Albert Pujols

Pujols has a real shot at the triple crown this year. And it's been sort of a down year for him too, at least AVG-wise. I don't remember anyone being this close this late in the year since I started following baseball in the 80's. It's getting towards the end of August and he's in the lead or tied in HR and RBI and only 8 points away in AVG and he's having a surge right now. He could really do it this year.

[Albert Pujols]

I live in Atlanta and have been pulling for AP to get the TC for years. 

Here is town Omar Infante is having a great season but was been mostly used as a back-up utility guy until Chipper went down.  The broadcasters mentioned the other night that if Infante leads the league in average at the season's end, but does not have enough official at bats to qualify for the batting title (502), MLB has the option to presume he goes 0 for X and extrapolate his average. If he still has the highest average after the calculation, they'll give him the title.

Can you imagine if Infante wins the title w/o enough official at bats and keeps AP from the Triple Crown? OMG. Baseball fans around the globe would flip out.

First Infante gets hammered for being selected as utility guy to the All-Star game. Then gets awarded the title on a technical computation instead of on the field!  He'd be the most hated guy in baseball through no fault of his own!

Can you imagine if Infante wins the title w/o enough official at bats and keeps AP from the Triple Crown? OMG. Baseball fans around the globe would flip out. It could happen, but isn't likely.

Assuming Infante keeps his current average for the rest of the games of the season, he'd finish with 457 AB's, he'd have 159 Hits. Add in the missing 45 AB, he'll finish with 159 Hits in 502 AB's, which brings him to an average of .316, and Albert Pujols has an average of .322. I assumed Infante gets 3.5 AB/Game finishing out the full 36 games left in the season. He's need to raise his average even more, and it's likely Pujols will hit a hot streak before the season's done and finish with a .330 average.

That's good!

Quote of note
"I talked to an advance scout that told me if Joey Votto and Albert Pujols were on the same team he'd advise his team to do the unthinkable...pitch around Votto to get to Pujols."--Buster Olney, ESPN

Joey Votto just extended his lead in batting average last night after going 4-7. He is now 7 points ahead of Pujols.

Votto also belter 2 HRs and 4 RBI, to pull within 2 in each category.

Oh, and Votto has 30 few ABs than Pujols.

Votto is ahead of Pujols in average, OBP, SLG, OPS, and runs.

Sorry folks, the best candidate for Triple Crown and MVP is the Reds' Joey Votto.

**
Votto also BELTED 2 HRs and 4 RBI...

(is what I meant to say).

I hope this guy stays healthy because he could put up some great career numbers. He is so consistant...35-40 homeruns a year, over 100 RBI, and a .330 BA....The guy is a superstar if there ever was one!

Assuming Infante keeps his current average for the rest of the games of the season, he'd finish with 457 AB'sEhhh.. your average on how many AB's he'd finish with is slightly off I think.   His "AB per game" average is messed up because although he's played in 99 games this year, he's only started probably 2/3 of those.

In the month of August, he's started every game and he's gotten 105 ABs in 24 games, that's 4.375 AB per game.

If you average that out over the Braves remaining 35 games, that's 153 more AB's, giving him 479.  Now add in the additional 23 AB's to get him to 502 and let's estimate what he would need to hit for the rest of the year to win, with an 0 for 23 factored at the end.

Currently, Votto leads the NL in batting average at .326 among qualified players.

For simplicity, let's say .330 wins the batting title at year's end.

.330 average with 502 at bats is 166 hits.

Currently, Omar has 113 in 326 at bats.  Now, he only has roughly 153 AB's left, but he's gonna be treated like he has 176 after factoring in around an 0 for 23 to end the year.

So he needs 53 more hits in the next 35 games... roughly 153 AB's to have a shot at the batting title AFTER you factor the 0 for 23.

He's gotta hit .346 for the rest of the year to accomplish that.  Currently, he's hitting .347 on the year.  If he sits any games, or his AB per game average drops below 4.375, he'll have to hit higher than that. 

So I think it's doubtful, but it is not out of the realm of possibility.  It becomes MUCH more likely if Pujols and Votto's averages end around the .320 range rather than .330

The guy is amazing. Looking at his career numbers (so far), he will go down as one of the greatest hitters ever. I thought a few years ago he had a big problem with the elbow, but the guy played through it. I'm not a Cards fan, but I'll root for Pujols.

I wouldn't sit Pujols if he retired. He's a must start even then.

Pujols=PED's

I agree.  The useless bud selig nneded a face to save baseball after he pretendted not to know about steroids while the $$$ was rolling in.  Bud is dirty and always will be hence he allows pujols to go untouched as the new face of baseball.  Afraud was that guy until he was turned upside down.   Looks like Jim Thome has been talking to frud's cuz also.

jezz h xmas look at that lovely spelling.  lol,  bartender another round!

why are all my players not playing much this week this is 2 days in a row ruiz, pujols and werth havent played and im in the championship game and these guys are my heavy hitters this is bull!!!!!!!!!!

Teams who have already qualified for playoffs and secured their spot will rest their starters.

No reason to rest pujols, with only 2 games left he should have played. Give the fans that are still coming to the park their money's worth. I can't stand the fact however that our championship is in final week, between the 2 of us we lost 6 pitcher starts due to clinching and shelving.

i cant say anything about this guy that hasnt already been said. hes the greatest. i was at the cards final game of the year and when pujols walked off the field for the last time of his current contract the whole stadium stood up and gave the biggest ovation a player could have asked for. anybody in st. louis would and should take a bullet for this guy and he deserves every penny the cardinals are going to offer him next year. go break more records pujols! i hope you have a long and healthy career as a cardinal!!!!

Yup, best player in baseball, period.

E-Mack is no longer with CBSSports for anyone that didn't know.

Pujols in his worst year is still better than anyone else in the league. .312,42,118.426, plus a Gold Glove, who can compete with that?