Mookie Betts

Mookie Betts

Betts with the Boston Red Sox in 2016
Boston Red Sox – No. 50
Right fielder
Born: (1992-10-07) October 7, 1992
Brentwood, Tennessee
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 29, 2014, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
(through 2016 season)
Batting average .304
Home runs 54
Runs batted in 208
Stolen bases 54
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Markus Lynn "Mookie" Betts (born October 7, 1992) is an American professional baseball right fielder for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Betts is listed at 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) and 180 pounds (82 kg), and bats and throws right handed.[1]

Betts was drafted by the Red Sox in 2011, and made his MLB debut in the 2014 season,[2] sharing time between second base and the outfield. He became the Red Sox starting center fielder in 2015, before moving to right field in 2016.[3]

As a relatively short natural second baseman with a high contact rate and a high level of production when pulling the ball, Betts has been compared to fellow Red Sox player Dustin Pedroia.[4][5]

High school career

Betts attended John Overton High School in Nashville, Tennessee, playing second base, shortstop and outfield.[6] In 2011, his senior year, he batted .509 with 30 steals[7] and was an honorable mention inclusion for the Louisville Slugger High School All-American list.[8]

In 2010, his junior year at Overton, Betts batted .549 with 24 steals. In November that year, Betts signed a letter of commitment to attend the University of Tennessee on a baseball scholarship, also getting recruited by Vanderbilt University, Mississippi State University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.[9]

At Overton, Betts was also a standout basketball player, named MVP of the District 12-AAA league his senior season while averaging 14.1 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals per game;[10] and also named Class AAA All-City Player of the Year for the Nashville, Tennessee metropolitan area.[11] His junior year, Betts was named MVP of the District 12-AAA tournament.[12] Betts also excelled in bowling, named the Tennessee boys Bowler of the Year in 2010 with a high score of 290.[13]

Professional career

Draft and scouting

The Boston Red Sox selected Betts in the fifth round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft with the 172nd overall pick.[14] After protracted negotiations,[15] Betts subsequently rescinded his commitment to the University of Tennessee, signing a $750,000 contract with the Red Sox organization[16]

Minor leagues

Betts played one game in 2011 for the GCL Red Sox of the rookie Gulf Coast League, getting two hits in four at bats.[17] In 2012, he batted .267 and stole 20 bases in 71 games for the short season Lowell Spinners of the New York–Penn League. He played shortstop regularly, but looked more comfortable at second base[1]

Betts started the 2013 season with the Greenville Drive of the Low A South Atlantic League. In 76 games, Betts batted .296[1] with a 19-game hitting streak[18] and was selected to the South Atlantic League All-Star Game.[19]

On July 9, Betts was promoted to the Salem Red Sox of the High A Carolina League,[20] batting .341 in 51 games to complete the 2013 season with a combined .314 average in 127 games between Greenville and Salem with 15 home runs and 38 steals.[1] Betts was named Offensive Player of the Year and Breakout Player of the Year in the Boston minor league system,[21] leading all Sox minors players with a .506 slugging percentage, while his .314 batting average ranked him third behind Alex Hassan (.338) and Garin Cecchini (.322).[22] Betts was a second-team inclusion on the Baseball America Minor League All-Star Team for 2013, with the first-team selection for second base going to Marcus Semien, an infielder in the Chicago White Sox system.[23] Betts subsequently played 16 games for the Surprise Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League, batting .271.[17]

Betts playing for the Pawtucket Red Sox, triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox, in 2014

Betts opened the 2014 season with the Portland Sea Dogs of the Double-A Eastern League,[1] batting .355 in 54 games to lead the Eastern League through June 2. On June 3, Betts was promoted to the Pawtucket Red Sox of the Triple-A International League,[24] batting .322 and reaching base in all 23 games with the PawSox.[25]

