Dodgers: Mookie Betts “Barely Showed Up This Season”says LA Times Columnist
Los Angeles Times Sports columnist Bill Plaschke appeared in the Petros and Money show earlier this week and gave his thoughts on the embarrassing and early exit of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the postseason.
Plaschke went IN on the Dodgers, displaying raw emotion on the 2022 squad, and whether it was fair or not, he had a point on most cases.
While Money was saying it was a colossal organizational failure, Plaschke blamed Dodgers star Mookie Betts for the Dodgers’ lackluster postseason performance.
“Mookie Betts didn’t show up. Mookie Betts has barely showed up. For all the Money he’s making, he’s a big disappointment on the team. I know he was good in 2020 during the postseason, but he had two good months and disappeared under pressure.”
Harsh words, but it’s true. As I stated before, this is on the whole team; none of their hitters showed up. But, if you’re the highest-paid player on the team, then you have to play like it.
In 4 games and 14 at-bats, Betts slashed .143/.278/.214 with a .492 OPS and only two hits and one RBI. Inexcusable and unacceptable for what is supposed to be your best and highest-earning player.
Your stars must perform like stars, which was not the case for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
I know Mookie is a multi-sport athlete, but I rather see him bat .300 than have him bowl 300. He gets paid big bucks to hit a baseball, not play in a bowling lane.
Do better, Dodgers and Mookie Betts.
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“Do better” is an expression people who have never even done good love to say
I need not to have ever played an inning of sandlot, little league, Pony League, minor league or professional baseball to offer an opinion on a players apparent lackluster performance in the playoffs. “Do better” is an admonition anyone, from any walk of life, in spite of their own personal accomplishments can say and it would still be true. Mookie Betts, as well as others in the Dodger organization, should have done better. They should have NEVER lost to the Padres in the playoffs and it is a monumental embarrassment that they did. They only won ONE game in a five game playoff series? After having the kind of season they had in 2022? They should all be mortified at their lack of effort, Betts included.
Dave Roberts is a small ball guy. He is not the one making analytical decisions!!! IE…hitting!! The guys up stairs are the ones that make those decisions period!! You have to be able to situationally hit the ball in the postseason period!! IE… bunting and level hitting, especially if you are struggling to score runs, and leaving men stranded on base. You cannot sacrifice at bats, and strikeouts for HR’s in the postseason especially if you are struggling at the plate. HR’s and launch angle come from the root of hitting which in bunting, and level hitting. You cannot expect to hit the ball out of the ball park at every at bat. We need a hitting coach that buys into that philosophy, and the chumps upstairs need to buy into that philosophy as well!! We had 5 days off that killed our momentum, and we had already lost 4 games in a row to the Rockies b4 the end of the season. We also had no identity in our blow-pen. Not having May and Buhler was huge as well!! Bottom line we didn’t hit, and more small-ball, and situational hitting needs to be implemented in the postseason.
We have a lot of FA’s coming off the books, hopefully pervert comes off the books too.
Change the hitting philosophy. Get a better pure hitting coach. Get rid of Bellinger. Love his defense, but we have given that guy plenty of chances to change his swing. Get guys that are scrappy players and get on base. Starting pitching especially if Kershaw is a? And please whatever you do do not sign Carlos Correa!!!!!!!!!!!! If we can’t hold on to Trea Turner. I think Boegarts is a FA seems like a good clubhouse fit especially with Betts already on our team.
Despite what he thinks, Mookie is not the ideal leadoff hitter for the Dodgers. He hits too many balls way up in the air, presumably to hit homers, oftentimes with nobody on. LA should resign Trea to lead off with his higher average and greater footspeed. Freddie should bat second and continue, of course, to use the whole field. Mookie should bat third and Roberts should be insightful and forceful enough to make it happen.
I have been saying that exactly for a couple of months, Mookie is not your lead off guy tries to hit home runs, Trey is a much better lead off batter And is also capable of hitting home runs for sure ,move Mookie down in the order. Give Max a much needed incentive. make him your third baseman he has proven he can play the infield well enough to be at third. Try Justin at second He can switch off with Chris Taylor who also plays a good infield and can pay left field when needed, hopefully his hitting comes around. See if you can get Judge for the outfield you need a hitting outfielder badly and then you will have a team, go get them dodger blue you guys are the best
The worst thing Dave Roberts did was start using subs and resting guys in the final couple of weeks. It killed momentum. They lost series to crappy teams like the Rockies. I was telling anyone who would listen that they were not going to be prepared for the much better pitching they will see in the post season. You want your hitters to go into the playoffs hot..
Not rested.