A superstar in every sense of the word, Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts has shown the baseball world the importance of playing multiple positions, with his positive attitude and ruthless commitment to being the best all-around ballplayer he can be.
Frankly, it’s extremely difficult to dislike Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts. You might be able to say you don’t like him, either because of the uniform he wears or because of his ridiculous skill, but it’s hard to hate a man who plays the game with such passion, excitement, and poise. His newest comments only reinforce his genuine likability.
Entering National League play in the World Series, the possibility arose that the Red Sox, normally robust and consistent in their everyday lineup, would have to move some players around in order to compensate for the lack of a designated hitter. One of the suggested switches was moving Betts to second base, a move he wholeheartedly and selflessly supported.
As Ted Berg of USA Today wrote prior to the beginning of the World Series, Betts was confident he could effectively play at second base. After all, he was a middle infielder in high school and through the early part of his professional career.
“I know if the time comes, I’ll be ready, and just rely on all the work I put in”, Betts told Berg. The column also notes that while he hasn’t played second since early August, he still “regularly takes grounders in workouts”. His teammates, mainly Brock Holt and Dustin Pedroia, two notably excellent defensive middle infielders, also praised Mookie’s ability to play second base, with Pedroia noting that Betts certainly wouldn’t be a “liability” if he played second.
That right there is something to behold. Betts is a superstar at the highest level. He could have easily continued on as an outfielder and helped his team win in the traditional, normal sense. Instead, he continuously worked to improve a part of his game that, ironically enough, didn’t end up getting put to use in the biggest series of his young career up to this point.
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While some older baseball fans might balk at the idea of cheering for a younger, more energetic ballplayer like Betts, his recent attitude towards his team certainly made it easier to embrace his modern style of play. Furthermore, he’s encouraging young baseball fans to experiment in their defense, or at least, try some new positions out for the sake of helping your team win.
In an era of divas and melodramatic all-stars, Betts has proved himself to be a humble, productive team player with a great sense of likeable competition and passionate effort. If the future of baseball looks like Mookie Betts, I’m really excited to see how it turns out. With baseball as a whole turning to more fluid positional structures, Betts is adapting, and succeeding in doing so.
Overall, while Betts didn’t actually get into a game at second base, he showed his willingness to compete at a higher level and help his team out, no matter the consequences for him as a player. His manager and teammates certainly appreciated that, and it’s undoubtedly something that’ll carry him far into his prodigious major league career.