It is with a heavy heart that I write this article.
As a life long Red Sox fan, this stings.
I had fully bought into the theory that Betts was coming back. Alas, I have been duped. Betts was able to work out a long term contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers worth $365 million over 12 years.
This, plus his current deal comes to a whopping $392 million in total value. The extension itself is worth more than Mike Trout’s, but overall Trout holds the contract with the most overall value. Betts’ deal also includes a record setting $65 million dollar signing bonus. To say this man just got paid is an understatement.
With the pandemic, it didn’t appear that Betts’ extension would end up being a record-setter. I guess we all just look like clowns. With the way the owners acted about the financials of the league and the restart I am surprised this deal got done with this value.
The fallout from the shutdown isn’t just a this year problem. The effects will be felt for the 5-7 years according to some studies. I understand the Dodgers and their ownership group is top-three wealthiest in the league. Regardless, my point stands that when negotiations were ongoing for a restart plan it was as if the owners were close to filing for bankruptcy
Alas, the ink is dry and Mookie is a Dodger through 2033.
Mookie deserves this contract.
The Nashville native played his high school ball at John Overton High School. Betts would sign a Letter of Commitment to the University of Tennessee before his selection by the Red Sox in 2011. After negotiations with Boston, Betts rescinded his LoC and signed a $750,000 contract with the Red Sox.
Betts would spend the rest of 2011 through the first half of 2014 in Boston’s farm system before his promotion in June 2014. Mookie ascended to stardom with his MVP-caliber play and his electric ability at the plate and in the field. Betts is easily a top-three player under 30 in the league.
This signing sets the Dodgers up for years to come with a young core all under contract for the foreseeable future.
I will now enter a deep state of depression since I will never see that smile play for Boston. If you hear sobbing, just ignore it. It’s allergies.
Or COVID.
Honestly who cares anymore.
