MLB
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Mookie Betts retains upping the ante. He talked final season about wanting to become a Hall of Famer. His newest purpose: To turn into, in his phrases, “a legend within the sport.”
Betts, 31, made that declaration in an interview I carried out with him Tuesday for Fox Sports activities. I requested him, after successful two World Sequence and an MVP award, what retains him going at this stage of his profession. What motivates him. What fuels him.
“My household, clearly,” stated Betts, who’s married with two kids. “However then only a drive inside myself simply to be nice. I need to be nice. Once I’m performed, I would like you to recollect not essentially simply the baseball participant, however Mookie. I need to be a legend within the sport.
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“How I create that, I don’t know. I’m simply form of going about it and bringing smiles to individuals’s faces once I can, attempting to signal some autographs once I can, be the perfect participant I may be once I’m taking part in, be the perfect teammate I may be.
“No matter comes my means, I’m simply going to attempt to be the perfect at it it doesn’t matter what. If it’s sitting on the bench, I need to be the perfect cheerleader. No matter it’s. I believe if I can do this, I really feel like that may create some sort of legacy that I can depart. You gained’t keep in mind all of the on-field stuff, however I would like individuals to recollect who Mookie was off the sphere for positive.”
Main leaguers hardly ever converse this fashion. Till lately, the game’s tradition discouraged individualism of any form. Freedom of expression is turning into extra accepted, as evidenced by the league’s “Let the Children Play” promotional marketing campaign in 2019. However even now, few gamers overtly talk about particular person targets, preferring to focus solely on the crew.
Betts, to make certain, is intent on his Los Angeles Dodgers successful the World Sequence, one thing they did within the shortened 2020 season, however haven’t completed in a full season since 1988. Coming off the crew’s $1 billion offseason, which included the additions of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, he spoke of a “sense of urgency” this spring.
“We’ve been to the playoffs so many occasions and haven’t come via,” Betts stated, referring to the crew’s 11 straight playoff appearances. “We’ve gotten one, however one for 9 or ten just isn’t excellent in our sport, actually typically.”
To turn into a “legend within the sport,” at the very least from the attitude of Dodgers followers, Betts is aware of he should carry out higher in October. He was good within the 2020 postseason, however went a mixed 2-for-25 because the Dodgers had been knocked out previously two Division Sequence, first by the San Diego Padres, then by the Arizona Diamondbacks, each occasions after successful 100 or extra regular-season video games.
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But, when Betts talked about his purpose of turning into a legend, he was not essentially speaking about on-field efficiency. I requested him when he realized it was attainable for him to realize such standing, and that it was one thing he even wished. His reply was telling.
“My pals actually keep on me,” Betts stated. “They inform me to embrace who you’re. Embrace while you stroll into someplace and somebody desires to come back take an image or somebody will get nervous. I used to form of shrink back from it. Now once I see someone that’s form of shy, I am going and discuss to them. I am going and humanize myself.
“I’m a traditional particular person similar to everybody else, however there are some issues that I do some otherwise, and there are some lives that I have an effect on somewhat otherwise, and I believe I ought to embrace that. I’m attempting. I’m doing my finest. It’s bizarre for me, and it’s bizarre even saying one thing like that. Nevertheless it actually stems from my pals. They’ve been with me since I used to be within the fifth grade, in order that they’ve seen the place I used to be then. We had no thought any of this was going to occur.”
“This” consists of his outstanding 2018 season with the Boston Red Sox, when he gained the American League batting title with a .346 batting common, helped the Pink Sox win the World Sequence and was voted AL MVP. It additionally consists of seven All-Star appearances and 6 Gold Gloves, to not point out a $365 million contract, the third largest assure in major-league historical past.
Betts’ recognition, nevertheless, stems not solely from his immense all-around expertise, but additionally from followers regarding a participant who’s listed at solely 5-foot-9, 180 kilos. Betts is much from a behemoth. He additionally shows, at occasions, an endearing, virtually childlike pleasure for the sport.
The Dodgers plan to make use of Betts principally at second base this season — he joked to reporters lately that he left his right-field glove and cleats in Los Angeles. Final season, he moved deftly between proper, second and shortstop, demonstrating uncommon versatility, significantly for a celebrity.
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“It simply felt like I used to be in a position to be a child once more,” stated Betts, a local of Nashville, Tenn. “Rising up, I by no means performed one place. I used to be virtually just like the utility man. I had 4 uniforms, and whoever referred to as and wanted a proper fielder or a shortstop or a second baseman or a 3rd baseman or a primary baseman, that’s form of the place we went. It’s virtually bizarre taking part in only one place, particularly within the outfield.”
Wait, Betts performed for 4 completely different youth groups without delay?
“Wherever they wanted,” he continued, smiling. “Typically I’d go simply pitch, and generally I’d go play left. It didn’t matter. My dad, I respect that from him as a result of I believe that actually taught me the right way to be a baseball participant as an alternative of simply taking part in one place the entire time.”
For Betts, it was the beginning of one thing huge, a major-league profession that’s about to enter its eleventh season. The Corridor of Fame appears properly inside his attain, and nonetheless he desires extra. To win one other World Sequence. To be admired on and off the sphere. To turn into — sure, he stated it — a legend within the sport.
(Prime picture of Mookie Betts: Masterpress / Getty Photos)
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Ken Rosenthal is the senior baseball author for The Athletic who has spent almost 35 years masking the most important leagues. As well as, Ken is a broadcaster and common contributor to Fox Sports activities’ MLB telecasts. He is additionally gained Emmy Awards in 2015 and 2016 for his TV reporting. Comply with Ken on Twitter @Ken_Rosenthal
