Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts needed to set the report straight: Mookie Betts is his shortstop.
“Mookie,” Roberts mentioned, “will not go to right field.”
Roberts repeated the phrase a few instances, as if he was decided to quash any hypothesis about one other late-season place change for Betts.
“Mookie,” Roberts mentioned once more, “will not go to right field.”
There it’s, straight from the person who arms the lineup card to the umpire each evening.
So ignore the noise and cease the chatter.
Mookie Betts is the Dodgers’ shortstop.
Betts is the Dodgers’ shortstop now, Betts would be the Dodgers’ shortstop subsequent week, and Betts would be the Dodgers’ shortstop within the postseason.
The one instances Roberts mentioned he envisioned Betts returning to proper area was late in video games during which the Dodgers ran out of bench gamers. A scenario like that got here up just a few weeks in the past in a recreation towards the Angels. Miguel Rojas, an infielder, was deployed as a pinch hitter within the high of the eighth inning and remained within the recreation at shortstop. Betts defended proper area for an inning.
Roberts isn’t sticking with Betts at shortstop due to their shut relationship. He’s sticking with Betts at shortstop due to how Betts has performed the place.
Betts entered his staff’s weekend collection towards the Arizona Diamondbacks main all main league shortstops in defensive runs saved (15).
He was ninth in outs above common (4).
He was additionally fifth in fielding share (.985).
“When you’re talking about shortstop play, you’re looking for consistency, and I’ve just loved the consistency,” Roberts mentioned. “He’s made every play he’s supposed to make, and then the last couple weeks, he’s made spectacular plays. He’s been a big part of preventing runs. “
Roberts is equally, if not more, encouraged by how Betts has looked.
“Right now, it’s all instinct instead of the technical part of it, how to do this or that,” Roberts mentioned. “I think he’s free to just be a major league shortstop. I truly, to this day, have never seen a position change like Mookie has.”
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts throws to first base after forcing out Padres baserunner Freddy Fermin at second on Aug. 15.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Instances)
A six-time Gold Glove Award winner for granted fielder, Betts moved to shortstop late in spring coaching final yr when it grew to become evident the staff didn’t have an on a regular basis participant on the place. The final time he spent important time at shortstop was in highschool.
By mid-June, Betts was a couple of league-average shortstop however additional progress was derailed by a damaged hand that landed him on the injured listing. When Betts was activated a few months later, he returned for granted fielder. He remained there all through the Dodgers’ World Sequence run.
Nonetheless, Betts was decided to take one other shot at enjoying shortstop. In contrast to the earlier yr, he was capable of practice at this place over the offseason, working with Dodgers coaches and former All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. The preparation has made a noticeable distinction.
Betts has improved to the place he now feels comfy allotting recommendation on learn how to play the place, usually providing tips to rookie infielder Alex Freeland.
“It’s the smallest details,” Freeland mentioned. “I give him so much credit because he makes the small things matter the most because a lot of those smaller details go overlooked by a lot of players where they’re like, ‘Oh, we don’t need to focus on that, something so minute, it’s not going to matter.’ But Mookie takes all the small details and makes them very important.”
Roberts anticipated this of Betts, whom he considers one of many staff’s leaders alongside Freddie Freeman and Clayton Kershaw. He pointed to how Betts has carried himself within the worst offensive season of his profession, his relentless work leading to him batting .329 during the last three weeks.
“I love how Mookie is always accountable,” Roberts mentioned. “There’s been times where he’s been really good and times he hasn’t but he’s never run from having the conversation or owning the fact that he’s underperforming. His work has never wavered. So for me, that’s something that when you’re talking about one of the leaders in your clubhouse, it really resonates with everyone, coaches included. I’m always going to bet on him.”
A lot in order that Roberts has wagered the season on him.
Mookie Betts is his shortstop — now, subsequent week and within the postseason.