In 2013 and 2014, Betts reached base in 66 straight regular-season games plus five playoff games for a combined streak of 71 games. Because official baseball streak records do not include playoff games, Betts' streak has been listed at 66 games; Kevin Millar and Kevin Youkilis hold the official minor league record for consecutive games reaching base, at 71 games, with Minor League Baseball lacking data on the statistic prior to 1997.[26]

Since mid-May 2014, Betts has played outfield in addition to second base.[27] In 2013, four-time All-Star second baseman Dustin Pedroia signed an eight-year, $110 million contract extension with the Red Sox, leading to speculation that the Red Sox would groom Betts for a new position.[28][29]

Boston Red Sox

2014

Betts was promoted to the Red Sox on June 28, 2014.[30][31] He had previously been selected for the All-Star Futures Game, but was replaced following his promotion to the Major Leagues.[32]

Betts made his debut on June 29, recording his first major league career hit against Yankees starter Chase Whitley in the fourth inning.[33] He hit his first home run on July 2 off the Cubs' Carlos Villanueva.[34] He then was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket on July 19 when Shane Victorino was activated from the disabled list,[35] and was recalled to Boston on August 1. Betts was optioned back to Pawtucket in August, and recalled again on August 18.[36]

On August 29, Betts hit his first career grand slam against Rays pitcher Chris Archer in a Red Sox victory at Tropicana Field.[37] At age 21, Betts became the youngest Sox player to hit a grand slam in 49 years[38][39] Betts spent most of the 2014 season playing in the outfield, but on September 11 manager John Farrell announced that Betts would play second base "fairly regularly" following injuries to regular second basemen Dustin Pedroia and Brock Holt.[40]

Betts split the 2014 season fairly evenly between AA, AAA and MLB, playing 52 major league games.[41] He performed well for the Red Sox, hitting .291 with five home runs; and played over half his innings in center field.[42]

2015

On April 6, 2015, Opening Day for the Boston Red Sox vs. the Philadelphia Phillies, he hit a home run in his second at bat, becoming the third youngest player to hit a home run on Opening Day for the Red Sox.[43] On April 13, 2015, in the home opener at Fenway Park against the Washington Nationals, Betts arguably had the most exciting performance of his career. He robbed Bryce Harper of a home run, stole two bases on one play and hit a home run into the Monster seats, all in the first three innings.[44]

Betts was named the AL Player of the Week for the week ending on June 21, 2015. Within that week, Betts batted .581 (18 for 31) with two home runs, two triples, three doubles, seven RBI and eight runs. He led the AL in batting average, hits, on-base percentage (.594), total bases (31), and slugging percentage (1.000) that week.[45] In the latter part of the season, he spent some time in right field, leading to speculation that he would move there permanently to allow teammate Jackie Bradley, Jr., to take over in center field.[46] Betts ended the 2015 season with a .291 batting average, with 92 runs scored, 77 RBIs, 18 home runs, and 21 stolen bases.[47]

2016

Betts was selected as an All-Star for the first time in his career. He was selected by the fans to start in the outfield for the American League.[48] Betts was 1 for 2 with a single in his All-Star Game debut.[49]

Betts was named the AL Player of the Month for July 2016. During July, Betts batted .368 (35 for 95) with five home runs, 15 RBIs, five stolen bases, and a 1.068 OPS in 23 games.[50]

On Tuesday, September 20, 2016, Betts became the first player to reach 200 hits during the 2016 Major League Baseball season.[51] In 158 games of 2016, Betts finished the season with a .318 batting average, 214 hits, 122 runs scored, 42 doubles, 31 home runs, 113 RBI, and an MLB-leading 359 total bases.

With the Red Sox finishing the season 93-69, the team clinched the AL East Division, but succumbed to a 3-game sweep by the Cleveland Indians in the 2016 ALDS. Wilson Sporting Goods named Betts their Defensive Player of the Year at right field and overall among all major league fielders.[52] After the season, Betts was named a finalist for the American League MVP Award, alongside Mike Trout and Jose Altuve. He finished as the runner-up to Trout.

