 368 in 1949 and Carl Yastrzemski’s legendary 1967 yielded 360. Those numbers are in reach. Why? He is a monster at home.
The right-hander loves Fenway. At home, his slash line is .332/.359/.609. His home OPS is a whopping .968. Away from Boston, his .299/.357/.528 is not shabby either, but his ability to pound balls off the fabled Green Monster means more doubles, 26 to 8. His game is tailor made for Boston.
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As the Red Sox continue to fight the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays for the playoffs, what Betts does these last six weeks is crucial. Out of the spotlight, he is an offensive machine.