Does Luis win the batting title?

Win or lose?

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Fun article with some background on Luis from the Twins beat writer for MLB. Luis comes across as the guy you'd want to mentor or marry your daughter - humble, grateful and positive -

www.mlb.com

Arraez a Triple threat for AL batting title?

MINNEAPOLIS -- As the 2022 regular season draws to a close, baseball fans everywhere have watched Aaron Judge with bated breath, fixated on his home run total as he inched closer and closer to the American League record of 61 set by Roger Maris -- and ultimately matched that mark
www.mlb.com www.mlb.com

MINNEAPOLIS -- As the 2022 regular season draws to a close, baseball fans everywhere have watched Aaron Judge with bated breath, fixated on his home run total as he inched closer and closer to the American League record of 61 set by Roger Maris -- and ultimately matched that mark with a seventh-inning blast in Toronto on Wednesday night.

But those around the Twins’ clubhouse have probably been more concerned about one of Judge’s other statistics: the Yankees slugger’s batting average.

At this point, it’s all but assured that Judge will lead the Junior Circuit in both home runs and RBIs. And entering Wednesday, he also sat atop the leaderboard in batting average. So in addition to earning at least a share of the AL homer record, Judge is also in the driver’s seat to join Miguel Cabrera as the only batters to claim the hitting Triple Crown since 1967.

But at this point, the only man standing in Judge’s way could be Luis Arraez.

The Twins’ All-Star contact king continued his ongoing quest for his first career AL batting title by going 2-for-5 with a pair of singles in Minnesota’s 8-4 win over the White Sox at Target Field. With seven regular-season games remaining for both the Twins and Yankees, the two hitters are separated by mere percentage points -- and that neck-and-neck battle is likely going to be the biggest storyline for the Twins in what remains of their season after being officially eliminated from postseason contention with Seattle's 3-1 win over Texas.

“I try to do my job,” Arraez said earlier this week. “If I win, I'm happy. If Aaron Judge wins, I'll be happy too, Xander Bogaerts, [too]. They're here to compete with me. If Aaron Judge wins, I'll be happy because he got an amazing year, too.

“I mean, he has [61] homers. He's doing everything this year. And then I like to see those guys play like that. I'll be happy if he wins. If I win, I'm happy. But if I see Judge win it, I'll be happy, too.”

Judge’s record-tying 61st homer was his only hit in four at-bats against the Blue Jays, and Arraez picked up his seventh multi-hit game of the month with singles in the fifth and eighth innings against the White Sox.
Here’s where that leaves things:
Aaron Judge, NYY: .313406 (173-for-552)
Luis Arraez, MIN: .313321 (167-for-533)
Xander Bogaerts, BOS: .308688 (167-for-541)
There could hardly be two more different hitters vying for this honor down the stretch. There’s Judge, the hulking, larger-than-life, 6-foot-7 and nearly 300-pound mountain of a slugger -- and then there’s Arraez, the slimmed-down, 5-foot-10, throwback slap hitter who developed this skillset because he hated striking out more than anything as a kid in Venezuela -- often to the point of tears.

This is the closest Arraez has been to his lifelong goal of winning a batting title, since he didn’t have the plate appearances to qualify in his first three seasons. But his skipper doesn’t want him to feel that pressure.

“I told him he should plan on being in this situation for many years to come,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Let's just imagine you look out for the next five years -- he should plan on playing September in a batting race of some kind. It should become something that is usual for him.

“Instead of living in a place where you're scoreboard watching and living and dying by every at-bat, I think it's unnecessary. Going into next year, the year after that, this is the reality for Luis Arraez. He just has to go out there and play and do what he normally does, and he'll be fine.”

Arraez got off to a torrid start this year, leading the AL by a wide margin with his .338 average at the All-Star break, seemingly on track to cruise to the crown. But partly due to leg issues and the rigors of a full season, he’s slowed down with a .280 mark in the second half, while Judge has been otherworldly with a .360 second half to take the lead.
It’ll all come down to this final week.

“I just need a little bit of good luck to get more hits,” Arraez said. “If it's coming, good. But if not, I just need to finish strong.”

“You’re not going to get a hit every time you hit a ball squarely, but he’s having really good at-bats right now,” Baldelli said. “I think if he continues to focus on that and just swings the bat the way he is, he’s going to have a pretty good shot at this thing.”
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If this is truly a priority, I would sit him against southpaws for the remaining 6 games.
 

Ope3 said:
If this is truly a priority, I would sit him against southpaws for the remaining 6 games.
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Most competitors in my experience would bristle at being sat and winning that way.

