Latest news with #Mookie
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Shoppers race to local supermarket to snap up outdoor kids toys, including a £20 sandpit bench & £25 basketball stand
Plus, the Jellycat dupes at Morrisons TOY STORY Shoppers race to local supermarket to snap up outdoor kids toys, including a £20 sandpit bench & £25 basketball stand SUMMER is coming and if you are looking to make the most of your family's garden you may wish to head to Morrisons. The supermarket is selling a whole range of fun-filled toys, and they start from a purse-friendly £17. 6 Morrions is selling a wooden bench for £20 which is also a sandpit Credit: Facebook/ExtremeCouponingAndBargainsUK 6 They also have a basketball stand for £25 Credit: Facebook/ExtremeCouponingAndBargainsUK A shopper shared photos to the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK of the outdoor items they spotted in their local store. One of the biggest bargains was a three-in-one wooden bench set which comes with a sandpit and costs just £20. Next up was a basketball stand which looks perfect for any budding sports fans, which costs just £25. One of the cheapest items they shared was a JCB ride-on mini tractor, which costs £17. She also spotted a mini trampoline that could keep kids entertained for hours for just £24. Finally, the shopper raved about a £65 Mookie playhouse for the garden or inside the house. Many parents seemed keen to snap up the items ahead of summer. One person shared: 'The bench is cool.' Another added: 'Let's get the garden ready!' And a third commented: 'we need to go in here.' B&M launches their children's outdoor range which is perfect for summer - there's a £2 bargain that'll easily keep the kids entertained 6 You can pick up a trampoline for £24 Credit: Facebook/ExtremeCouponingAndBargainsUK 6 Morrisons shoppers can also snap up a £17 ride-on tractor Credit: Facebook/ExtremeCouponingAndBargainsUK 6 There is also a playhouse for indoor or outdoor for £65 Credit: Facebook/ExtremeCouponingAndBargainsUK Last month, Morrisons shoppers spotted Jellycat dupes on the shelves at the supermarket from £2.50. The Jellycat Amuseables Sports Basketball normally retails for £45. For just £3, Morrisons shoppers could nab any one of the sports balls including footballs, rugby balls and basketballs. There are also Plush Soft Bouncy Balls available in the same style for 50p less. 6 The supermarket chain revealed the new toys just in time for the Easter holidays Credit: Morrisons It is always best to phone ahead to avoid disappointment due to stock levels. Amy Crowther, Buying Manager at Morrisons, said: 'Our Jellycat dupes offer unbelievable savings for our customers, meanwhile our Ollie & Grace wooden toy range has been so popular with our littlest of shoppers, we're excited to be extending it to include brand new items and Easter themed products. "Our latest range is available just in time for the upcoming Easter break and is perfect for keeping children entertained, whilst developing their creativity and curiosity – hopefully in the garden on a sunny day.'
Buzz Feed
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
21 Fitness Products Reviewers Said Helped Motivate Them To Work Out
1. A weighted fitness hoop that EVERYONE — but especially '90s kids — will love for the throwback feel of playground fun but with the added bonus of a great workout. (Suggested music pairing is the '90s boy band of your choice.) This one gives a 360-degree massage while you work the attached soft weight ball through its circuit. Amazon, Promising review:"I saw these on TikTok, and I wanted to try it because I HATE working out. But y'all — I received mine today, and it was so easy AND SO FUN. I can feel it working because it makes my whole body tired when I stop. Very easy to put together, and it's easier than an actual fitness hoop. I was skeptical at first because I always buy workout stuff, then shove it in my closet and never use it again — but I can already tell I'm going to use this every day. I love it, and I'm excited to start seeing results. 🥰🥰" — Mookie Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in five colors). 2. Or, if you prefer the classic hoop without the ball, a weighted fitness hoop, which will target muscles in your hips, abs, and legs for a workout that is as effective as it is FUN! (I'm adding this to my cart to see if my elementary school first-place hoop contest ribbon has carried over any powers into my adulthood.) This also breaks down into eight storable pieces so you don't have to keep it intact in your workout area if you don't have the space. Promising review:"I love this product — yes, I wish they just made an all-black one to keep it from getting dirty, but I just use a wipe to wipe it down. Other than that, for the first day, I did it for 15 minutes, and I was sweating a lot! It's not too heavy, and I can say it was actually fun! Just trying to keep the hoop up motivates you to keep going. I already recommended it to all of my friends!" — Mel Get it from Amazon for $39.49 (available in two sizes). 