So, this was interesting.
In a sit-down with David Ortiz prior to Game 5 of the World Series Mookie Betts made a quick comment that should have been of some interest to Red Sox fans.
Ortiz: Did you ever thought you were going to spend the next 12 years in a Dodgers uniform?
Betts: No, I had initially thought I was going to be a Red Sox for life. God always has a plan for things and I was just kind of following what he was telling me to do.
(To watch the video, click here.)
What does the comment mean?
Well, it depends on when Betts last had this feeling and when it went away. Was it heading into the 2019 season? Was it coming out of the 2019 season? Perhaps it was simply when the outfielder was coming up through the ranks and and couldn’t fathom the end of his Red Sox-controlled contracts.
What we do know is that at some point Betts had absolutely no problem staying in Boston.
It is somewhat of a peek into how many players view their original organizations, embracing the security of what they know. It was the case for Jon Lester before he went to Oakland at the 2014 non-waiver trade deadline, making the idea of signing with another team (in his case, it was the Cubs) not quite so jarring.
Betts obviously had that same experience before committing to a 12-year, $365 million deal with the Dodgers after his introduction to Los Angeles organization.
The Dodgers star’s conversation with Ortiz went on to talk about what it would mean to win a World Series with Los Angeles, something that can become a reality with a win Tuesday night in Game 6 of the World Series.