The moment … the very instant that I first laid eyes on a then 19-year-old Cody Bellinger when he walked onto LoanMart Field, the home of the Dodgers Advanced Single-A affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, I knew this kid was special. Even at 19, Bellinger played right field better that anyone I had ever seen at this level.

And then I saw him play first base and knew in a millisecond who would be replacing Adrian Gonzalez as the Dodgers everyday first baseman.

But it was his bat that would put – and keep – the young Scottsdale, Arizona native and son of former major leaguer Clay Bellinger on the fast track to the majors; especially after slugging 30 home runs during that remarkable 2015 season – tied for second most in the highly competitive California League.

Sure enough, after an equally successful season at Double-A Tulsa in 2016 and an incredible spring training in 2017, Bellinger was called up to the Dodgers on April 25, 2017, a full four weeks into the new season. All the young superstar did was slug a team high 39 home runs (besting the next nearest guy – Yasiel Puig – by 11) en route to being unanimously named the 2017 National League Rookie of the Year.

While Bellinger’s meteoric rise to success and stardom may have come as a surprise to some, I absolutely positive never had a doubt … not for one second.

All of this being said, my concern, and perhaps that of others, was that Bellinger’s overwhelming success at such a tender age (he is now 22) might get the best of him and go to his head.

On Sunday afternoon in an extremely close game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park, it apparently did.

With the Giants leading by a score of 4-0, Bellinger led off the fifth inning with a line drive into the deepest part of AT&T Park affectionately known as “Triples Alley.” The problem is, the extremely speedy Bellinger only got a double out of it. In fact, former Dodger great and current Dodgers radio broadcaster Rick Monday said on the air that Bellinger “didn’t look right” rounding first base and jogged into second base standing up.

It’s hard to argue that Bellinger didn’t appear to be running all out on his double into Triples Alley. (Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA – Click on image to view video)

As it turned out, Dodgers second baseman Austin Barnes would strike out for the first out of the inning and third baseman Kyle Farmer would line out to Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford, who quickly fired to Giants second baseman Alen Hanson to double Bellinger up to end the inning and one of very few Dodger threats on the day.

When the Dodgers took the field for the bottom half of the inning, Bellinger remained in the dugout, with newcomer Max Muncy taking over defensively at first base.

As you would expect, this immediately caused social media to explode with speculation that Bellinger was hurt, especially after Monday’s comment over the radio that the young Dodgers first baseman didn’t look right while running the bases on his what-should-have-been triple which, of course, would have negated the double play and had him at third base with two outs after Farmer’s line out instead of that devastating inning-ending double play.

It wasn’t until after the game, which the Giants eventually won by that same 4-2 score, that the ‘why’ became clear.

Crystal clear.

“I felt there wasn’t hustle on the play,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters. “The ball he hit went 421 feet into right-center field, he cruised into second base and for me, I just feel he’s too talented of a player, for a team competing every day and grinding. We’ve got a right fielder [Kiké Hernandez] out there who had the chills the day prior, throwing up, and diving around out there. For Cody not to be on third base, it’s something we talked about before. I wouldn’t be doing him or the team any service by not acting.”

Roberts expressed his displeasure with Bellinger’s lack of hustle following Sunday’s frustrating 4-2 loss to the Giants. (Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA – Click on image to view video)

Crystal clear indeed.

As you would expect, the media next gathered around the young Dodgers first baseman to get his take on being benched.

“I took a big swing on a curveball and went down on my knee,” Bellinger said. “We’re down four runs, I’m not trying to make an out on the bases at third and be the first out. That was my reasoning. He saw what he saw, so it’s all good. I’m never going to dog it.

“Can’t get doubled off there,” added Bellinger. “I got in the dugout, he said I was out of the game. Didn’t know any reason. I guess I was a little surprised; at the same time, just trying to prove a point. I don’t know, who knows? I’m not inside his mind.”

Bellinger gives his side of the story.
(Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA – Click on image to view video)

There is zero doubt that Roberts’ message to his his young first baseman was clearly received. And for anyone who knows both of these guys, there is also zero doubt that this situation is 100 percent over with.

“It’s over,” said Bellinger. “We go out tomorrow, hopefully beat the D-backs.”