Batting Against A Starter For The 2nd And 3rd Time, Betts Is Other-Worldly

Alex Speier loves writing about Mookie Betts. I remember back in 2014, when everything came together for Betts in AA, Speier was working for WEEI.com. His regular "Feats of Mookie" updates were wonderful to read, both to hear how Betts was destroying AA pitchers and for Speier's enthusiasm and awe.

In today's Globe, Speier notes how much more dangerous Betts is against a pitcher the more times he sees him in a game. The lesson for opposing managers could not be more obvious: NEVER let your starter face Betts a third time.

Betts has been "merely" excellent in his first plate appearance of the game. He's hitting .302/.375/.628 in his first glimpse of a starting pitcher. But in his second and…