Dodgers Dugout: Why Mookie Betts should be the new starting shortstop

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. The Dodgers are on pace to win 85 games. It took 87 wins to make the postseason last year.

Well, the Dodgers won three of four from the Cubs. And they hadn’t won consecutive games since April 6.

But let’s talk about the big news: Mookie Betts playing shortstop.

When it was first announced Betts would play often in the infield this season, I was filled with trepidation. Not that he couldn’t play it, but that the injury risk is higher than playing right field.

After seeing him at short though, I now hope he remains the starting shortstop. He plays the position like he’s played it every day in the majors. Will there be hiccups along the way? Sure. But I’d rather have Betts at short and James Outman playing every day, and David Peralta/Trayce Thompson in the lineup more often (yes, I know Peralta is struggling right now) than have Betts in right and Miguel Rojas playing every day. Sorry, Miguel.

Betts has played three games at short and has a double and a homer. Rojas has played 11 games, and has a double. The Dodgers are a better team with Betts at short, even if he gives up a little defensively to Rojas. If the Dodgers lead after seven, move Betts back to right and bring Rojas in to short.

Our Dodgers reporter, Jack Harris, wrote about Betts playing short. You can read that here. I’m going to steal a couple of quotes from that story:

“He has the skill set,” third-base coach and infield instructor Dino Ebel said. “He has the tools. ... The instincts took over. He reacted like he played there 12 years.”

When Dave Roberts broached the subject of playing short, Betts said: “I just told Doc, ‘I just want to win. I’ll play wherever. I’ll do whatever.’ I grew up doing this. So, it’s nothing new.”

Freddie Freeman: “I think he could be a Gold Glover at any position. I don’t know many other people that can be considered top five players in all of baseball, and cover multiple positions and make it look easy.”

The fact this is even a discussion shows how much the Dodgers were weakened when Gavin Lux tore his ACL.

The definition of mediocrity

Since April 6, these are the Dodgers game results:

L
L
L
W
L
W
L
W
L
L
W
L
W
L
W
W

What’s with all the babies?

I think we now know what the Dodgers were doing during the All-Star break last season.

First Betts went on the paternity list. Then Evan Phillips joined him. On Monday, the Dodgers put Max Muncy and Brusdar Graterol on the paternity list. They can miss up to three games, which means Muncy and Graterol could be out for the entire series against Pittsburgh. The Dodgers are expected to call up Michael Busch, one of their top prospects, to replace Muncy. No word on the Graterol replacement yet.

Speaking of Muncy

After the game of April 9, Muncy was hitting .121/.293/.212 and it looked like another long season was in store for him. Then he made an adjustment in his swing, taking a small step back with is left foot as the pitch was being delivered.

Since then, he is hitting .368/.510/1.158, which is pretty good. He leads the majors with 11 homers. He is on pace for 77 homers. I don’t have the record book in front of me, but that has to be up there. Of course, he will cool off and not hit 77 homers, but if he reverts to the Max Muncy of 2021 (.249/.368/.527 with 36 homers), that will be a big lift for the team.

Cody Bellinger

Bellinger is hitting .333 ( eight for 24) with three doubles, three homers, four RBIs and three steals against the Dodgers this season. They could use a guy like him.

Stolen bases

Many of the rules (pitch clock, bigger bases, limited throws to first) were partially designed to increase stolen bases this season. And it has worked as steals are up. But no one alerted the Dodgers to this. They are 27th in baseball with eight steals. Cleveland is first with 28 steals.

These names look familiar

How members of the 2022 Dodgers who are now with other teams are doing this season (through Sunday). Tap on the name of the player to be taken to their full stats.

Batters

Hanser Alberto, White Sox: .211/.211/.368, 58 OPS+ (4 for 19)

Eddy Alvarez, Brewers: in the minors

Cody Bellinger, Cubs: .300/.380/.550, 5 doubles, 5 homers, 153 OPS+

Joey Gallo, Twins: .235/.350/.706, 1 double, 5 homers, 193 OPS+

Jake Lamb, Angels: .211/.268/.237, 1 double, 43 OPS+

Zach McKinstry, Tigers: .256/.310/.487, 3 doubles, 2 homers, 126 OPS+

Kevin Pillar, Braves: .211/.250/.316, 1 double, 1 homer, 52 OPS+

Edwin Ríos, Cubs: .063/.250/.250, 1 homer, 39 OPS+ (1 for 16)

Justin Turner, Red Sox: .286/.390/.417, 5 doubles, 2 homers, 123 OPS+

Trea Turner, Phillies: .293/.340/.434, 4 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 112 OPS+

