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Only a few weeks in the past, the Dodgers determined Mookie Betts would transfer from second base to tackle the problem of enjoying the shortstop place. It was an abrupt transfer six video games into the exhibition season, and it’s the second time Betts has modified main positions for the reason that finish of final season.
Gavin Lux’s defensive deficiencies at shortstop might need pressured the transfer, however Betts has taken on the brand new position with open arms. To this point, the transition hasn’t gone fairly as easily as he or the crew might need hoped.
Regardless of how athletic Betts is, shifting positions isn’t the simplest transfer to grasp in a brief period of time. Betts hasn’t performed an excessive amount of shortstop, however the Dodgers are betting closely on his capacity to navigate the place properly.
Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts spoke with the media, together with our personal Noah Camras, to provide his ideas on Betts after the ultimate exhibition sport towards the Los Angeles Angels.
“That first one was a rather well hit ball, stayed down on him, couldn’t give you it. And the opposite ball, simply didn’t make the play on it. So, it’s a piece in progress. We knew what we have been moving into. This can be a man that basically hasn’t performed an entire lot of shortstop, however he’s placing his work in and we’re gonna guess on him.”
— Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts
This isn’t the primary time one among Betts’ superiors has given him a vote of confidence this month. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman mentioned that he wouldn’t guess towards Betts when it got here to enjoying shortstop.
Betts clearly has the boldness of the group, loads of room to recuperate from his errors, and hopefully he’ll get higher with time. All the things continues to be pretty new to him in the intervening time.
“I feel it’s simply a type of issues the place he’s bought to proceed to get repetitions. Ball to his proper, ball to his left … there are plenty of performs that he hasn’t seen but that he’s going to see and have totally different probabilities. I’m simply glad it occurred now, and he’s solely going to get higher with repetitions.”
— Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts
If Betts isn’t in a position to enhance, Los Angeles must pivot. They’ve saved tabs on shortstop Willy Adames of the Milwaukee Brewers, even whereas Milwaukee isn’t able to commerce its finest gamers.
The Dodgers have the prospect capital to make a deal occur. For the sake of the season, the entrance workplace may must make one. Los Angeles enters the 12 months on World Sequence or bust expectations after a robust offseason, so the clock is ticking on how extensive the margin of error will likely be on the shortstop place.
Photograph Credit score: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports activities
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