IIRC Ted Williams could have sat out a double dip in the season he hit .406 and still hit .400, but he told his manager that he wouldn’t sit, even though he was encouraged to, and played both games and went 5-8; he said he wouldn’t back into it and if he didn’t earn it, he didn’t deserve it.

Little wonder he was also an ace fighter pilot in the war and a world renown fly fisherman as well.
 
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Gopher_In_NYC said:
Most competitors in my experience would bristle at being sat and winning that way.

IIRC Ted Williams could have sat out a double dip in the season he hit .406 and still hit .400, but he told his manager that he wouldn’t sit, even though he was encouraged to, and played both games and went 5-8; he said he wouldn’t back into it and if he didn’t earn it, he didn’t deserve it.

Little wonder he was also an ace fighter pilot in the war and a world renown fly fisherman as well.
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I love Luis. He ain't no Teddy Ballgame though.
 


Ope3 said:
I love Luis. He ain't no Teddy Ballgame though.
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There was only one Splendid Splinter- as I was a lefty, he was always my favorite hitter. Plus he missed 4 years,IIRC, of his prime due to his military service.

I think Judge will be trying to hit the tie breaking homer really hard which can benefit Luis
 
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Heading into these three games i, it’s looking more and more like it’s Luis’ to lose at this point-

.315 Luis
.313 Judge

Xander has dropped out as he’s now down .309.

Frickin’ Freddie Freeman is leading the universe at .327. Man he’s aged amazingly well.
 
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Arraez is a fun player - but there are a couple of areas of concern with him.

One is his weight. He's already a little on the chunky side, so he's really going to have to work to stay in shape as he gets older. he's already battled some injuries.

and two is his fielding. He's OK at best at 2B and adequate at 1B, but he's never going to be a Gold Glove fielder.

both of those factors will effect his longevity.
 

Luis doing work!

2 for 5 tonight- now .315!

Judge 0-2 this afternoon - now .313

Huzzah!
 



short ornery norwegian said:
Arraez is a fun player - but there are a couple of areas of concern with him.

One is his weight. He's already a little on the chunky side, so he's really going to have to work to stay in shape as he gets older. he's already battled some injuries.

and two is his fielding. He's OK at best at 2B and adequate at 1B, but he's never going to be a Gold Glove fielder.

both of those factors will effect his longevity.
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The past is history, the future is a mystery, and the present is a gift - that’s why the call it the present.
 

Louis has a fie point bulge over Judge heading into the last 2 games -

.315 to .310
 

Last day.

Arraez hitting .315 is scheduled to bat lead off. Judge at .311, not in the starting lineup.
 




JimmyJamesMD said:
Boo! i was hoping Twins would be petty and not play him.

That being said, with Judge being out, Arraez has to go 0-8 to lose the title
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Would be cool if he tallied like 2-3 hits today and take him out after his last one for him to get the spotlight to himself.
 

Gopher_In_NYC said:
Would be cool if he tallied like 2-3 hits today and take him out after his last one for him to get the spotlight to himself.
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With the tender hamstring, if he gets a hit I (other than a HR) I would pull him for a pinch runner.

See ya in '23.
 




Rocco's "Win one for the gipper" speech today must have been very inspirational....
 

3rd inning and the Twins have already batted around twice, with a 9-0 lead.

Arraez delivers with a double. I feel good enough to not jinx this and have voted <Yes>.
 

Ope3 said:
3rd inning and the Twins have already batted around twice, with a 9-0 lead.

Arraez delivers with a double. I feel good enough to not jinx this and have voted <Yes>.
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You risk taker!
 



Ope3 said:
With the tender hamstring, if he gets a hit I (other than a HR) I would pull him for a pinch runner.

See ya in '23.
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Gopher_In_NYC said:
Even better.🎉👍
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That's a wrap for Luis. He was lifted, Miranda came in as a Pinch Runner. Miranda was subsequently replaced by Jeffers as DH, so he's done as well for '22.
 





Ope3 said:
So with Arraez getting the title, that is now the 15th time a Twin has led the league per that list.

Reusse mentioned on Twitter that's 24% of the seasons in their 62 year history.
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Reusse article in the Strib Today, with Oliva, Carew, and Mauer welcoming Arraez to the Club.

www.startribune.com

Reusse: Mauer, Carew and Oliva know Arraez earned his batting title

Three former Twins batting champs reflect on their own titles and share their happiness for Luis Arraez and his new crown.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Mighty fine company.
 

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