It has been somewhat of an adventure for Mookie Betts to find himself as the starting shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers heading into the 2025 season.
A six-time Gold Glove Award winner in right field, the Dodgers initially planned for Betts to take over as their second baseman as he plays out the remainder of his 12-year, $365 million contract. It was an opportunity to ease Betts’ workload, and it made perfect sense given his background at the position.
But even the best laid plans sometimes need to pivot, as Betts was the Opening Day shortstop for the Dodgers last year. Betts adjusted to his new role quite well with 3 defensive runs saved, but there was certainly room for improvement if he was going to be a viable option in the long-run.
Namely, making plays that require more range and accurate throws to first more consistently.
Now entering a second season at his new position, Betts is excited to show off the work he put in during the offseason and proving his critics wrong.
“Yeah, sure. I think the most exciting thing is just to prove everybody wrong,” he answered when asked if learning a new position adds excitement to the season.
“I’m really excited to prove everybody wrong. All the people that doubt me, they’ll see.”
Betts showed a solid foundation to build off of in 2024, with two previously mentioned areas where he could stand to improve, both of which are correctable with more experience. And that is exactly what Betts did, immediately going to work two weeks after the World Series concluded and he hasn’t stopped since.
Betts took every opportunity to work on his game with anybody he could find, including members of the Dodgers’ coaching staff like Chris Woodward.
“Woody, by myself, sometimes my wife was rolling ground balls. I mean, anybody. Anybody, any day. I was throwing a ball up against the wall for an hour because I didn’t have anything else to do. I’m determined,” Betts said.
He is fully committed to making it work at shortstop, even going as far as to show up to Camelback Ranch alongside Max Muncy a couple weeks early to work on infield defense. The number of hours Betts has poured into becoming a better shortstop has led to an increased sense of self-confidence in his ability to get the job done this season.
“I haven’t been in this headspace, so this is all new. Even last year, I wasn’t in this headspace and wasn’t confident in my abilities,” he said.
“I’m taking last year and everything else and just erasing it, and going forward from here. I don’t know what to expect. I just know I believe in myself, I believe in Munce. All the hard work I’ve put in, I think it will show.
“Confidence comes with my preparation. I feel like I’ve done nothing but prepare for this opportunity. The last thing I’m going to do is be in my own way to go shine, or whatever word it is. Maybe not shine. I’ll be damned if I let myself beat myself up on this.”
Mookie Betts enjoying ‘the journey’ at shortstop
The opening games of Cactus League play this week will offer the public a glimpse of the Dodgers’ new and improved shortstop, but Betts also understands they ultimately are just part of the process. He doesn’t plan to get too high or too low depending on the outcome of these exhibition games.
“It’s practice. It’s important for me to know I go out there and I’m going to do everything I can to be successful,” he said.
“I think I’ll be perfectly fine but if something doesn’t go well, I can’t let any outside noise, anybody or anything get in my way of understanding it’s a process. Maybe not good right now — could be good right now, I don’t know — but it’s a process and I need to enjoy the journey.”
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