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The Dodgers stunned many this previous low season by shifting Mookie Betts from proper discipline, the place he had received six Gold Glove awards, to second base. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made the announcement in December. Much more shocking was the announcement in March that Betts would not be playing second base this season after all.
Since shifting to shortstop, Betts has needed to make a lot of changes on the fly. He’s had loads of assist.
Chief amongst them: Dodgers teammate Miguel Rojas, who was one in every of baseball’s greatest defensive shortstops final 12 months in considerably restricted taking part in time. Rojas accrued six Outs Above Common, according to Statcast, greater than making up for the damage absence of Gavin Lux – within the discipline, no less than.
With Betts changing into the Dodgers’ on a regular basis shortstop, Rojas is taking up extra of a utility infielder position in 2024. He’s additionally taking up the position of mentor, serving to Betts study the finer factors of shortstop earlier than each sport:
In the meantime, one different man has benefitted tremendously from Rojas’ tutelage of Betts: Dodgers infielders coach Dino Ebel.
Ebel has been patiently hitting as many floor balls as Betts wishes earlier than every sport, whereas additionally providing some pointers of his personal. After all, teaching is Ebel’s job. What can Rojas educate Betts that he can’t?
“This man’s the most effective infielders in baseball,” Ebel instructed Dodgers Nation. “A participant to participant relationship the place Mookie’s studying shortstop, having a mentor like that, I take full benefit of it. Together with his expertise, his information, he’s within the sport now, he’s energetic. To assist Mookie out like that, to assist all our infielders, it’s great on Rojas’ half to try this. And for Mookie observing every little thing Rojas is telling him which works for me. I would chip in right here and there, however to me it means extra when it’s participant to participant, particularly when a man has the credentials of Rojas on the defensive.”
Betts has accrued minus-1 OAA at shortstop by way of his first 13 video games of 2024.
Photograph Credit score: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports activities
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