Bowling

Betts is an avid bowler; he bowled throughout his youth and competed in the PBA World Series of Bowling in Reno, Nevada, in 2015.[53] He has bowled two perfect games on January 27, 2013 and February 2, 2016.[54]

Personal life

Betts is a nephew of Terry Shumpert,[55] who played parts of 14 seasons with several MLB teams.[56] In 2004, Shumpert spent his final season of professional baseball with the Triple A Nashville Sounds and worked extensively with Betts.[57]

Betts' first Little League coach was his mother Diana, who is also an avid bowler and taught Mookie to bowl at an early age.[15] Betts was named the Tennessee boys Bowler of the Year in 2010, having set Tennessee high school records that season with a 290-game and an 827 three-game series.[58] He has rolled two sanctioned 300 games and has averaged over 200 in league competition. In the 2015 offseason, Betts entered the Professional Bowlers Association's GEICO World Series of Bowling VII, being held in Reno, Nevada.[59]

Betts' parents chose his name in part to form the initials MLB, matching those of Major League Baseball.[15] He has attributed his nickname Mookie to his parents watching former NBA guard Mookie Blaylock play basketball shortly after Betts was born. Betts has stated he has never met Blaylock.[60]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mookie Betts". MiLB.com. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Mookie Betts Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  3. ↑ "Mookie Betts » Statistics » Batting » Fielding | FanGraphs Baseball". www.fangraphs.com. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  4. ↑ "Mookie Betts Is Dustin Pedroia All Over Again | FanGraphs Baseball". www.fangraphs.com. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  5. ↑ "Major League Leaderboards » 2015 » Batters » Zone Contact | FanGraphs Baseball". www.fangraphs.com. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  6. ↑ "Why the Mookie Betts position question is really an answer". WEEI.com. 2014-04-29. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  7. ↑ ""2011 National High School Baseball Coaches Association All Region Teams," High School Baseball Coaches Association. Retrieved April 30, 2014" (PDF). Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Shepherd and Creech Named 2011 Louisville Slugger High School All-Americans". WKYT.com. June 22, 2011. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  9. ↑ CST November 11, 2010 (November 11, 2010). ""Overton's Mookie Betts to sign with UT in baseball". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  10. ↑ February 23, 2011 (February 23, 2011). ""Overton's Mookie Betts named 12-AAA MVP". The Tennessean. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  11. ↑ Patton, Maurice (April 19, 2011). "Top Metro hoops coaches, players honored". The Tennessean. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  12. ↑ February 24, 2010 (February 24, 2010). ""Bobcats do it by committee in 68-64 win over Warriors". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  13. ↑ Langone, Matt (June 18, 2012). ""Mookie bets on baseball - and Spinners hope it pays offwork=The Lowell Sun". Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  14. ↑ ""2011 Draft Draft Tracker," MLB.com. Retrieved April 30, 2014". Mlb.mlb.com. March 27, 2014. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  15. 1 2 3 "Mookie Betts is rising fast in Red Sox system". Boston Globe. June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  16. ↑ CDT June 27, 2012 (June 27, 2012). ""Mookie Betts starts pro career with Spinners"". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  17. 1 2 "Mookie Betts". SoxProspects.com.
  18. ↑ Pereira, Kevin (October 28, 2013). "Top 40 Season in Review: Mookie Betts". News.soxprospects.com. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  19. ↑ ""South Atlantic League Announces All-Star Rosters," Baseball America, June 4, 2013.". Baseballamerica.com. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  20. ↑ Dunne, James (July 9, 2013). ""Mookie Betts promoted to Salem," SoxProspects.com, July 9, 2013. Retrieved 2014-04-30". News.soxprospects.com. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  21. ↑ ""Mookie Betts," SoxProspects.com. Retrieved April 29, 2014". Soxprospects.com. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Espn.com – Red Sox minor league leaders for 2013".
