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The Boston Red Sox invested a lot of money last offseason in Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez. This offseason, they dumped a ton of cash on David Price. However, the key to the Red Sox’s 2016 season is outfielder Mookie Betts.
Betts is the best Red Sox position player to come up in their system in a long time, with all due respect to Dustin Pedroia and Nomar Garciaparra. He possesses all the tools, and might be the most versatile player on the Red Sox. Whether on the basepaths, at the plate or in the field, Betts can turn any game on its head.
Last season, Betts slashed .291/.341/.479 with 18 home runs, 77 RBIs, 92 runs, 42 doubles, eight triples and 21 stolen bases in 145 games. If the Red Sox had been better last year, he would have been in the MVP conversation.
This year, the Red Sox can expect more from Betts, and he will have to deliver if Boston wants to get out of the AL East cellar and back into contention. His power is still developing, and he could become a 20-20 player with the potential for 30-30 if everything falls into place.
The Red Sox don’t need Betts to reach the latter plateau, but they will need him to hit; given that he is just 23, it is not unreasonable to expect him to get much better, which would be music to the Red Sox’s ears. Sandoval and Ramirez might be getting the money, but they disappointed in their first season with the Red Sox and were a major reason why Boston struggled.
In Betts, the Red Sox have a blossoming MVP candidate who can play all over the outfield and can even fake it at second base, a position he played mostly in the minors. He is without a doubt the best player in the Boston lineup, and they need him to be exactly that in 2016 in order to reverse their fortunes.
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