Kernels infielder Amarista closes in on batting title

CEDAR RAPIDS - Alexi Amarista won't play today in the Cedar Rapids Kernels' regular-season finale. It'll be good to get him an extra day of rest leading up to that playoff series with Peoria that begins Wednesday night.

And it'll boost little Lexi's bid for the Midwest League batting title.

Amarista went 2-for-3 Sunday in Cedar Rapids' 5-3 win over Burlington at Memorial Stadium, boosting his average to .319. That leads the MWL, with West Michigan's Gustavo Nunez second at .315 and West Michigan's Billy Nowlin third at .312.

“I'm aware of it,” Amarista said through teammate Roberto Lopez. “I always check up on my numbers and other players in the league ... We'll see how it ends up.”

Kernels Manager Bill Mosiello pinch hit for Amarista in the top of the sixth inning because he wanted to preserve his average. If Nunez and Nowlin go 4-for-4 against Fort Wayne today, they would finish at .321.

If they go 3-for-4, Nunez would have an official batting average of .31896 and Nowlin .31884. Amarista's is .31865.

“He's the best player in this league,” Mosiello said. “He's played good top to bottom (this season) ... He deserves the batting title.”

The last Cedar Rapids batting champ was Los Angeles Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick in 2004. He hit .367 that season, winning despite not having the minimum number of at-bats required.

Midwest League rules at that time said a guy could win the batting crown if you added the number of at-bats he was under minimum and still had the top average. Now it is based on number of plate appearances per team game (2.7).

“It would be something to be proud of,” Amarista said through Lopez. “It'd be a great accomplishment because I've never done it in my professional career.”

A Midwest League postseason all-star, Amarista, 20, has been without question the Kernels' best player this season, ranking in the top five in the league in hits (152), doubles (39) and triples (10).