Baseball is a unique sport in which one player may not necessarily change the entire trajectory of a team.
While a superstar can take over a basketball game, and a quarterback can change a football franchise, baseball is a team sport where having one or two star players (see: Los Angeles Angels) doesn’t necessarily translate to success.
The question of who someone would start a baseball team with is a great one. It’s both easy and hard to answer as many names come to mind but there isn’t really one correct answer.
Mets prospect Brett Baty joined WEEI’s Rob Bradford on the Audacy Original Podcast “Baseball Isn’t Boring” and gave his answer to the question with a versatile star that has already won two rings.
“Mookie Betts… I think Mookie brings so much more to the table than what people see,” Baty said (16:13 in player above). “I think he can hit leadoff. I think he can hit third. I think he can hit fourth. I think he can play center field. I think he can play shortstop. I think he can play right field. I think there’s so much versatility in his game. You can literally put him anywhere, fill in all the other spots – or he can fill in whatever you need because I think he’s so versatile out there.”
Betts has primarily played in the outfield in his major-league career (1,069 of 1,099 games) with 30 appearances at second base. He could see some time at second base for the Dodgers this season as well.
He's primarily been a leadoff hitter as well with 846 starts there but actually has a higher batting average batting second (in 89 starts) and fourth (in 54 starts). He's hit third in the order in 64 starts as well.
Baty also gave a shoutout to the player he very well could be sharing the left side of the infield with for years to come.
“I also think Francisco (Lindor), one of our guys, is really, really skilled at the game of baseball,” he said. “I think he’s earned whatever he’s gotten.”
Bradford has asked others this question in the past with Buster Olney picking Shohei Ohtani due to his prowess as both a pitcher and a batter.
“I see the Shohei thing, too. I definitely could start a team with Shohei,” Baty said. “It’s a very good question. There’s no right answer.”
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