Let’s be honest here. When Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman signed (then) 27-year-old outfielder Mookie Betts to a 12-year / $365 million contract extension on July 22, 2020, your first reaction, like mine, was probably ‘NOBODY is worth that kind of money!’

Four months and a World Series Championship later, you, like me, are probably saying ‘Best money the Dodgers have EVER spent!’

During the COVID-19-shortened regular season, Betts posted a stellar slash line of .292 / .366 / .562 / .927 with 16 home runs and 39 RBI to earn his fourth Silver Slugger Award in five years.

On the other side of the ball, the future (first-ballot) Hall of Famer committed only four errors in 118 total chances for a .944 fielding percentage to earn his fifth consecutive Gold Glove Award.

Realistically, unless you are planning to finance a small country, it would be impossible for anyone to spend $365 million in their, their kids, their kid’s kids (etc.,) lifetime. It is indeed what is called “generational money.”

But Mookie Betts is not just another ridiculously highly paid baseball player. Yes, he most definitely is ridiculously highly paid, but it’s Mookie Betts that we’re talking about here.

On Thursday morning, it was reported on Twitter – and not by the Nashville, TN native himself but by the Mayor of Nashville – that Betts had donated protective safety equipment and sent lunch to hospital employees; this in addition to supplying free groceries to those in need during the deadly pandemic.

If this comes as a surprise to you, you are one of very few. It is a well-established fact that Betts is extremely generous to those in need. It is also a well-established fact that he is absolutely loved by his teammates, coaches, and fans alike.

Taking it one step further, during Wednesday night’s presentation of ‘This Is Our Year’ on SportsNet LA, show host Joe Davis asked Betts what moment or moments will stand out most with him about the 2020 World Championship?

“Honestly, and it’s going to sound weird, but it’s not even the baseball,” Betts began. “It’s like, chipping golf balls onto the green from our hotel room, and like the Halloween things, and hanging out in the hot tub with the guys. Those were the moments, to me, that stood out the most, and that’s why I enjoyed … obviously, I enjoyed the baseball, the games, and whatnot, but I just enjoyed being around the guys because we could just hang out.

“And the baseball was … not necessarily secondary, but it was just like ‘I’m playing for my brothers and not just playing necessarily for the Dodgers,’ Betts added. “So I think that’s the moments that stood out the most with me.”

Asked about that ‘Halloween thing,’ Betts elaborated with a smile on his face.

“We had a little Trick or Treat situation for all the kids, and everybody was there,” Betts answered. “Nobody stayed in the room; everybody participated. And so, just seeing all the laughs, all the smiles, the good times that we had; being in the tent together, just shooing pool and messing around with everybody, playing Corn Hole; those moments, to me, mean more … yeah, I would say mean more than just the World Series.”

Play Ball!

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