PHOENIX — Troy Tulowitzki by no means knew Mookie Betts notably properly throughout their time collectively in Main League Baseball.
A five-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove shortstop, Tulowitzki performed in opposition to Betts lots close to the tip of his 13-year profession, overlapping with the beginning of Betts’ rise to stardom with the Boston Pink Sox. The 2 had mutual associates and had been division foes for 3 years whereas Tulowitzki was with the Toronto Blue Jays from 2015 to 2017.
However with Betts simply starting his profession and Tulowitzki winding down his embellished taking part in days, their interactions had been restricted. The primary time they met, Betts was virtually too shy to say whats up.
“He was like, ‘Oh man, I used to be so scared to speak to you,’” Tulowitzki mentioned with amusing just lately, after listening to Betts recount the story years later. “Now, clearly, he’s probably the greatest gamers within the recreation.”
Probably the greatest, sure. But in addition one in quest of steerage in taking part in shortstop.
In order Betts launched into a tireless coaching program this offseason, making ready to play the place full-time for the Dodgers after his inconsistent three-month stretch final season, he reached out to Tulowitzki and requested to spend a while coaching collectively.
Tulowitzki, now an assistant coach with the Texas Longhorns, fortunately obliged — excited to work with a participant of Betts’ caliber and, like the remainder of the baseball world, additionally curious to see how the six-time Gold Glove proper fielder would fare in his nearly unprecedented place swap.
“To be probably the greatest defenders within the recreation, if not the very best with the Platinum Gloves and Gold Gloves and all that, after which to go to shortstop,” Tulowitzki mentioned, “I’d watch him play [last year] and was like, ‘Eh, he’s OK there.’ However that’s what he must be.”
Quick-forward a couple of months, nevertheless, and you’ll rely Tulowitzki among the many rising contingent of these bought on Betts’ potential at shortstop.
“I wouldn’t say this for anyone else that’s simply spent nevertheless a few years within the outfield after which go to the infield,” Tulowitzki mentioned of a place change that has no equal in current baseball historical past. “However I can actually let you know, I feel he might be an elite defender on the place — which is simply loopy to say.”
Troy Tulowitzki, prime, and Mookie Betts, sliding, had been AL East foes for 3 seasons when Tulowitzki was on the Blue Jays and Betts was with the Pink Sox. Tulowitki, now an assistant coach with the College of Texas, labored with Betts within the offseason on taking part in shortstop.
(Mary Schwalm / Related Press)
Final 12 months Betts bought a crash course on the place. He was pressed into shortstop duties simply weeks earlier than opening day. He spent the primary half attempting to study its intricacies on the fly. And after lacking two months due to a damaged hand, he returned to proper discipline for the stretch run, unable to progress sufficient at shortstop to play there within the playoffs.
This winter Betts benefited from a extra curated educational plan. He took grounders on an virtually every day foundation close to his dwelling in Los Angeles. He traveled to see Tulowitzki in Texas and Dodgers coaches in Arizona, engaged on all the pieces from arm slots to assault angles to the psychological means of dealing with totally different defensive conditions.
Most of all he began to craft a customized fashion on the place, utilizing his pure athleticism and long-time outfield habits to play shortstop with what first base coach Chris Woodward termed a extra “downhill” mentality — already exhibiting this spring extra of a consolation stage and confidence than he did throughout his nine-error experiment there final season.
“It’s two grades higher already,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned.
The deferential Betts has been extra reserved in his personal evaluation, emphasizing he nonetheless has a lot to study.
“The one factor I’ve proper now’s my approach I practiced within the offseason,” he mentioned. “However the course of is gonna be trial and error.”
However others who’ve watched him expressed renewed optimism in his capability to succeed as a shortstop. The identical issues Tulowitzki noticed within the offseason, Dodgers coaches have witnessed within the early days of camp.
“He’s sort of freed up,” mentioned Woodward, who labored with Betts final season as a particular advisor earlier than being employed because the first-base and infield coach this offseason. “He seems like he’s bought a method that works properly for him. So now it simply comes right down to sustaining these reps and getting extra recreation reps.”
Betts’ offseason work started virtually as quickly because the Dodgers’ championship parade ended.
Within the first couple of weeks of winter, he and the Dodgers determined to decide to the place swap. And although Betts struggled final 12 months — particularly along with his throws, which accounted for eight of his 9 errors in simply 65 video games at shortstop — the Dodgers had been betting on his perseverance, understanding he was decided to stay on the spot he hadn’t performed full-time since highschool.
