NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 28: Mookie Betts #50 of the Boston Red Sox takes the field before the start of a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 28, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
In an attempt to find the best fit for their three young outfielders, the Boston Red Sox are shifting their Opening Day center fielder Mookie Betts to right field, making way for Jackie Bradley Jr.
Betts came up through the Red Sox system as an infielder, but with Dustin Pedroia at second, Betts moved to the outfield to get his bat in the big league lineup.
The move may seem trivial, but as Betts explains, it's a whole different position to learn.
"Essentially it is going to catch the ball, but I mean different angles the ball comes off the bat and those types of things," Betts said via MassLive. "The transition I have to go through during the game then having to deal with the lights. In center, you don't have to deal with the lights that much. It'll be tough but I've got Jackie on my side and [Rusney] Castillo on the other side so I think we'll be OK."
He's taking the position change experiment in stride, expecting a smooth transition.
"I don't think it's really frustrating just because ... it's Jackie," Betts said. "Jackie is arguably the best outfielder in general in baseball so I compeletely understand it. I'm not mad about it at all. But as long as he's on my side I really don't care. He covers a lot of ground. He talks to me. He makes me comfortable out there and I think that's the most important thing. Going out to right with him in center, I know he'll make sure I'm comfortable with everything and I think it'll be pretty smooth."
The move allows all three young outfielders to get in the lineup, pushing Hanley Ramirez to first base, which is the plan in 2016.
(h/t MassLive)
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