It's time.
As we sit here now watching Mookie Betts play every day, this is a guy who can officially sidle up to Mike Trout. That's right, the Mike Trout. The guy who becomes the MVP favorite the minute he shows up to spring training. The player who actually finished fourth last season despite missing more than a quarter of the season.
We suggested that Betts might enter into an annual debate when finishing second to the Angels' outfielder two seasons ago. That was met with a fair amount of eye-rolling, with most pointing to Trout's extended run of excellence compared to the Red Sox' outfielder's relative short stay in the spotlight.
But on Nov. 16, 2016 I wrote it: "Maybe it's time to rethink what we thought we knew. Maybe Mookie Betts is becoming the best player in baseball."
And this is how the column was finished off: "This is about getting ahead of the curve and understanding, while delivered in an entirely different package, Betts represents the kind of all-around baseball player we thought only existed in an Angels uniform. Start the debate, because it's only just getting started."
Then came last season, and the naysayers started taking their victory laps. Betts was good, but not great. There would not be that consistency exuded by Trout starting in 2012 and not letting up.
Can you say bump in the road?
With Trout sitting in the other dugout, Betts continued to display the kind of talent reserved for so few. This time, in the Red Sox' 10-1 win over the Angels, he led off the game with a home run, adding two more before the night was over. By the time the Red Sox had claimed their 14th win in 16 tries, they had a leadoff man who was hitting .389 with fivehome runs and an 1.289 OPS. (For a complete recap of the Sox' win, click here.)
Just the other day, Red Sox bench coach Ron Roenicke (who served as Trout's outfield coach in Anaheim last season) said this to WEEI.com's John Tomase: "Trying to compare, maybe there's five guys you can put up there at the top, saying they're best player in the game, and Mookie even before I was here, he's one of them."
This might be the year Betts leapfrogs them all.
Besides track record, the battle Betts faces when pitted against Trout is image. Every time you see the Angels' outfielder in person, it is striking how a man of that size moves without his feet seemingly touching the ground. It's Bo Jackson-esque, but better because this is a 26-year-old whose athleticism is just part of the equation. He can flat-out excel at every facet of his game. He can run. He can hit for power. He can spit on pitches an inch off the plate. He can go get the baseball with the best of them.
Sound familiar?
Maybe his modesty, or inclination to keep things low-key haven't made Betts the kind of must-see players Major League Baseball is thirsting for. Trout comes to town, you are taking notice. The guys in the middle of the Yankees' batting order? Same thing. There are some others. But it is the Red Sox' right fielder who is the real abberration.
Right now, there might be one player in the American League like him, and all he did was get a measly little single with two walks against the Red Sox Tuesday night.
Maybe this Southern California night might actually start getting people to believe the conversation has changed. Trout should no longer be on that pedastal by himself.
- Starting with Betts' first-inning home run, Shohei Ohtani's night was a disaster. The much-heralded rookie -- who had dominated in his first two outings -- last just two innings, giving up three runs on four hits with a pair of walks. The right-hander's comand was off throughout his 66-pitch outing, ultimately giving way to Luke Bard after experiencing blister issues.
- Red Sox manager Alex Cora pulled the right strings again, this time choosing to start Brock Holt at shortstop instead of the red-hot Tzu-Wei Lin. The result was Holt hitting one of the Red Sox' five home runs. The other homers for the visitors belonged to Rafael Devers, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Betts. After 16 games, the Red Sox have 18 homers. It took them until the 28th game last season to reach such a milestone.
- David Price bounced back from his one-inning disaster against the Yankees with a solid outing, cruising through five innings. The lefty gave up just one run on three hits, striking out six. He did show some command issues in the 78-pitch outing, walking four.
