Mookie Betts has a transparent objective in thoughts and a minor hunch isn’t going to forestall him from reaching it.
The Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder entered the postseason with horrible playoff statistics and turned it round with a loopy exercise routine.
After going 0-for-4 in Recreation 2 of the NLDS, Betts started a brand new pregame routine taking no less than 100 swings within the cage. He started seeing leads to Recreation 3 of the NLDS going 2-for-4 with a house run and has been protecting to this routine each since.
Earlier than Wednesday’s 8-0 victory in Recreation 3 of the NLCS in opposition to the New York Mets, Betts detailed what goes into his preparation and he feels seeing the constructive outcomes.
“I’ve most likely been taking couple hundred swings a day, did it once more yesterday and I’ll go do it once more at this time. Most likely taking means too many, however I’d quite do this,” he mentioned.
“So, I imply, actually it’s simply being good with my plan and getting some good swings off. But it surely’s going to take all of us and hopefully I can stand up in a spot and assist us win.”
Betts went 1-for-4 with a stroll and a strikeout however the workforce collected 10 hits on the night time.
Then, in Recreation 4, he exploded, going 4-for-6 with a two-run house run and two-run double.
Whereas the precise fielder is only one of many attempting to assist the workforce win a World Sequence, he has taken his exercises up a notch.
“I by no means do it in the course of the season. It’s actually not sustainable. I’m shocked I haven’t broke down, however I do a extremely good job in caring for my physique.
“I imply, particularly in a time like now, there’s not very many tomorrow’s. They run out fairly fast. So I’m actually simply attempting to do what I can to assist us, and the very last thing I need to do is just not give it 100, 110 %.
“It’s not one thing that I need to do. I don’t need to go in there and hit all day. But it surely’s one thing that, primarily based off of my play, I must do.”
By means of 9 postseason video games, Betts is 10-for-36 with three homers, two doubles and 10 runs batted in. He additionally has eight free passes and 7 strikeouts. His postseason OPS is .964.
Betts doesn’t imagine in overdoing it so long as he continues to search out methods to hit and get on base.
“I feel that’s the purpose of the five hundred swings as a result of I don’t know,” he mentioned. “ I’m attempting to determine which one it’s and hopefully one thing sticks. Not hitting is unquestionably – you’re not going to search out it not hitting. I’ve acquired to search for it in some way in these couple hundred. Will probably be in there.”
Picture Credit score: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Photos