3. A reversible yoga mat that is nonslip, lightweight, and comes with a free downloadable yoga workout! Reviewers in all stages of yoga practice love this mat for the cushion and excellent texture that keeps your workout from turning into a solo slip-and-slide competition. Promising review:"I am new to yoga, and after reading many reviews, I decided on the Gaiam yoga mat. It is just the right thickness for comfort on the knees and back, thanks to the nice texture and material of the mat I have had no problems with slipping. The smell is normal of what would be expected of a new product of this type of material, not overwhelming, though I would recommend washing it before use. The delightful solid green is a great pick-me-up itself, the lighter green on the opposite side is a refreshing change of atmosphere. The Gaiam mat has been a great addition to my yoga experience; on account of the above-mentioned qualities, I wake up looking forward to starting my day here. I am very happy with the affordable price and quality of this mat, it has become one of my favorite places to be!" — Adrienne P. Kitchens "This is a great size as most yoga mats are just my height, and I'd like a little more room. The mat is also a bit wider. Very nice cushion. Stability-wise, you give up just a bit for the extra cushion, and for my almost 70-year-old body, I'll take the cushioning. This mat makes me look forward to a workout." — Dan Doviddio Get it from Amazon for $25+ (available in four sizes and six colors). 4. A dumbbell set to open up a whole new world of at-home sweating options. (Including this 30-minute dumbbell YouTube workout that'll have you well on your way to carrying all your groceries from car to home in one trip!) Promising reviews:"I love the color and how it fits in my hand. I can't wait to use it more often." — Ieasha searle "I love these bright-colored dumbbells. They motivate me to work out because they grab my attention. I love them and will be buying other colors and weights." — Meghan Jordan Get the three-pair set from Amazon for $39.99 (also available as single sets from 1–20 pounds). 5. A set of rotating push-up bars that'll help you get over your junior high gym class aversion to a truly wonderful (and effective!) at-home bodyweight workout. These work for both full push-ups as well as knee push-ups. Promising review:"The first time I used them, I felt the burn (the good kind) in the back/neck area. I looked up a diagram of musculature online, and it corresponded precisely with the trapezius muscles. I know that a product can't cure laziness, but knowing that I'm doing push-ups the right way and being able to feel the results makes me want to do more push-ups." — mcba Get them from Amazon for $31.99. 6. A Booty Kicker portable exercise barre if you're inspired by all the adult beginner ballerinas on TikTok and want to give the old plié and arabesque a try. With rolling wheels and a totally foldable frame, you'll find the perfect place to store it when not in use, too, so no fretting about, "Where is this going to live???" Amazon, And I can't forget to mention one of the coolest features: It has a dumbbell rack at the bottom that fits 1-pound, 2-pound, and 3-pound weights. How cool is that?!? Promising review:"I'll be honest...I bought this on a whim and then didn't put it together for months. I almost returned it because I hadn't used it, but I'm so glad I didn't. I LOVE THIS BARRE. I look forward to using it every day (and I really don't care to work out generally). It's so fun to use, and you can find so many barre classes online for FREE. It's also super easy to fold up and store, and for me, that's super important because I live in a tiny space. This is THE best workout tool." — Kathryn Get it from Amazon for $129.99 (available in three colors). 7. A Quiet Punch device to transform your boring old doorway into a home gym in less than 60 seconds. Plus, it's blessedly ~quiet~ so ideal if you share space with other humans, whether that be roommates, apartment neighbors, or a light sleeper you don't want to cross gloves with after every workout. Quiet Punch Quiet Punch is a small business started to make boxing accessible for all! Plus, the punching bag comes with access to the Quiet Punch Play app, which has more than 100 hours of on-demand training and workout routines, meaning even beginners can use this equipment. Promising review:"I have a really hard time self-motivating when it comes to exercising. But since I've gotten the Quiet Punch play system, I have felt totally excited and motivated to use it daily and have really noticed a difference in my energy, strength, and endurance. The bag is really easy to use, convenient for any space (especially small spaces like apartments), and installing it couldn't be easier. I love being able to track my punches and the amount of content online; training videos, technique how-tos, and live classes provide so many great options for workouts. I just downloaded the app, which is amazing, and I am so happy with the positive changes in my mood as a result of this awesome product. Highly recommend!!" — Elizabeth K Get it from Quiet Punch for $199 (also available with a punch tracker). 8. An adjustable punching bag set if you want some "oomph" and satisfying thwacking sounds in your arm workouts. With an easy setup that includes matching boxing gloves, this has everything you need to get started STAT. Promising reviews:"Don't even think about do it. No regrets, other than I put it in my cart and deleted it a few times over a week when I should have just bought it. I love everything about it. I'm a beginner, but it makes me feel like a pro. I WFH, so I'm sitting all day. I even put it on low height and work up a sweat while I'm sitting on hold for 20 minutes. It's a great workout, great stress reliever, and it's hella fun." — Jawja W. "2020 was a very frustrating year for many but I went through several personal issues that were causing me to have a lot of built-up frustration. I decided to cancel my gym membership and was searching for something to get me motivated to workout at home. This set is amazing for someone who is a beginner! I've started working out 15 minutes a day, and I can't believe how much better I feel! Mentally and physically, I can tell this was a great choice!" — Jessica T. Get it from Amazon for $62.34. 