Quote:
Originally Posted by tedzan
Mark
The criteria for At Bats (AB's) is 400 for a batter's Batting Average to qualify as leader in this stat. This ruling has been established many, many years ago. You cannot in all respects
argue that a batter with less than 400 AB's (or less than 200, etc., etc. AB's) should be considered a leader in this category. The undeniable nature of this great game is such.... that
as your AB's increase, invariably your BA will decrease (as the season progresses).
Unless, of course, your name is Ted Williams.
Hugh Duffy in 1894 batted .440 with 616 Plate Appearances (237 Hits)....do you realize what an achievement that is ? It is absolutely amazing.
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Yes I realize it. I'm well aware that it's a lot harder to hit for high average with 616 PA than with a third of that.
From the Baseball Rules Academy:
https://baseballrulesacademy.com/off...championships/
9.22 Minimum Standards for Individual Championships
To assure uniformity in establishing the batting, pitching and fielding championships of professional leagues, such champions shall meet the following minimum performance standards:
(a) The individual batting, slugging or on-base percentage champion shall be the player with the highest batting average, slugging percentage or on-base percentage, as the case may be, provided the player is credited with as many or more total appearances at the plate in league championship games as the number of games scheduled for each Club in his Club’s league that season, multiplied by 3.1 in the case of a Major League player and by 2.7 in the case of a National Association player. Total appearances at the plate shall include official times at bat, plus bases on balls, times hit by pitcher, sacrifice hits, sacrifice flies and times awarded first base because of interference or obstruction. Notwithstanding the foregoing requirement of minimum appearances at the plate, any player with fewer than the required number of plate appearances whose average would be the highest, if he were charged with the required number of plate appearances shall be awarded the batting, slugging or on-base percentage championship, as the case may be.
Ted, your argument is not with me. I'm just pointing out the rule, and the fact MLB has decided to "integrate" Negro League stats into the Major Leagues. These 2 things combine to bump Duffy's great performance down to 4th place:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...ovq-story.html
The modern-day single-season record was held by the Philadelphia Athletics’ Nap Lajoie, who hit .427 in 1901, the AL’s inaugural season. The all-time record belonged to the Boston Beaneaters’ Hugh Duffy, who hit .440 in 1894. But now Duffy is fourth behind three Negro Leaguers — Vargas, Gibson and Charlie Smith (.451 in 1929). Lajoie’s 1901 record also fell, as he dropped from first in the modern era to ninth.
Move over, guys.
I didn't make the rules, and I didn't re-write them. If you don't like MLB's decision to integrate NL stats, again, your argument isn't with me - it's with them. And by the way, there were Major League Batting Champions last year, who had far fewer AB than the 400 number you gave.