It is tonight that the traditional and always spectacular circuit competition will take place.
And one of the participants wouldn’t be there if his wife Brianna hadn’t pushed him there, claiming that an appearance on this stage fits very well on a curriculum vitae which already includes an MVP title, two the World Series, six Gold Gloves and seven appearances in the All-Star Game.
This is Mookie Betts. And according to the main interested party, who will face Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the first round, he has no chance of winning the competition.
Let’s face it, I’m not a power hitter. Do I have home runs? Of course. But they all go 382 feet from home plate.
Betts underestimates himself a little bit (not to say a lot), having already fired 26 long balls this season, which places him tied for third in MLB.
It is true that he will never be defined as a power hitter, but he has athletic qualities that few major league baseball players can boast of.
Granted, the outfielder and infielder is five-foot-nine and weighs just 180 pounds, earning him the titles of lightest (tied) and shortest to ever enter the contest.
It should be mentioned, though, that Miguel Tejada won the title in 2004 and Ivan Rodriguez made it to the finals in 2005, both showing the same height as Betts, but with a bit more meat on the bone.
The last time Betts competed in a home run competition was more than two decades ago when he was 8 years old. He was also the shortest at the time, but as usual, he managed to pull out of the game to finish second.
Don’t bet against him tonight.
