Time to give up on Betancourt? Not yet
Monday, April 20, 2009 | 12:01 am
In 13 games, Mariners shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt has put up a .302 batting average, hit two doubles and driven in three runs.
In 13 games, he has shown the same disinterest in working the ball-strike count or dropping a bunt or drawing a walk that has driven more than current manager Don Wakamatsu batty.
On Sunday, Betancourt clanked consecutive ground balls in the eighth inning for errors. Afterward, Wakamatsu spoke of "focus" in a general sense, although you knew who he was talking about. Earlier in the homestand, Betancourt wasn't able to reach a couple of bouncers up the middle.
We could go on and on railing over what Betancourt is doing to cost himself and the team. There are some already calling for Betancourt to take a seat on the bench in place of Ronny Cedeno.
I'm eager to see Wakamatsu's lineup for tonight's series opener against the Rays, but I'd be surprised if Betancourt isn't the starting shortstop again. That's not to say I think Betancourt deserves to keep his job no matter what, but I don't see Wakamatsu doing it now.
Wakamatsu has a plan for the first several weeks of the season and he hasn't shown any hint of wavering from it.
With Betancourt, a lot is about focus and commitment to the game Wakamatsu wants to play. No, he hasn't bunted, he hasn't taken pitches and he hasn't gone a week without making you wonder what he was thinking out there. But he is capable of making the dazzling play on defense, and in the same at-bat that makes you grumble about his impatience, he may rattle an RBI double off the wall.
Bench him now? I don't see it because, whether it's with Russell Branyan or a few relievers or even Betancourt, that would be a knee-jerk reaction contrary to the way Wakamatsu has operated with his personnel so far. Thirteen games aren't enough to prove that Betancourt just doesn't get it.
In 13 games, he has shown the same disinterest in working the ball-strike count or dropping a bunt or drawing a walk that has driven more than current manager Don Wakamatsu batty.
On Sunday, Betancourt clanked consecutive ground balls in the eighth inning for errors. Afterward, Wakamatsu spoke of "focus" in a general sense, although you knew who he was talking about. Earlier in the homestand, Betancourt wasn't able to reach a couple of bouncers up the middle.
We could go on and on railing over what Betancourt is doing to cost himself and the team. There are some already calling for Betancourt to take a seat on the bench in place of Ronny Cedeno.
I'm eager to see Wakamatsu's lineup for tonight's series opener against the Rays, but I'd be surprised if Betancourt isn't the starting shortstop again. That's not to say I think Betancourt deserves to keep his job no matter what, but I don't see Wakamatsu doing it now.
Wakamatsu has a plan for the first several weeks of the season and he hasn't shown any hint of wavering from it.
With Betancourt, a lot is about focus and commitment to the game Wakamatsu wants to play. No, he hasn't bunted, he hasn't taken pitches and he hasn't gone a week without making you wonder what he was thinking out there. But he is capable of making the dazzling play on defense, and in the same at-bat that makes you grumble about his impatience, he may rattle an RBI double off the wall.
Bench him now? I don't see it because, whether it's with Russell Branyan or a few relievers or even Betancourt, that would be a knee-jerk reaction contrary to the way Wakamatsu has operated with his personnel so far. Thirteen games aren't enough to prove that Betancourt just doesn't get it.
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