“He’s lifeless set on it,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman mentioned at MLB’s winter conferences. “His level is, ‘if I’ve an offseason to coach for this and to get my physique in these positions and to study this, I’ve little doubt that I can determine it out.’ So we’re going to present him each likelihood to try this. I wouldn’t guess in opposition to him.”
As a result of Dodger Stadium was unavailable amid large-scale renovations, Betts started frequenting native highschool fields with Dodgers video coordinator Petie Montero. Beginning in November, they bounced round between the diamonds at Crespi, Sierra Canyon and Loyola. Generally the periods had been so improvised, Betts used his backpack as a makeshift base.
“Didn’t matter,” Betts mentioned. “So long as you get the work in.”
Every day, with Montero’s iPads filming Betts’ each transfer, Montero hit Betts grounders with a fungo bat for upward of two hours. They began with three periods per week, then 4, then 5 to 6.
In a complete reversal from final 12 months, when Betts needed to fast-track his fundamentals in rushed pregame exercises, the work this winter was methodical. For the primary few weeks, Betts did nothing however discipline grounders to wash up his footwork. From there he started layering in delicate throws, rising his consolation with the myriad arm angles required. Solely then did he and Montero ramp their approach as much as full-speed drills.
“It’s not like he’s attempting to study stuff on the fly, then get able to go play at 7 o’clock,” mentioned Montero, who shared movie of every session with the remainder of the teaching workers. “I feel [this offseason has] given him just a little leeway to work on issues. After which if we’ve got feels or an understanding of ‘I wish to do this’ or ‘Let’s do this,’ we will recreate that when nothing else is going on, when there’s no recreation that night time.”
From his offseason dwelling in Arizona, Woodward reviewed the movie from every session, calling him every day to assessment his progress and provide suggestions. On a number of events Woodward and Betts traveled to coach collectively as properly.
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts works out at Camelback Ranch on Sunday.
(Ashley Landis / Related Press)
“He’s free-flowing and athletic and he likes to play just a little extra downhill,” Woodward mentioned, evaluating Betts’ strengths at shortstop to these of former Dodgers All-Star Corey Seager. “His throw is quite a bit higher [than last year], and when he’s in a circulate state like that and his physique’s shifting and synced up, he’s clearly a extremely particular athlete.”
Throwing additionally was the primary focus of Betts’ work in Texas with Tulowitzki. Amid his transition from the outfield, the place Tulowitzki famous “you’re attempting to get excessive and create some backspin,” Betts picked Tulowitzki’s mind on how he positioned himself for various tosses throughout the infield. Then, Betts took that suggestions and put it instantly into motion throughout his three-day go to. Over the remainder of the winter he continued to ship Tulowitzki video of his progress too.
“I couldn’t consider the strides that he made,” Tulowitzki mentioned. “I say to do one thing, and it’s just about executed in a day or two. After which as soon as he went dwelling, he would ship me video again, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s it, man.’ Discuss a reasonably straightforward man to work with. He’s particular.”
It doesn’t imply Betts is primed for Gold Glove-caliber play straight away. This spring he has continued to grind by means of every day shortstop drills, usually remaining on the sector lengthy after the remainder of the infielders have concluded their rounds of morning grounders. He additionally is aware of that for all of the reps he bought this winter, nothing will examine to the pace and stress of actual video games, when his new fundamentals will probably be put to the check.
“It’s the primary time I’ve needed to mentally put together for one thing like this,” Betts mentioned. “Once more, I didn’t get this chance [last year], so these things by no means got here throughout my plate. So I actually don’t know. I’m simply gonna go on the market and provides it what I bought, and use this spring coaching to speak to different guys, work out what data I can use to make higher choices all through the sport.”
The Dodgers do have fall-back plans if Betts struggles. Tommy Edman, the first shortstop in the course of the postseason, is at present slated to play middle discipline however may very well be summoned again to the infield. Miguel Rojas will function Betts’ backup however is able to taking over a full-time position and stays the very best defensive shortstop on the group. Kiké Hernández and Hyeseong Kim additionally may very well be choices.
Miguel Rojas, proper, will doubtless be the backup to Mookie Betts at shortstop this season, and different utility gamers may play the place as properly.
(Matt York / Related Press)
For now, the chance rests fully with Betts. And to date, the early opinions have been glowing.
“He’s far more snug with the issues he’s doing at quick,” Rojas mentioned.
“He’s beginning to look extra pure with how he desires to method the ball, and his throws have been nice in observe,” third baseman Max Muncy added.
“Having the complete offseason to work it’s gonna be a recreation changer for him,” Hernández echoed.
As for Tulowitzki?
“I informed him, you’re gonna lose me plenty of sleep,” he joked. “As a result of now I’m undoubtedly gonna watch Dodgers video games.”