Before I start this blog, I want to clarify a few things. A: No, I’m not rooting for the MLB season to get canceled. B: I do not think it will be canceled, but what do I know? Nobody knows how likely the cancelation of the MLB season is. It at least seems like it’s in the realm of possibility. I can’t get this thought out of my head. What if Mookie Betts never plays a game for the Dodgers?
When I grew up, the Red Sox being cursed was what I lived through. Nobody has really taken the mantle since. What if it’s the Dodgers? Just think about this for a second. The Dodgers lost back to back World Series against the Astros and Red Sox. Then they lost to the Nationals in the first round. Each of the last 3 years, the Dodgers have lost to the eventual champions in the postseason. They have gotten close but never were willing to pull off that one trade to push them over the top. LA also hasn’t won a championship since 1986 and the pressure is on.
LA finally pulls off the big deal. They land Mookie Betts in a trade with the Red Sox sending them Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs, and Connor Wong. Again, I want to stress I’m not rooting for the first part of this. However, think about the turn of events and how the likelihood of them happening seems to be increasing by the day.
Think about the documentary or 30 for 30 that could be written. The curse of Mookie Betts and how Mookie never played a single game for the Dodgers. Think about the entire course of events.
- Dodgers pull off the trade
- Trade gets halted because of Brusdar Graterol’s physical
- Stalemate for another 5 days
- Dodgers end up throwing Boston Jeter Downs and Connor Wong to the original deal
- Mookie Betts plays 3 Spring Training Games
- Coronavirus
- Joel Sherman reports players will receive a full service year if the season is canceled
That means Betts will become a free agent regardless of whether the season gets played or not. Betts’ Dodger career could end before it ever got started. Here is the best part. What if the Red Sox win the bidding war in free agency? That would mean the Dodgers gave Boston Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs, and Connor Wong for Betts to sit out a year and hand him right back to the Red Sox. Oh, by the way, LA also ate a majority of the David Price contract making it easier for Boston to re-sign Betts and harder for them to keep him.
You want to talk about getting cheesed? That’s the definition right there. My entire life growing up, the Red Sox were cursed. If that scenario happens, the Red Sox would be the luckiest team in the league. Even if the season is only 100 games, it would still feel like the Dodgers got the short end of the stick if they don’t keep him long term or don’t win the World Series in 2020. I can’t imagine the anxiety the Dodgers front office has to have right now.
