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SAN FRANCISCO — Almost every day, a few hours before first pitch, one of the few bright spots in a so-far dreadful season takes place on the grass in front of the Giants’ dugout.
Ron Washington is usually already there, a Fungo bat in his hands, a bucket of baseballs to his side and an array of mitts strewn across the ground, when Luis Arraez walks up the steps.
The daily drills that rarely last longer than 15 minutes are a pillar of Washington’s teaching methods that date back to 1990 — seven years before Arraez was born — and have helped transform his latest disciple into the unlikeliest of names atop the defensive leaderboards.
“That’s the maintenance,” the 74-year-old fielding maestro said. “The work is what we do on the field, taking our ground balls. To the glove side, to the backhand, at him. Turning double plays, pivoting. That’s the work. The main thing is knowing what you’re doing. That’s the knowledge.”
The result: A player who couldn’t convince 29 other teams to give him a chance to play second base has been one of the majors’ top defenders — not just at his position but anywhere.
By any metric, Arraez has flipped his reputation on its head.
Most striking is Statcast’s Outs Above Average, where only two defenders have been valued as highly: Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. — both reigning Gold Glove winners.
“Don’t give me the credit,” said Washington, who isn’t looking for it. A small sample of his countless proteges includes Eric Chavez, Marcus Semien, Freddie Freeman and, famously depicted in the movie “Moneyball,” Scott Hatteberg.
“I know my s—’s good,” Washington said. “Give the credit to Luis. He’s the one putting in all the work.”
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