9. A Stealth core trainer you'll love to use because it video-gamifies your balance board ab workout by using your smartphone! I don't know about you, but I'm at LEAST 10 times more likely to work out if I am given a score at the end! Amazon Don't forget to download the app before you get started so you can play the four free games! Stealth Fitness is a small business that created this to help make working out fun. Promising review: "I really don't enjoy exercise. Using this board, with the app, has made planking more tolerable. I like that it's game-based so that I can feel more like I'm playing a game than exercising. And I will say the games make me want to go back and do more so that I can better my score. A nice way to make planking a little less dull and a little less like an exhausting routine." — Ally Cat Get it from Amazon for $129. 10. A yoga wheel because it'll help you level up your yoga game by assisting with new positions and can decrease back tension and pain. (Consider buying this for that fun fact alone because hashtag 30s.) Promising review:"I love this wheel, and I received it less than a week ago! I was worried at first since being close to 200 pounds, I didn't think it could hold my weight, but it does very well. I have lower back pain and have been to a chiropractor, physical therapist, and have taken pain meds, but this is the only thing that has brought me the quickest pain relief. I actually look forward to getting up in the morning and using this to relieve the tension in my lower back. I do feel with the other methods I've tried that, I'm healing, but I am certain that this wheel has been the most effective pain relief for me. I use this wheel in combination with some exercises specifically for lower back pain relief. I've used this for less than a week, and I feel close to how I felt before suffering from lower back pain. I would recommend this to anyone. I also plan to continue to use this as part of my daily stretching routine even after my back heals." — klt Get it from Amazon for $42.97+ (available in five colors and sizes). 11. A NordicTrack exercise bike to harness the feeling of being at spin class without the repeated expense and effort of leaving your comfy home. This one has a rotating touchscreen display, 24 resistance levels, and Bluetooth headphone connectivity! Plus it's fully adjustable and is just ready for you to blare Queen's "Bicycle Race" for some A+ sweat time. Promising review:"My husband and I were looking for something to stimulate our motivation to exercise. We love biking but recently moved to a very hilly area. Because of bad knees and our age, biking is very difficult. After doing a lot of research, we found the NordicTrack Commercial Studio Cycle. This bike makes exercising something to look forward to doing. The rides are so interesting and varied. Love that the two of us are able to save each of our own stats, as we each like different themes. Another feature we like is the fact that the bike simulates the ride you are watching. Additionally, if the going gets too hard on my knees, the bike lets me change it for a more comfortable ride. All in all, I would highly recommend the NordicTrack Commercial Studio Cycle. It's a fun way to exercise." — MMB Get it from Amazon for $1,699+ (available in two display screen sizes and four styles). 12. Or a rolling desk bike if you're working late (because you're a singer) but you don't want to put your exercise time on the chopping block. This way, you can tippy-tap and spinny-spin simultaneously like the mega-productive boss you are! See it in action on TikTok here. Promising review:"My friend recommended this home bicycle to me. I bought it for my small apartment. It looks exactly like the pic. The material quality is high, the setup is easy, and the size is perfect for a small apartment. I am so excited for its working board design. No matter I have to do extra work at home or browse the internet, I can do it with biking. It definitely motivates me when I do not have time to go to the gym or run outside. More importantly, it is not noisy at all, so I do not have to worry about using it too late or too early. Very satisfied with the purchase." — BaggioYang Get it from Amazon for $269.99+ (available in two colors and six styles). 13. A foldable mini trampoline because sometimes you just need to take a note from Tigger and bounce your worries away. What better way to work up a sweat than jumping around to your favorite "pump it up" playlist? Promising review:"Every day, I look forward to jumping on my trampoline. It is sturdy and durable with heavy gauge steel springs holding it. It certainly is building my leg strength. It's like doing jumping jacks. I set it up last week, began jumping this week, and can easily do 300 reps of jumps, in addition to other exercises for arms that I perform. I love this thing. I jump twice daily and can't wait to do it again tomorrow. One of the best purchases all year!" — A Blair Get it from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in three sizes and three colors). 