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The Loop

Mookie Betts mic'd up in the outfield is the innovation baseball needs

Baltimore Orioles v Boston Red Sox

Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox

The MLB has been floating some dumpster fire ideas lately. First, they casually leaked a proposal to let managers bat whoever the hell they want in the ninth, cotton candy guy presumably included. Then they went and doubled down on the arcade mode silliness, introducing a minor-league rule that will see teams start with a runner on second base in extra innings. On Tuesday, however, they somehow sort of managed to get something right, thanks to a big assist from the folks over at ESPN:

They mic'd up Mookie Betts mid-game and let him do the rest.

So there you have it, not only the best moment of Spring Training and the most personality we've gotten from a baseball player since the Carter administration, but also the quick, cheap, ridiculously entertaining innovation that baseball—and more specifically, baseball broadcasting—has been crying out for.

If the MLBPA, or the organizations themselves, aren't into it (and they probably aren't), screw 'em. NASCAR drivers handle this same thing while blasting around 100-degree pavement in 900-horsepower death machines, surely a right fielder can field a fly ball and a question or two at the same time. If not, who knows. Maybe Dennis Miller is looking for work.