  23. ↑ ""2013 Minor League All Star Team," Baseball America, September 12, 2013. Retrieved 2014-04-30". Baseballamerica.com. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Report: Hot Prospect Mookie Betts to Get Call-up to PawSox". Boston.com. June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  25. ↑ "Individual Stats (Batting)". Milb.com. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  26. ↑ "On Baseball: Mookie Betts' on-base streak ends". Portland Press Herald. May 18, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Mookie Betts starting in CF for Portland". Providence Journal. 2014-05-18. Retrieved 2014-05-19.
  28. ↑ "Mookie Betts Streaks Through the Red Sox System". Boston Herald. 2014-05-11. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  29. ↑ "Dustin Pedroia second to none as face of Red Sox". Boston Globe. 2013-11-18. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  30. ↑ "Red Sox promote OF Betts, send down RHP De La Rosa". ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 28, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  31. ↑ Browne, Ian (June 28, 2014). "Phenom Betts called up to Red Sox". MLB.com. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  32. ↑ Red Sox Prospects Mookie Betts, Henry Owens Selected To Futures Game NESN.com. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  33. ↑ Edes, Gordon (June 30, 2014). "Betts hits big time on biggest stage". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  34. ↑ Browne, Ian (July 3, 2014). "Offense erupts, but Workman, bullpen falter in loss". MLB.com. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  35. ↑ Victorino comes off DL looking to spark Sox MLB.com. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  36. ↑ Bradley Jr. sent to Pawtucket, Betts called up
  37. ↑ NESN.com – Mookie Betts hits first career Grand Slam at Tropicana Field (Video)
  38. ↑ "Red Sox Notes: Mookie Betts, Anthony Ranaudo Shine In Win Over Rays". NESN.com. August 29, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  39. ↑ Retrosheet box score – Boston Red Sox 9, Washington Senators 4 (1). Game Played on Tuesday, August 24, 1965 (N) at Fenway Park.
  40. ↑ Doyle, Ricky (11 September 2014). "Mookie Betts To Play Second Base For Red Sox With Dustin Pedroia Out". NECN. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  41. ↑ "Mookie Betts". Fangraphs.com. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  42. ↑ "Mookie Betts; Fielding". Fangraphs.com. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  43. ↑ Ezzo, Romi (April 6, 2016). "Home Runs of April 6, 2015". MLB Home Runs of the Day. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  44. ↑ Snyder, Matt (April 13, 2015). "Mookie Betts robs homer before hitting one of his own". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  45. ↑ Toscano, Jimmy (June 22, 2015). "Betts named AL Player of the Week". Comcast Sportsnet. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  46. ↑ Boston Globe
  47. ↑ Yahoo! Sports
  48. ↑ Castrovince, Anthony (July 7, 2016). "2016 MLB All-Star Game rosters announced". mlb.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  49. ↑ 2016 MLB All-Star Game Box Score
  50. ↑ Kruth, Cash (August 3, 2016). "Mookie Betts wins AL Player of the Month for July". mlb.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  51. ↑ Browne, Ian (September 21, 2016). "Betts joins elite company with 200th hit". mlb.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  52. ↑ Miller, Doug (November 11, 2016). "Best Betts: Sox OF, Giants earn top defender honors: Boston star named Defensive Player of the Year; Giants win club honor". MLB.com. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  53. ↑ Boston Globe
  54. ↑ bowl.com, ID 6701-2103
  55. ↑ "Spinners' Betts follows in big league uncle's foot". Eagle Tribune. June 18, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  56. ↑ "Terry Shumpert, 2b, Rays". Baseball America. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  57. ↑ "Mookie Betts Streaks Through Red Sox System", Boston Herald, 2014-05-11. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  58. ↑ http://www.overthemonster.com/2015/6/30/8422417/mookie-betts-dunking-basketballs-and-being-generally-awesome
  59. ↑ http://news.pba.com/post/2015/10/6/Boston-Red-Sox-Star-Mookie-Betts-Enter-GEICO-PBA-World-Series-of-Bowling-VII.aspx
  60. ↑ "10 Questions with Sox prospect Mookie Betts". Csnne.com. July 16, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
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