14. A simple jump rope with a digital counter if you're looking to increase your jump roping endurance without the torment of having to wonder if you accidentally just miscounted a rotation because your dog went to bark at the mailman again. This does the counting for you, so you can get in the zone of whatever Sabrina Carpenter song is on your workout playlist! Promising review:"I am impressed with this product! It's super lightweight, easy to use and to hold, and has made working out fun again! The buttons are easy to use, it took less than a minute to set up, and it keeps track of how many jumps and feels comfortable in the hands. I find myself using it daily, and since the handles keep track of how many jumps, I try to break the previous day's record! Definitely would recommend!" — cassandra Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in five colors). 15. Kangoo Jumps shoes to really put some bounce back into your workout step. If you're looking for a new, whimsical way to get in a low-impact workout, these shock-absorbing bouncing shoes might be just the ticket to at-home workout joy. Kangoo Jumps is a small business founded in 2017. There are official Kangoo Jumps classes in some areas, which you can Google to see if there are any near you or find a class on YouTube. Promising reviews:"Tired of boring runs on the treadmill? Try those shoes. They are absolutely amazing. I look forward to doing my cardio now. You can run, skip, and do high knees or butt kickers." — Lilly " These are so much fun! What a great and fun workout. You can't help but jog when you wear them. There are a lot of videos out there if you want to do a Kangoo workout. This is the second pair I bought, I bought them for my daughter-in-law. We Kangoo together. Everyone stops us to ask about them. I wish there were places to go learn and workout near me like there are in other states. They're easy on your knees, too. All you need is a little balance and anyone at any age can do this. It's really fun. For the people who love to work out, it's a great cardio workout!" — Girly Girl Get them from Amazon for $275 (available in unisex sizes XS-XL and in three colors). 16. A ChopFit that'll help you live out your best Hallmark-love-interest fantasies and give you an arm workout to boot! By the time the holiday season rolls around, you'll have the kind of muscles that will convince the big-city character to stay and help you save your family's Christmas tree farm. (Even if that farm is just Stardew Valley. We're not judging.) Promising reviews:" The ChopFit is really just a great piece of workout equipment, to put it simply. It is easily storable anywhere in your house, I slide mine right under my couch when I'm done with it. And, you get a surprising amount of variation in both workouts and difficulty since the weight changes depending on where you keep your hand placement. Overall, for the price, I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good affordable workout you can do literally anywhere. Also, it feels like you're holding Thor's hammer. 10/10" — J. Tyler "Works up a sweat within a few minutes. It's also fun to workout with." — harry middleton Get it from Amazon for $99.99 (also available in a pro bundle). 17. A portable elliptical if you want some easy get-to-steppin' equipment without sacrificing precious square footage in your home. This can be stashed in a corner, under your bed, or even in a roomy storage ottoman so you can exercise when you feel like it without the commitment of a full-size elliptical. Promising review:"I am not one to take time to write a review, but I LOVE THIS! It takes a few minutes to get used to the balance, but I walk in a backward motion on it all the time now. I seem to go faster and smoother in a reverse motion. It had a slight squeak when I first got it, but no longer, it's quiet and so compact. I jump on anytime and watch TV or Netflix. I've exercised on and off my whole life, this is by far my favorite machine ever!! I look forward to getting on and catching up with the news or whatever is on TV, but not just sitting there and being able to exercise at the same time is so easy now. I'm ordering a second one today to keep in my bedroom when my children take over the basement with their friends and my elliptical. Don't hesitate to buy this — you won't regret it!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $119.99 (available in four colors). 18. Or a compact, foldable treadmill perfect for anyone who wants to get in a few extra steps without the pressure of a honking huge treadmill in the middle of their living space. I have one just like this and it's so easy to fold up and roll under my bed, I find myself turning to it throughout the day for quick little aerobic exercise breaks. Promising reviews:"Obsessed. I've been working from home since March 2020 and have struggled with a sedentary lifestyle. Since I got this treadmill for under my desk, I actually look forward to starting work, feel more productive, and have been easily getting in 15,000–20,000+ steps a day. Wish I had done this sooner!" — Lauren O. Get it from Amazon for $279.99+ (available in three colors). 