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The pure contact hitter has become a figment of people's imagination as power and the long ball are what sell tickets. Still, one player defies the odds and reaches base by keeping the ball in the yard. San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez is again proving to be the best contact hitter in the league and maybe the best hitter period.
Arraez has all but locked up his third consecutive batting title. He won all three with a different team, one in the American League followed by two in the National League. He is the first player in MLB history to win three straight batting titles.
Atlanta Braves slugger Marcel Ozuna can still technically win the batting title, but he'd have to go 9-for-9 at the plate during Atlanta's doubleheader against the New York Mets on Monday. We're banking on that not happening, as were reporters when they spoke to Arraez after San Diego's regular-season finale.
“This is special for me,” Arraez said, via MLB.com. “I'm here to play baseball. I'm here to help my team win. I'm here to do the little things to win, and, man, I think I did it.”
If winning a batting title is “doing the little things,” then Arraez might have more in store for the postseason. After battling himself over the weekend, he'll try to be fresh for the playoffs, at least mentally.
“It means a lot,” Arraez said, per the Associated Press “I think this one was hard. I couldn’t sleep last night. … Today, my first at-bat, I strike out. And it never happens. But I’m a human. I’m not perfect. And then my third at-bat, I say, ‘OK, you got to do something.’ Then God gave me the opportunity, and I hit a double.”
Arraez, Padres win another series to close regular season
Having talented players usually leads to wins and with Luis Arraez atop the lineup it's easy to see how the Padres have been red-hot over the last two months. San Diego won 43 games in the second half with a .683 win percentage.
The Padres and Arraez bounced back nicely from the knockdown the Los Angeles Dodgers delivered last week. San Diego lost only its second series of the month while Arraez went hitless in all three games, the first time he went hitless in three straight this season.
The Padres followed with a series win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Arraez was 4-for-8 at the plate in two games with all four hits going for extra bases. His final hit was his 200th of the season and 32nd double, a career-high.
The Padres went 76-51, a nearly .600 win percentage, since acquiring Arraez on May 4. It was the second time he was traded in 15 months. His plate discipline and overall demeanor never wavered in a new environment.
What Luis Arraez is doing should be applauded by every baseball fan. Sure it isn’t flashy but what he's doing is rare in today's game and will be hard to accomplish again. There are a lot of great hitters in the league today but to swing it consistently well for three straight seasons is hard for anyone to do.
