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leatherman
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While doing some research earlier today, I came across Melky's numbers for this season and noticed something of interest. Melky currently has 501 plate appearances this season. His 50 game suspension means that he won't be playing again this season.
In 1957, MLB established new rules for leading the league in rate stats. To qualify for the batting title, a player must have 3.1 plate appearances for each game his team plays. For a 162 game season, that equates to 502 PAs. However, in 1967 MLB amended the rule. They said that, if a player fell short of the necessary plate appearances, hitless at bats could be added to his numbers. This happened in 1996, when Tony Gwynn had 498 plate appearances, 4 short of the necessary 502. He batted .353 (159 for 451). However, if you add 4 hitless at bats to his number, he would have been 159 for 455, for a .349 batting average. As the next closest batter was .344 (Ellis Burks), Gwynn won the batting title. A similar thing happened in 2007, when Ryan Braun led the NL in slugging despite only 492 PAs. When 10 hitless ABs were added to his numbers, he still had a higher slugging percentage than the #2 hitter.
So, with 501 PAs this season, Melky is just 1 short of qualifying. Therefore, his official batting average for the season (to compete for the batting title) will still be .346 (.3457). He is currently 159 for 459 (.3464), but his rate will be calculated with 159 for 460.
Currently, Andrew McCutchen leads the NL (and all of MLB) with a .349 batting average, but should he slip a little, it is likely that he would lead the NL in batting, as the next closest player in the NL is Yadier Molina's .328. Yadi would have to bat around .430 the rest of the season to pass Melky, at this point.
So there you go. With Melky's batting average frozen at .3457, it's McCutchen's batting title to lose. Let's hope he can keep it above Melky's average for the rest of the season.
In 1957, MLB established new rules for leading the league in rate stats. To qualify for the batting title, a player must have 3.1 plate appearances for each game his team plays. For a 162 game season, that equates to 502 PAs. However, in 1967 MLB amended the rule. They said that, if a player fell short of the necessary plate appearances, hitless at bats could be added to his numbers. This happened in 1996, when Tony Gwynn had 498 plate appearances, 4 short of the necessary 502. He batted .353 (159 for 451). However, if you add 4 hitless at bats to his number, he would have been 159 for 455, for a .349 batting average. As the next closest batter was .344 (Ellis Burks), Gwynn won the batting title. A similar thing happened in 2007, when Ryan Braun led the NL in slugging despite only 492 PAs. When 10 hitless ABs were added to his numbers, he still had a higher slugging percentage than the #2 hitter.
So, with 501 PAs this season, Melky is just 1 short of qualifying. Therefore, his official batting average for the season (to compete for the batting title) will still be .346 (.3457). He is currently 159 for 459 (.3464), but his rate will be calculated with 159 for 460.
Currently, Andrew McCutchen leads the NL (and all of MLB) with a .349 batting average, but should he slip a little, it is likely that he would lead the NL in batting, as the next closest player in the NL is Yadier Molina's .328. Yadi would have to bat around .430 the rest of the season to pass Melky, at this point.
So there you go. With Melky's batting average frozen at .3457, it's McCutchen's batting title to lose. Let's hope he can keep it above Melky's average for the rest of the season.