19. An exercise ball for optimizing your workouts by strengthening your core and providing a multipurpose tool in your at-home kit you can use in SO many ways. (Including as a replacement office chair if you want to engage your core while working at your laptop!) This will have you ~rolling~ down the road of workout success in no time. UrbnFit is a small business creating a variety of different pieces of fitness equipment. Promising review:"Came in a compact box with a hand pump. Pretty easy to blow up! I use it at my desk instead of a chair, and it's been great for my posture. Also just super fun to bounce around on and stretch with. It's so fun to use that it actually has motivated me to do little ab workouts with it every day. Seems very durable and great quality for such a good price! :)" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in five sizes and 10 colors). 20. Core sliders to give yourself an extra challenge for floor work like push-ups, planks, and mountain climbers. These are a great way to ~slide~ some newness into your ol' reliable routines. Promising reviews:"Super easy to use and you feel the burn! I saw someone using these on social media and thought I would give it a try. I have been trying to find a balance with life & work. These really help motivate me to take 20 minutes out of my day and exercise. I would also purchase some resistance bands to go with it. Must try!" — Candice Get them from Amazon for $9.95 (available in four colors). 21. An upper-body workout bar as versatile as your workout attention span. Whether you want to practice your pull-ups in a doorway or do some elevated floor work like tricep dips, this is the all-in-one workout bar for you! Amazon The bar fits in up to 35.4-inch door frames. Plus, it has three grip positions; narrow, wide, and neutral. Promising review:"Like other reviews stated, it does exactly what it claims. I've had this product for around two years now, and it's still in great shape. It was used daily as my roommates and I would all use it, so it is pretty reliable. I was never big into pullups but buying this product gave me the motivation to finally start doing pull-ups. I've done all types of hanging core/ab exercises and pull-ups on it, and it is pretty stable, as long as you don't do any fast jerking movements that cause the safety bar to lift off the back of the door frame. A set of dumbbells and the Iron Gym Bar is all you need to get a nice workout in when you can't make it to the gym." — Roger Get it from Amazon for $26+ (available in four styles).
Bloomberg
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Bloomberg
Asia's Richest Man Takes Aim at Netflix, YouTube in India
Good evening from Mumbai, where I am sending this after attending my first cricket match. I will be back in Los Angeles this week, and I look forward to seeing many of you at Dodger Stadium for some Mookie magic. We're going to discuss a major milestone in entertainment in a moment, but first...
USA Today
24-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Dodgers' Mookie Betts ready for star turn at shortstop: 'Excited to prove people wrong'
MESA, Ariz. — Mookie Betts lowered his eyes and paused momentarily while searching for the right arrangement of words, wanting to make sure his point was clear in the Los Angeles Dodgers visiting clubhouse. 'This is not like a vengeance tour," Betts told USA TODAY Sports. 'It's about proving a lot of people wrong. But more than anything, it's about proving myself right. 'So many years, I just didn't believe in myself." Betts is an eight-time All-Star right fielder. A six-time Gold Glove winner. A seven-time Silver Slugger. An MVP winner. He's a batting champion. Most important to Betts, he's a three-time World Series champion. It's still not enough. Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings. Betts, 32, wants to show the world that he can also be a star shortstop on a World Series champion. 'I don't know why he'd want to do that," San Diego Padres Gold Glove third baseman Manny Machado said. 'I don't know, man, it's crazy what he's trying to do. He's a Gold Glover. He's such a good outfielder. Why go play such a demanding postilion? It takes so much of a toll on your body." Betts knows all of this. He grew up as a shortstop. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox as a shortstop. He also didn't last a full season as a shortstop as a pro with the Red Sox moving him to second base, and eventually right field. 'I think I would have been really good," Betts says, 'but I never had the opportunity. I couldn't throw then either. Nobody told me how to throw then. And for myself, I didn't think I could it either. 'There was no positivity instilled in me." Couldn't he have fought it? 'I'm 18," he flatly said. 'They're going to tell you what to do." Now 11 years after making his major-league debut, Betts is ready to show that he can be the shortstop he envisioned all along. 'When I was moved to right field, I believed in myself, and got pretty good out there," Betts said. 'So, I'm taking the same concept. I got the opportunity now. 'And I'm going to make the best of it." And this time, unlike his teenage years, he not only believes he can do it, but he's got the entire organization believing too. 'Mookie is Mookie, he's the best athlete I've ever seen," Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy says. 'He looks great out there. He's starting to look more natural. 