Mookie Betts has been on fire for a few weeks. There's some obvious things we can point to. The bat speed still stinks. But based on the swing shape metrics, it looks to me like he's understood that and given up on trying to find that old slug in favor of a shorter, less-pull, line drive swing.
I read someone who suggested he stop trying to hit home runs a while back and just try to get on base. Looks like that's what he's done.
Getting terribly ill and converting to shortstop for no discernible reason probably had nothing to do with his hitting struggles this season
The early season illness, yes. But this season he’s provided significantly more defensive value than he has for years. At some point ppl are going to have to accept that a 175 lb 33 year old was never going to last as a power hitting RF, especially when he’s the one who wanted to move positions
Yeah but shortstop is more demanding and it can sap your hitting. Especially if you’ve never done it full time. And it made zero sense because the Dodgers had a great defensive shortstop already. Just put him at second and be done with it
who was the great defensive SS?
Rojas
he's a backup, not a starting SS on a good team.
He’s averaged 3 wins per 162 since 2020. Seems pretty reasonable, and a better option than Conforto. Also, they had a host of other infielders too. I would have started the season with Rojas and then seen what the trade market looked like in July.
Has he? Curious where you’re see Rojas averaging a 3 wins over 162. My recollection was that the running in the OF— including going to and from the home dugout on the 3B side— exacerbated Mookie’s hip issues specifically and the infield was less demanding for his particular situation
Baseball reference has him at 3.4 per 162 since 2020
"since 2020" is sort of irrelevant now, as he's 36 years old
Would you say that Betts is swinging for more contact, especially with the season getting late?