Betts’ efficient swing and ability to leverage all of his athletic ability has produced 26 home runs this season and landed him in the Home Run Derby.
LOS ANGELES — Growing up in Nashville, Tenn., young Mookie Betts was usually the smallest player on the field when he played baseball. So the other kids did what kids do.Betts’ parents weren’t the type to let their son accept any limitations on his abilities. So they offered some advice.
“I just think looking at the stature, the physicality, it doesn’t add up,” the Dodgers manager said. “But as I’ve gotten to know him more and understand how he uses his body, the way he sequences , how he uses the ground force as well as anybody I’ve been around — then it starts to make sense. Betts was one of several Dodgers players who went to Driveline for an evaluation this past offseason, that baseball think-tank known for helping pitchers now expanding into hitting. The feedback there just confirmed what the Dodgers’ hitting staff already knew about Betts’ swing, Van Scoyoc said.
“I know my swing. But for other people, I can’t tell other people how to do what I do. Hell, half the time I don’t know how I do what I do with hitting.”Betts took a step back offensively during his third full season in the big leagues. He hit just .264 in 2017 with an .803 OPS . A friendship blossomed with new teammate J.D. Martinez, who encouraged Betts to make some changes in his swing.
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