'Mookie is just different. This kind of challenge is really fun for him. He really enjoys it. And when you look at how he approaches it, having so much fun trying to be as good as he can get, there's no question in anyone's mind here that he's going to be a very good defensive shortstop." 'I don't know of anything he can't do' It was a year ago when Betts came into camp as a second baseman, abandoning right field, but three weeks into spring training, shortstop Gavin Lux badly struggled. Betts was moved to shortstop, a position he hadn't played since 2012 in Class A. Betts played 65 games at shortstop, was erratic defensively with nine errors, suffered a broken wrist and when he returned was back in right field. He looked uncomfortable at times. He struggled with his footwork. He made the necessary plays, but eight of his errors came on throws. He was improving, but slowly. This time, he came to camp prepared to be a star shortstop. He spent the winter dedicated to making the transition. He spent three days visiting former Gold Glove shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in Texas where he's an assistant coach at the University of Texas. He went to Arizona to work on his arm slots and defensive angles with Dodgers coach Chris Woodward. And he took ground balls almost every day at local high schools near his Los Angeles home. He showed up at camp looking 'two levels better" than a year ago, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. 'Let's put it this way, I don't know of anything he can't do," said San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts, his former teammate with the Red Sox. 'This guy is an athlete, man. He can bowl. He can golf. He can play basketball. He can do it all. 'He would have been a great second baseman for us, but Dustin Pedroia was there. So he went to right field where he was spectacular. I just think he's always had that itch of coming back to the infield." Betts spoke to Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations, Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes and Roberts in the offseason. He insisted he wanted to try it again. The Dodgers encouraged him and with Betts moving back to shortstop, it freed up spots to sign outfielder Michael Conforto and bring back Teoscar Hernandez. Betts arrived two weeks before most of his teammates to work defensively with Muncy and backup shortstop Miguel Rojas. Never does a day go by where Betts isn't soliciting advice from Rojas, or Rojas isn't providing instruction. The two of them talked for nearly 10 minutes after their spring-training game against the Cubs the other day, talking about footwork, throwing, with Rojas ending the conversation telling Betts to call him any time of the day or night he wants to talk about the position. 'I already think he's one of the top 10 shortstops in the game because of his bat," Rojas said. 'Not everything is always going to go great, but you look at him, and he's so much more comfortable. He's got experience now. He was able to work on it in the offseason. And he never tired of getting better. 'He wants to be one of the best players in the world, and what he's doing is just amazing.'' If Betts pulls this off, he would become only the 22nd player since 1900 to play at least 100 games in right field and shortstop, further elevating his legacy for Cooperstown. 'Mookie wants to be the best player in baseball,'' Roberts said, 'and I don't see why he wouldn't want that. 'If you play shortstop, with his bat, that gives him a better chance." 'The most selfless superstar' Betts already has achieved one of the greatest collections of awards and honors in history, but to make the All-Star team as a shortstop, well, it would be historical considering he had gone 12 years without playing the position until last season. 'You can make it mean whatever you want it to mean," Betts said, 'but I guess it'd be more cool than anything. The All-Star team is a blessing, but I don't really care about all of those accolades now. When I get older, I can take a step back and look at it, but what I really want is to win five or six rings. That's why I'm playing. 'So, if that means I've got to go to left field one day, I'll go to left. If I need to go to second, I'll go to second. I'm 32 years old. I believe in myself wherever I go.'' If the Dodgers change gears, and decide they'd be better off having Betts playing second base or right field, Betts won't complain. 'The beauty of Mookie," Friedman said, 'is that he's the most selfless superstar we've ever been around." If Betts has his druthers, he not only will be playing shortstop now, but for the duration of his career. Derek Jeter was still playing shortstop at the age of 40, so why not Betts? He spent the entire winter preparing his body for the demands of shortstop, not just for 2025, but well beyond. 'Hell yeah," Betts says. 'I believe that I'm only going to get better and better. I believe in myself." And now, 14 years after being drafted as a shortstop out of Overton High School in Nashville, so does everyone else. 'I just feel so prepared now,'' Betts says. 'I can go home and sleep and not stare at video all day trying to figure things out. I'm giving it my all so I can lay my head down at night knowing that my work prepared me for any balls coming my way. 'I know I can do this. I really do. 'I'm excited to prove people wrong." Once again. Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
