Mookie Betts handles stardom like everything else, with ease
Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts makes everything look easy. His transition to the majors went off without a hitch, his development into an MVP candidate was seamless and even his acting looks natural.
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In 2016, just his second season in the majors, Betts earned his first All-Star game appearance, a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger Award. He finished second to Mike Trout in the American League MVP voting after hitting .318/.363/.534, with 31 home runs, over 730 plate appearances.
This spring, Betts was featured as part of an ad campaign by Major League Baseball that looked at the best players and storylines heading into the 2017 season. At 24, he’s already a bonafide superstar.
Achieving so much so early can go to one’s head, but that’s not the case with Betts. Despite all his success, Betts isn’t seeking out the spotlight or looking for more accolades. He just wants to stay consistent.
“I just want to come out and play and do the same thing I did last year,” Betts told The Stew. “I don’t want to get any better or any worse. If I can do the same thing and be consistent, I think I should be OK. And hopefully we can add more wins.”
Of course, when you’re as good as Betts, sometimes the spotlight comes to you. Betts is the newest face of BODYARMOR sports drink. The company is backed by Kobe Bryant, and that was one of the things that got Betts to take notice of the beverage a few years back.
“It started a couple years ago,” Betts says. “I got introduced to the drink and started using it. Once I saw Kobe, Mike Trout and James Harden and those guys, I thought, ‘Hey, I might as well try.’ These guys aren’t using it for no reason. I started working out and drinking it after and it helped me recover.”
Betts is one of three Major League Baseball players to rep the product. He joins Trout and Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
A season after joining the ranks of Trout and Rizzo on the field, Betts isn’t daunted by the heightened expectations that come with being in elite company. That’s a crucial trait to have, especially in a city like Boston.
“Obviously, there’s more media and more eyes on you all the time,” Betts says. “But it’s just how you deal with it. I handle it by just pushing it off to the side and focusing on me and the guys in the locker room. Because when we go to war, it’s just us 25. It’s nobody else.”
Betts is quick to mention his teammates there. He does that a lot. Though he’s put up superstar-caliber numbers, he’s quick to deflect the attention to others. When asked about being part of baseball’s promising future, Betts acknowledges the honor before making sure he credits the other standout players in the game.
“It’s pretty cool knowing that,” he says. “But I know that there are a bunch of young guys out here that are really good.”
He does the same thing when asked about his role in an excellent, young outfield that also features Jackie Bradley Jr. and Andrew Benintendi.
“Every game I’m out there, we’re all trying to affect the game in some way. And at some point, one of us does,” Betts says. “I think people know how good Jackie and Benny are. It’s not just those guys either. We have a bunch of guys who affect the game and play the game the right way who aren’t very old. We have a pretty complete team.”
It’s enough to make most observers jealous. Here is not only a player who excels on the field, but one who gives the ideal answers off it. Betts is one of the best players in the game, yet he remains incredibly humble. Oh, and did we mention he’s also a world-class bowler who has tossed multiple 300 games? Yeah, Betts thrives at everything he does. And the most impressive part is just how naturally he pulls it off.
Given his ability to make everything look so smooth, it’s reasonable to wonder if there’s anything Betts can’t do.
“Golf. I’ve been playing golf for a little while and I can’t get over the 85 hump,” Betts says. “It doesn’t matter how good or bad I shoot on one side, I’m going to end up around 85. I have to work on that so I can break 80 at some point.”
An 85 isn’t bad for a casual golfer. Betts is even pretty good at the one thing he believes he needs to improve. That shouldn’t come as a surprise given how effortlessly he’s handled every challenge thrown at him thus far.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
