He kills lefties, and Jon Niese starts tomorrow, and then you've got a rookie & ancient Bartolo Colon.
That's such a wildly disconnected hypothetical, though. Resting Altuve for the postseason has tremendous merit; resting Altuve specifically - and only - because you want him to win a batting title... Let me ask you this: which would make you prouder? Altuve sitting and winning the title? Or Altuve collecting 4-5 more hits this weekend and running away with it? Ted Williams didn't sit on .406 because, ah - he's done enough... he went out and played every last game and earned it.
I wouldn't feel differently. If Altuve has a higher batting average than Martinez while having substantially more ABs, I feel he's earned it.
As with any record, in 3 years people will only remember who was the batting champion, not how that person obtained it. If Astros/Altuve wants the distinction and resting him is the way to get it, then they should rest him. He will go down in baseball history as the 2014 batting champion, while he will go down for the next few weeks as a guy who may have an asterisk by his title.
Did it occur to those that are in the "sit him to preserve the lead" camp that Jose Altuve, by all accounts, is a fierce competitor, and more than likely WANTS to play all of the remaining games? If that is the case, then it really doesn't matter if it is a good strategy or not, or if it is cowardly or not. If the man wants to play, you let him suit up and let his play determine the outcome. He's earned that right, and it should add for some exciting at bats between he and V-Mart these last few games.
I don't know if there's a right/wrong answer - but people still talk about Ted Williams earning .400; they still talk about Brett Favre laying down for Michael Strahan... Jose Altuve's profile likely isn't large enough, nor are batting titles *that* significant, for this to have legs. It's ultimately up to each and every individual to process and react to the decision; me, personally - I'd find it cheap. Happy for him, and good for the organization - but cheap nonetheless.
I was going to say that exact same thing. The Strahan one thing felt so fake, and I absolutely remember it well after it happened. I'd far prefer Altuve take his AB's and go win this thing.
Who talks about Ted Williams earning .400? If I've heard about it before, I've forgotten it. Who talks about Strahan's record sack? I forgot all about it. Is anybody talking about Manning's lateral? A controversy I can remember. Of course, those are all-time achievements, not anything else.
The equivalent of Strahan would be if the opposing pitcher decided to groove some pitches to Altuve in order for him to get hits for the batting title. It's not the same, at all.
Certainly not a perfect analogy, I grant you. If you're asking my preference though...I prefer to see Altuve take at bats, get hits and win the title that way as opposed to sitting out a series at the end of the season for no other reason than to be able to claim a statistical accomplishment.
Uhm... Ok. Ted Williams' .406 is one of baseball's most iconic milestones and Williams' refusal to sit a doubleheader on the season's final days, while hitting .3996, one of its most revered stories. Let's strike "talk" (my bad) and replace with "remember" - people absolutely remember that Strahan achieved the record with an obvious laydown. It's not talked about, generally, no - but when his record is mentioned? People remember.
Here is another thing to consider. Detroit has magic number of 2. If Detroit wins today and the Royals lose, then Detroit will win the division. They also have no chance of catching the other division winners. In that scenario, would Detroit sit V. Martinez for a day or two to end the season if say the gap is greater the .005? It may be much closer than that though as V Mart is batting .396 this month and .406 against I still say you sit Altuve today and then play him the final two games.
Being the last to hit .400 is historic. Baseball fans know Ted Williams was the last to do it, but beyond that? Go ask a group of people who won the NL & AL batting titles last season.
The net result would be the same, though: a milestone was achieved passively. I would absolutely tear the clubhouse apart if my manager sat me so I could win a batting title. It cheapens the milestone; it cheapens the team by putting an individual accomplishment above team goals - I would hate it. I'm guessing Altuve would, as well. (or, at least, I'd hope he would.)
So your point is that it's relatively insignificant, generally speaking? I don't disagree but then it begs the question of why you'd go out of your way to ensure he'd win it.
I don't think it matters if he sits. It won't be tainted. But now it may be too close for him to sit.
Because it is nice to win a batting title. It isn't historically significant to a sport that has lots of great history, but it matters to the few Astros fans left, and towards the player's individual accomplishments. Sitting him out won't ensure anything, it will make it tougher, but Martinez could still get there on his own merit.
