This story appears in ESPN The Magazines Sept. 19 NFL Preview II Issue. Subscribe today!FORGET JACKIE BRADLEY JR.S breakout, Xander Bogaerts hitting streak or David Ortizs yearlong lovefest: Mookie Betts, the Red Soxs 23-year-old outfielder, is the teams most indispensable player, and a legitimate MVP candidate.Betts is among the AL leaders in runs, hits and RBIs, but you could argue that his biggest strength has been coming through in the clutch. Betts has five of the Soxs top 16 games in win probability added (WPA), a measure of how much one player affects his teams chances to win. Here are the stories behind some of his best games.1 DOWN WITH THE BIRDS AUG. 16 AT BALTIMORE RED SOX 5, ORIOLES 3 BETTS WPA: 0.505THE SCENE Let it be said, with little hyperbole, that Betts defeated the Orioles single-handedly. Batting cleanup, he broke a scoreless stalemate in the fifth inning with a two-out, three-run homer off Baltimore starter Yovani Gallardo. And after the Orioles rallied to tie the score in the bottom of the seventh, Betts bashed a two-run homer in the next inning against setup man Brad Brach, against whom right-handed hitters had been 8-for-102 (.078). Betts drove in all five Red Sox runs. About the only thing he didnt do was pitch.BETTS TAKE I knew it was going to be tough [facing Brach]. I tried to swing early and be aggressive, because I know hes going to be in the zone. Once you get two strikes, its pretty much over at that point with him. ... Batting cleanup can be tough, but I was just trying to put a good swing on a good pitch, trying to drive the ball like I always do, with my same approach. [Being a power hitter] is definitely weird. Ive never been that in my life. Im just going to try to enjoy it while its here.2 HOUSTON HAS A PROBLEM MAY 15 AT BOSTON RED SOX 10, ASTROS 9 BETTS WPA: 0.330THE SCENE By the time Betts stepped to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, this game had seen three lead changes. The Red Sox had just watched an 8-6 edge disappear after the Astros three-run rally in the top of the sixth. After Ryan Hanigan tied the score with a two-out single off Houston right-hander Scott Feldman, Betts fell behind in the count 0-2. No worries. He laid off two pitches, then lined a sinker to the gap in right-center field for a go-ahead triple.BETTS TAKE From the outside, [games like these, when the entire offense clicks] look ridiculous, but from the inside, theyre just the product of us grinding out at-bats and grinding through games. It was a tough day, man. The wind blowing, the sun there, it made it that much tougher. Fortunately, we were able to get an extra out [on Hanigans hit] and take advantage of it.3 RANGE FACTOR JUNE 24 AT TEXAS RED SOX 8, RANGERS 7 BETTS WPA: 0.329THE SCENE Good luck finding a more improbable Red Sox victory. Trailing 7-4 in the top of the ninth, the Sox got two quick outs, then proceeded to score four runs. After Sandy Leon worked an 11-pitch at-bat for an RBI double, the Rangers called on hard-throwing righty Matt Bush. Betts passed on a couple of sliders in anticipation of high heat. Sure enough, he got a belt-high 97 mph fastball and crushed it to the center-field berm. Three batters later, Dustin Pedroia scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.BETTS TAKE There are three righties behind Sandy, so I know [Bush] is coming in, and I kind of prepared for that. Seeing velocity doesnt change anything. Its all got to come across the plate at some point. Thats my mindset. In the AL East, you see it every day. A lot of times, you see it from the starter for the whole game. That ball was one of the ones I figured was going to go out. If it didnt, I would have probably cried.4 BRINGING THE RAIN AUG. 1 AT SEATTLE RED SOX 2, MARINERS 1 BETTS WPA: 0.328 THE SCENE It doesnt get much more clutch than a leadoff homer in the ninth inning of a tie game. Betts longball was off a hanging sinker from Mariners reliever Steve Cishek, all the way into the left-field bullpen. It was also one of the hardest balls Betts hit all season, with an exit velocity of 103.54 mph, according to Statcast.BETTS TAKE I was just going up there knowing [Cishek] is a tough at-bat. Any sidearm guy is going to be tough. I was just trying to get a fastball up so I could at least put it in play. I know anything down, Im going to beat into the ground, so just got something elevated and put a good swing on it.5?TWO BIRDS, THREE HOMERS MAY 31 AT BALTIMORE RED SOX 6, ORIOLES 2 BETTS WPA: 0.325THE SCENE Talk about doing it all. Betts led off the game with a homer to straightaway center field, then added a three-run shot to left in the second inning. In the seventh, just for good measure, Betts capped his first three-homer game by going to right field for a solo shot against reliever Dylan Bundy. (His diving catch to steal a hit from Paul Janish in the bottom of that inning was just a bonus.)BETTS TAKE I think I surprised myself, definitely, with the center-field and the right-field ones. [Pulling the ball to] left field is my forte. First time Ive ever done that, three home runs. I was able to make a play behind [pitcher] Robbie Ross, too, so, you know, put the whole game together. Thats why, I think, it ranks among my best games.Stats courtesy Baseball-Reference.com; through Sept. 6. Rich Gedman Red Sox Jersey .ca! Kerry, Two nights after the Scott-Eriksson incident in Buffalo, the Bruins returned home to play San Jose. In that game, Zdeno Chara put a check on Tommy Wingels that clearly targeted his head. Koji Uehara Jersey . With the first unit struggling of late and Amir Johnson - one of the teams iron men - hobbling on an injured right ankle, Patterson knew he could get the nod in a challenging matchup against one of the leagues up and coming players at his position. https://www.cheapredsox.com/2801z-bill-buckner-jersey-red-sox.html . Dusautoir, the former World Player of the Year, sustained a torn bicep playing for Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. The flanker, who has played 65 times for France, is expected to be out for up to four months. Brock Holt Red Sox Jersey . - Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is not a fan of his teams use of the wildcat formation, saying "it makes you look like a high school offence. Sam Travis Jersey . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014. A mid-season form slump saw plenty of questions raised about Brisbanes premiership credentials, those questions were answered in resounding fashion on Friday night.The Broncos 26-16 win over Melbourne at AAMI Park, off the back of a vital result against Canterbury the week before, showed that no matter where they finish on the NRL ladder, the Broncos will be a dangerous opponent come the playoffs.Brisbane got the better of Melbourne in the middle of the park behind the leadership and energy of milestone men Sam Thaiday (250th game) and Matt Gillett (150th game).Captain Corey Parker insisted the difference in the way the Broncos are playing is simply their improved execution.I think for us, it is just actions, said Parker.Thats what was missing, I suppose, six weeks ago.We werent putting those actions in place, thats where weve turned it around.Coach Wayne Bennett was clear in his feelings that recovering fromm the busy State of Origin period was the main reason for Brisbanes return to prominence.ddddddddddddIt all happened through the Origin period, said Bennett of his teams earlier form slump.You forget when you are finding fault with us and criticising us,, but on two occasions, they had to back-up three games in eight days.No club had more representatives in Origin than we did. It has a huge impact on your club.Melbourne captain Cameron Smith agreed that, having recovered from the effects of representative football, Brisbanes class was beginning to show.Oh yeah, theyve got a quality side. I know they went through a bit of a rough patch there through Origin, Smith said.Thats always going to take its toll on a team. But they all look quite refreshed now and they are all playing well. ' ' '