Mookie Betts proved he should be the face of baseball in winning the World Series with Dodgers.
I can’t say with certainty that he’s MLB’s best player, but I can tell you this, I’d rather be Mookie Betts than any other player in baseball, and that includes Mike Trout.
Betts was at his best when it mattered most, and in watching him, it’s hard to believe there is anyone better. He makes plays in the field, on the bases, and at the plate.
And he does it with style, from his game, to his chain, to even his name. I keep hearing baseball purists complain about an over-reliance on the numbers, well Mookie’s got those too, but he passes the eye and math tests. All while capturing the imagination of fans in a way I haven’t seen from a player in a minute.
Sure, Trout might have the slight edge in Wins Above Replacement and other statistics but Betts has the wins, and can anyone say for sure the Los Angeles Dodgers would have done as well with any other player in his place?
Betts has proven himself under pressure, in two different places. Some of the others in that conversation are hardly seen on TV, much less in the World Series. Trout's team has been to the playoffs only one time and he has yet to advance.
Which is why Mookie has earned his current place in the game...as baseball’s biggest star. You can argue whether that also makes him the best player in the sport, but I’ll tell you this, unlike the Boston Red Sox, I wouldn’t trade Mookie Betts for anyone.