LOS ANGELES – Mookie Betts was the apparent selection for Nationwide League Participant of the Month for April, after hitting .368/.477/.624 whereas main the majors in a bunch of classes, together with hits, walks, runs scored and Wins Above. Alternative. Not that the Dodgers shortstop was essentially conscious of these statistics.
“I turned off social media, and it simply went into a little bit gap,” Betts stated at Dodger Stadium on Friday. “I don't know or care about numbers and all that sort of stuff. I simply need to be certain that I present up when it issues. That's all I care about.”
The numbers are much more exceptional provided that Betts recurrently performs shortstop, a place change that was thrust upon him in spring coaching when Gavin Lux struggled. Though Betts began 12 video games on the place final season, he’s enjoying the place rather more recurrently this 12 months.
“All of us may have guessed he was going to do it offensively, however he places you on protection and the worth there,” supervisor Dave Roberts stated. “I don't assume it is going to be their final participant of the month of the season.”
Betts has received six Gold Gloves in proper discipline, however final 12 months he performed second base recurrently within the second half after Miguel Vargas struggled on the place earlier than the All-Star break.
“What folks don't see is the internal drive to be nice, at no matter job,” Roberts stated. “I don't assume anyone can actually recognize what it's prefer to go from the outfield, to be a Gold Glover, to play Gold Glove-caliber second base, then to come back again on the opposite aspect of the diamond within the large leagues for a championship caliber group.
“It's so much to absorb. To try this with all of the scrutiny or expectation — actually extra from himself, really — to not run away from it, and embrace it, is fairly superb.”
Betts in 2023 recurrently switched between second base and proper discipline, plus the occasional shortstop, so he performed a number of positions in 40 completely different video games. This 12 months Betts began 24 video games at shortstop, 10 at second base, and performed each in the identical recreation eight occasions. However after Monday evening's begin at second base in Arizona, Betts' plan going ahead is to remain at shortstop, after a dialog with Roberts throughout the street journey.
“It's exhausting to leap forwards and backwards, particularly if he hasn't actually had the reps. It's actually exhausting, they're two utterly completely different positions,” Betts stated. “So, particularly if I'm going to play in a brief period of time going into the playoffs and stuff, I need to be actually comfy with it. The extra I do it, clearly the extra comfy I may be.”
“The brief is demanding, and it's exhausting. That's what makes it enjoyable for me. If something, it retains me a little bit extra engaged in the entire recreation.”
Betts has argued that he has been capable of separate the offense from the protection, however one factor that has helped is one thing that Roberts has stated over the previous two seasons: Betts enjoying on the ground has much less put on and tear operating within the discipline He says he's not as drained this season, though a part of that has been because of the preparation, even at dwelling.
“As soon as I get transferring, I appear to remain transferring,” Betts stated. “So I hold myself actually energetic by getting up within the morning, going for walks, enjoying with my youngsters, getting some daylight, that sort of factor. It's working to this point.”
The motion Roberts talked about contains Betts recurrently taking the grime at shortstop a number of hours earlier than every recreation, one thing he doesn't plan to cease anytime quickly.
“Particularly when one thing is new to me, I simply go full pace till I'm actually comfy,” he stated. “So, till then, I'll be out for 3 hours.”
The defensive numbers are combined on Betts at shortstop. Outs Above Common has him at minus-3 on the place, Final Zone Score has him under common as effectively (-2.4). However Defensive Runs Save has Betts at plus-five, tied for second finest on the place within the majors, behind solely Bobby Witt. Jr.
But when Betts is even satisfactory at shortstop, it's exceptional contemplating that previous to final 12 months he had actually not performed the place because the 2013 Arizona Fall League.
“There have been a few performs I didn't know I used to be able to make or no matter, however my physique simply took over,” Betts stated. “It's fairly cool to see a few floor balls that I've been engaged on come to fruition, however once more, I've obtained to be there when it issues.”
Betts to some factors on Friday stated that he was there or carry out when it issues. Whether or not it's pushed by his 0-for-11 postseason final October, every thing he's doing to this point is working. And the Dodgers are assured he’ll proceed to enhance at shortstop.
“There are quite a lot of performs that he hasn't even had an opportunity to make in a recreation,” Roberts stated. “He tries to get so many various alternatives and performs like that, so when it occurs in a recreation, it received't be the primary time it occurs. He's nonetheless a good distance from it, however he's dominated every thing at this level.”