Tony Wolters, Twins: in the minors

Pitchers

Tyler Anderson, Angels: 1-0, 7.20 ERA, 20 IP, 26 hits, 8 walks, 11 K’s

Garrett Cleavinger, Rays: 1-0, 1.04 ERA, 8.2 IP, 3 hits, 4 walks, 10 K’s

Shane Greene, free agent

Andrew Heaney, Rangers: 2-1, 4.34 ERA, 18.2 IP, 16 hits, 9 walks, 20 K’s

Heath Hembree, Rays: in the minors

Tommy Kahnle, Yankees: on the 60-day IL

Craig Kimbrel, Phillies: 0-0, 5.00 ERA, 9 IP, 8 hits, 6 walks, 11 K’s, 2 saves

Chris Martin, Red Sox: 0-1, 2.57 ERA, 7 IP, 8 hits, 1 walks, 2 K’s, on 15-day IL

Reyes Moronta: playing in the Mexican League

David Price, retired

Mitch White, Blue Jays: on the 15-day IL

What Vin Scully meant to me

Last season, after Vin Scully died, I asked readers to send in what he meant to them. I ran them the rest of the season and wanted to circle back and run the rest, which will take a few weeks at least. If you wish to contribute (if you sent it to me last season, I still have it, so no need to send again), please email it to houston.mitchell@latimes.com and put Vin Scully in the subject line.

From David Brooks of Irvine: On the evening of Sept. 9, 1965, my mom was very pregnant, and very much a Dodgers fan. She listened to the game, hanging on every word of Vin Scully’s call, and got so excited when Sandy Koufax got his perfect game that she started jumping up and down on her bed and subsequently went into labor, with me.

So, you could say I have been a Dodgers fan since birth, and absolutely grew up to the sound of Vin’s voice, along with Jerry Doggett, Don Drysdale and Ross Porter.

From Vickie Rozell: Like many others, I grew up listening to Vin and Jerry Doggett on the radio in the car, during dinner, and in bed when I was supposed to be asleep. My dad was originally a Cubs fan because their games were broadcast to the West Coast before the Dodgers moved here (before my sister and I were born). Vin was a part of the fabric of our lives from the minute the Dodgers arrived through my formative years with the Cey-Lopes-Garvey-Russell infield (and my favorite childhood player Billy Grabarkewitz) and into my adulthood. When my father was felled by what became his final illness, he was confined to bed at my sister’s house in Washington. As his mind deteriorated, one thing that always kept him calm was having a Dodgers game on and listening to Vin’s voice, which he had known and trusted for so long.

My dad always said that he had been lucky enough to witness everything there was in baseball from a perfect game to a triple play, and Vin, who was only months younger than Dad, gave our whole family another priceless gift, peace in a very difficult time.

From Kathy Pratt of Tucson, Ariz.: Vin Scully is important to me because I met him at my very first major league baseball game. I have been a Dodgers fan for over 67 years and my love of the Dodgers came from my mother. Growing up in rural Central Oregon, I listened to Vin and Jerry call Dodgers games on KFI. In 1963, as a high school graduation gift, Mom and I drove to San Francisco to see the Dodgers play the Giants. We planned it so Sandy Koufax was pitching. I was enthralled with Candlestick Park, the green grass, and most of all, the Dodgers players. It couldn’t get any better. And then it did! Suddenly behind me I heard Vin talking. I looked up and he was standing next to my mom. She had seen him in the concourse and asked if he would come meet her daughter. Being Vin, of course he did. I was stunned. I honestly can’t remember exactly what he said to me and he didn’t stay long as he had to go broadcast the game. Over the years there have been many special Vin Scully moments. But none of them were as precious as when he took the time to make a young Dodgers fan’s day perfect.

Up next

Tuesday: Dodgers (Noah Syndergaard, 0-3, 4.91 ERA) at Pittsburgh (Johan Oviedo, 2-1, 2.22 ERA), 3:30 p.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Wednesday: Dodgers (TBD) at Pittsburgh (Roansy Contreras, 2-1, 4.57 ERA), 3:30 p.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Thursday: Dodgers (TBD) at Pittsburgh (Mitch Keller, 2-0, 3.64 ERA), 9:30 a.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

*-left-handed

In case you missed it

Max Muncy and Brusdar Graterol to join wave of Dodgers on paternity leave

Mookie Betts at shortstop? How the Dodgers’ experiment could make long-term sense

Stan Kasten: Dodgers ‘not swayed’ by rise of Mets, Padres and other big spenders

New swing, same gratitude: Jason Heyward grateful to be playing at Wrigley Field

And finally

Tommy Lasorda discusses Dodger Stadium, mascots and America. Watch and listen here.