It hasn’t even been 24 hours since the Dodgers announced that they had signed superstar outfielder Mookie Betts to an incredible 12-year / $365 million contract extension that will run through the 2032 season. Yet since that announcement, much has already been said, written, tweeted, Facebooked, Instagrammed, texted (etc.) about the single largest transaction in the 151-year history of the Dodgers franchise.

But of all that has been said, written, tweeted, Facebooked, Instagrammed, texted (etc.) about the deal, the one thing that hasn’t is that it was a wrong – or a bad – move.

Why?

Because it wasn’t a wrong – or a bad – move. It was exactly the right move at exactly the right time – period.

Aside from some hurt feelings among Red Sox fans and much to the disappointment of fans of every other MLB team, the Betts deal comes at a time when a nation – and the world – needs some positive news, of which there hasn’t been much since New Years Day; hurt feelings and disappointment notwithstanding.

Of the many quotes by Betts and by Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman during Wednesday’s blockbuster announcement, several of the more noteworthy were: “The people here made me feel comfortable,” and “I’m going to go out and play my heart out every day,” by Betts, and “We’re going to keep the band together for quite a while,” by Friedman; although there were many other great quotes during Wednesday’s Zoom presser.

While Wednesday’s mega-deal announcement may have come as a surprise to many (most), Friedman said that contract extension talks with the 27-year-old Nashville, TN native and 2011 fifth-round draft pick by the Red Sox out of Overton High School in Nashville actually began when Betts arrived for Spring Training-1 in February.

But regardless and (again) despite some hurt feelings and disappointment of non-Dodger fans, the Mookie Betts deal was exactly the right move at exactly the right time.

Play Ball!

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