Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts discusses his spring training routine, preparation for the upcoming season and his partnerhsip with BODYARMOR.
When Mookie Betts is working out at the Boston Red Sox practice facility this spring it’s important for him to stay hydrated. The star outfielder has tried a variety of sports drinks but the great taste and nutritional value of BODYARMOR are what led to his partnership with the company.
BODYARMOR is dedicated to providing athletes with the best in sports nutrition and hydration. They offer over a dozen different thirst quenching options, including their own brand of water. The electrolyte infused SportsWater happens to be the preferred choice of Betts when he’s training for the MLB season.
It’s through his partnership with BODYARMOR that was I was given the opportunity to speak with Betts about his workout habits. He explained that spring training is primarily about building the body up to endure the grueling schedule of the major league season.
"“It’s just a lot of hitting and throwing and running, pretty much just to get in shape,” explained Betts. “We know how to play the game of baseball but you have to get your body ready for it. Get your at-bats to get your timing down. Pretty much just a lot of working out and practicing to get your body ready for 162.”"
Betts hasn’t deviated much from his regular spring routine that he’s followed throughout his career. He’s been an All-Star, Gold Glove winner and finished top-6 on the MVP ballot in each of the last two seasons. It’s fair to say his routine has been a success so he intends to stick with what’s working for him.
One of the primary story lines following Betts this spring is his spot in the lineup. The Red Sox moved him out of his customary lead-off role mid-way through the 2016 season. Last year he only spent about half of his plate appearances at the top of the order. Heading into this season, Betts confirmed that he expects to return to the lead-off spot full-time.
"“Yeah, that’s the plan,” said Betts. “That’s kind of what we talked about with [Alex] Cora. They want me to lead off, so that’s where I expect to be every day.”"
Betts is comfortable in the lead-off role that he’s spent most of his career in. While he’s not opposed to batting in the middle of the lineup, Betts would like to have some consistency. Wherever manager Alex Cora wants to put him is fine so long as he doesn’t have to move around the lineup a lot.
The main difference with hitting in the middle of the order is typically the batter will be presented with more RBI opportunities. You want a clutch run-producing bat to drive in runs after the top of the order sets the table. Betts certainly fits that profile as a career .340 hitter with runners in scoring position.
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Betts envisions having plenty of chances to drive in runs no matter where he hits in this deep Red Sox lineup. Therefore he doesn’t see a significant difference in his approach when he leads off.
Cora has been preaching an aggressive mentality at the plate this spring. He wants his hitters to attack pitches in the strike zone and not to be afraid to swing early if they see a good pitch to hit. While some lead-off hitters may be inclined to take a few pitches to get a look at what the opposing pitcher is working with, Betts doesn’t share that philosophy. Hitting is hard enough as it is without allowing yourself to get behind in the count for the sake of seeing more pitches.
A long winter if finally behind us with Opening Day only a few days away. A tremendous amount of hard work and training has gone into Betts preparing himself for the season. Now the real challenge is about to begin.
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Betts hasn’t given any thought to personal goals for this season. His focus is on the only goal that matters – doing whatever it takes to bring another World Series trophy to Boston.