Mookie Betts is good. Actually, he's really good. He's the next Ted, Yaz, Jim Rice and Big Papi in terms of making those around New England feel warm and fuzzy about the Red Sox for long stretches. The fact that this promising infielder-turned-outfielder is African-American only adds to why the following is so encouraging for Major League Baseball.
Despite a slew of other possibilities, Betts made baseball his profession. More African-Americans should follow in Betts' cleat steps. Will they?
"Well, it looks like many of [my African-American peers] want to be hoopers, and not all of us can make it playing basketball," said Betts, 23, who had such a chance since he could shoot and dribble as well as anybody around his native Nashville, Tenn.