Reigning American League MVP and World Series champion Mookie Betts will again be roaming the outfield for the Boston Red Sox in 2019.
The year 2018 was an exemplary one for Mookie Betts as a member of the Boston Red Sox. There was an All-Star Game appearance, a World Series title, a Gold Glove award, and last but certainly not least, being named the American League MVP.
Just as it’s hard to find a gift for somebody who has everything, what goals does one set for the 26-year old Betts in 2019? For example, should there be a goal for Betts to have at least 10 home runs in at-bats in the fourth inning of games vs starting pitchers? Or about a .300 batting average on Saturdays when games start after 1 pm ET?
Extreme as this might be, Betts is entering 2019 coming off the finest season of his career.
To be fair, on first glance at his stats, there might not be a lot to improve on. Betts did a little bit of everything in 2018, setting career-highs in home runs (32), runs scored (129), doubles (47), batting average (.346), slugging percentage (.640) and on-base percentage (.438).
Looking further, Betts found regular season success against the teams that mattered most. He hit .415 vs the New York Yankees last season with three home runs and 15 RBI. And, though it was in only 11 at-bats, Betts hit .636 against the Houston Astros.
A contract extension looms over the heads of the Red Sox and Betts, but he should be in Boston through at least the 2020 season. Even with a very fine 2018 under his belt, here are three regular season goals for Betts in 2019.
Staying Consistent
One of the reasons Mookie Betts found great success in 2018 was due to consistency. While his career cannot be labeled one of inconsistency, Betts managed to rebound from a less-than-stellar 2017 (which can be said of many Boston players that season).
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Even then, Betts still had a season than many major league players would appreciate.
Betts, of course, isn’t just a run-of-the-mill player. And by playing consistent in every month and finding a permanent spot in the batting order, Betts thrived. I was one who believed Betts best position in the batting order was not the leadoff spot. Locking down the position, however, proved to be a wise choice.
Consistency was a huge key. Outside of going only 2-11 in March, Betts hit .300 or higher in every month but June. This was a month in which he had only 63 at-bats but still hit .290.
His power dipped slightly after the all-star break, in which he hit only nine home runs over the season’s final 2.5 months.
Staying productive from start to finish is again a goal that should be high on Betts’ list. This means getting on base consistently, hitting for average, and powering his way to 28 to 35 home runs.
More games, more hits
In 2019, Mookie Betts played in only 136 games. Part of this was due to rest, while other time missed was due to injury. The outfielder spent the early part of June on the injured list with an abdominal strain.
A goal for Betts and the Boston Red Sox is to keep their star healthy, even if that means giving him an occasional day off.
If healthy, a minimum bar of 150 games should be expected. More is great, but even playing 14 more games than last season should give him a shot at even better numbers.
A goal of 200 hits should be on the agenda. Even bumping up home runs — even from the top spot in the order — to 35 is an obtainable goal. And the RBI, even with it being the dated stat some see it to be, is still important and a goal of at least 90 is in order.
Betts set a nice level for himself last season and similar numbers, plus growth, should be expected.
Racking up the hardware
Five years of experience under his belt and Mookie Betts has already collected his share of individual accolades. The MVP award in 2019 was his first in that category but he has two other top-ten finishes to his name, including runner-up in 2017.
Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers have begun to pile up as well, with Betts earning those awards the last three seasons. Betts continues to shine in the outfield, committing only one error in 2018. He only had five assists but that’s because team’s no longer wish to test Betts as often as they once did.
During the last three seasons, he’s also been named to the American League All-Star team. And last season, Betts led the league in batting average and runs scored.
Suffice to say, a goal to achieve all of these things once again should be on deck for 2019. If he does so, playing up to the high level he’s played at, then the Boston Red Sox will once again be in contention come October.