Mookie was never going to finish his career in Boston. That was no secret. It had been clear for a while that his heart wasn't in Boston. He like others before him disliked dealing with all that came with playing for a high profile team like the Red Sox. It's hard to play there, just like Storrs, and some players just don't want to deal with that burden, so they bolt the first chance they get. From a personality perspective, the quiet brooding types like Betts, Carl Crawford, or David Price don't like the extra weight on their shoulders, while the David Ortizes of the world thrive in that kind of limelight. Sometimes you can have all the talent in the world, but you still need to be a good personality fit to maximize your potential and impact on a team. This synergy is broadly referred to as chemistry, and can make the difference between coming up just short and getting over the hump.
