September 3rd, 2020 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka Remember when the Dodgers signed future Hall of Famer Mookie Betts to that insane 12-year / $365 million contract extension back on July 22, 2020? At the time, you didn’t have to look very hard or far to find Dodger fans clamoring: “NO ONE is worth that kind of money!”
Funny; you don’t seem to hear much of that any more, do you?
As he has done many times already during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, the 27-year-old Nashville, TN native and fifth-round draft pick by the Boston Red Sox in 2011 out of Overton High School in Nashville, yet again helped pull the Dodgers from the jaws of defeat and into the win column on Wednesday night. All he did was crush a dramatic 410-foot solo home run to center field at Dodger Stadium with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning off of Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Kevin Ginkel with his team down 1-0 to send the game into extras.
(Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)
Although the Dbacks would retake the lead in the top half of the 10th inning under MLB’s new ‘automatic-runner-on-second’ rule, the Dodgers would again tie the game in the home half of the inning on what was supposed to be a sacrifice bunt by Dodgers left fielder Chris Taylor. But instead of throwing to first base to nail Taylor, Dbacks right-hander Junior Guerra opted to try to get the advancing Max Muncy at third base in a non-force situation. Guerra’s errant throw got past Diamondbacks third baseman Eduardo Escobar, allowing Muncy to score the tying run and Taylor to advance to second base.
Taylor, who was running on contact, took third base on a ground out to short by Dodgers designated hitter Joc Pederson. Dodgers catcher Will Smith would follow with a sharp single to left to give the Dodgers the exciting 3-2 walk-off win.
“I thought it was a really well-played baseball game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “We’re so used to home runs and offense; to get pitchers making pitches and defensive plays, low scoring, where every pitch and baserunner matters, I thought it was a fun game to be part of.”
Be that as it may, were it not for Betts’ game-tying solo home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers would be 4.5 games ahead of the hard-charging San Diego Padres instead of five games.
Still think that 12-year / $365 million contract extension the Dodgers gave Betts back on July 22, 2020, is insane?
Think again.
Play Ball!
* * * * * *
Posted in 
It didn’t look good after hearing that the Padres had a big lead on the Angels when Mookie came to he plate. He sure showed that he is worth all the money the Dodgers are paying him.
I was skeptical of the Betts contract at first because I thought they were paying him his AAV and not deferring money to after his contract. If that were true I believe the dodgers wouldn’t be able to stay under the luxury tax threshold which would lead to not being able to keep Bellinger. However, half his money is deferred and he plays like a 30m a year player for a lot less, so I’m ok with the contract and I like Betts