Red Sox: Mookie Betts, Jose Altuve make All-Star Game exciting
By Rick McNair
The Red Sox have Mookie Betts in the All-Star Game and the Astros have Jose Altuve. Both are similar and exciting game changers. Watch out, National League.
The Boston Red Sox are well represented at the All-Star game and that has generated mild interest on my part. Normally I ignore the event or just wait for the box score. However, I will pay attention for a while as two of my favorite players – one from Boston and the other from Houston – both start for the American League.
The Red Sox have a curious height phenomenon when examining their lineup – several players are under six feet tall and each and every one plays exceptionally well. This is symbolic of baseball, where body types can run the gamut and just look at the Red Sox infield. Take the adage size matters and toss it.
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Xander Bogaerts was deemed by some to be too tall to play shortstop and I believe that argument was put to rest when the American League starting lineups were announced for the All-Star game. His double play partner is Dustin Pedroia, who measures, on a good day on the rack, at 5’8”. Jackie Bradley also checks in at under six feet, as does Brock Holt, Sandy Leon and recently departed to Pawtucket Christian Vazquez.
David Ortiz is monstrous when standing next to Mookie Betts. You see this all over the diamond and with every team where Mutt and Jeff types exist and prosper. Where some that seem to be in a Sumo wrestling league manage to become stars and members of the Hall of Fame. The democracy goes further and that is to where players are born and raised. Bogaerts is from Aruba and Pedroia from California. Baseball is a polyglot of diversity.
This brings me full circle back to two players that I have developed an observational fondness for – Betts – who I first noticed a few years ago – and the dynamic Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros. Both are very comparable in body type and ability and certainly are shorter than the average male. Both clearly show to young players that if you have talent your weight and height do not necessarily exclude you from not only playing, but stardom.
Altuve is a 26-year-old second baseman who is currently leading the American League in batting average. This is not new, since Jose already had won a batting title and shows his talent diversity by twice leading the league in stolen bases. And power? At the All-Star break, Altuve has hammered 14 home runs, has a .954 OPS and leads the league in hits. If you really worship WAR it is 4.3. Oh…can he field? Yes – Grasshopper – among the very best.
Altuve plays for Houston and that brings back some memories of another Houston player who had the well-deserved nickname – “The Toy Cannon.” That was Jim Wynn and he was listed at a generous 5’10”and 165 pounds. Wynn tagged 291 career home runs and like many “Little Guys” could motor and once stole 43 bases.
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Altuve is listed at 5’6” and that may be quite generous, but his height and body type is considerably different from another player who was 5’6″ – Hack Wilson. Wilson was a human fire plug who holds the single season RBI record and probably several others for the consumption of adult beverages.
Betts is a hitting machine, as any baseball fan can attest. From his lead-off position, Betts is over .300, has 18 home runs, 59 RBI, OPS of .869 and leads the league in total bases. Then comes the glove work and the Sports Center highlights. Betts is listed as 5’10” and that may be very questionable.
Betts was once a second baseman, but necessity forced him to quickly adapt to the outfield and the transition has been quite seamless. With both players, you see the extreme gift of athleticism that would make any position of the field a possibility.
The duo is baseball executioners. Some, such as Ortiz will murder pitchers with their bats, but Betts and Altuve can finish off a team with their bats, speed and fielding. All around talent that are dangerous since both are capable of being game changers in multiple ways.
Both Betts and Altuve will display their skills at the All-Star Game and will be compared – at least by me – for many years. Both are rare in that they are players I would certainly plunk down money to see perform and I expect to be plunking down that money for the next ten years.
Next: Where do Red Sox hitters fit into the All-Star Game lineup?
Like the wonderful novel by Thomas Berger: “Little Big Man” and that title applies to Altuve and Betts and once they leave the game I may go to the Cartoon Channel.