Altuve 0-4 = .337.8 0-3 = .338.4 0-2 = .338.9 1-4 = .339.3 0-1 = .339.4 2-4 = .340.9 Martinez 1-1 = .338.1 2-4 = .338.1 2-3 = .338.7 3-4 = .339.9 3-3 = .340.5 Theoretically he could take his first AB, and Martinez would still need a 3 hit day to pass him.
Haven't been able to watch the games (damn you, Comcast), but based on the box scores alone, it seems like Altuve is trying way too hard to get hits. Has anyone who can watch the games noticed this? Swinging at really bad pitches?
Why would Altuve ever sit, though? The guy is a major competitor. He wants to try to win the batting title playing as many games as possible. He's not Jose Reyes. It is what it is.
I wouldn't say he's been swinging at really bad pitches, but it appears that taking a walk is even further in the back of his mind than it normally is. It seems like he's pressing, but there have also been 3 or 4 tough-luck outs on hard hit balls the past few games. He also attempted a bunt with 2 outs and a man on 2nd last night.
Altuve sits with title on the line Jose not in the lineup today. I would guess this is management's decision, and to be honest I hope it is. Jose sure don't seem like the kind of guy who would ask to sit so he has a better chance to be the batting champ. In the end, no matter what happens today or who decided he should sit, it was a heck of a season and he is a huge part of our bright future around here. But dang I sure wanted to see him go out and get a couple of hits today and celebrate the batting title on the field
Regardless of the "why"... he's been scuffling as of late, he's played a TON of games, he's been pressing, and he was overdue to have a day off. He's put himself in position to win the battle title by being excellent all season...and if Martinez goes 4-5 or 5-5 (whatever he needs to do to win it with Altuve sitting), more power to him.
If he wins the batting title it's because he's been excellent ALL SEASON, not just the last week (or last day) of the season. And, as it is, he's mired in his worst stretch of the season at the plate in large part due to fatigue, pressing, or just being overdue for a day off.
With all due respect Nick, "overdue for a day off"....on the last day of the season? I'm just very disappointed in the decision regardless of who made it. It will be great to have a batting champ I suppose, but i'm not all that in to watching someone celebrate in the dugout I guess. Or in the lockerroom. Was excited to watch the game today mainly to watch him win the title, now it'll probably just be a football day
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Lovely “<a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart">@brianmctaggart</a>: Altuve said he was told he wasn't playing in a meeting with manager, GM "and three other people I don't know."”</p>— Alyson Footer (@alysonfooter) <a href="https://twitter.com/alysonfooter/status/516247679366471680">September 28, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I agree... I would have rather had him rest yesterday. See above post... sounds more and more like its simply to ensure the batting title. One last Luhnow move for 2014 that irks everybody and gets 18 articles written about it...
Yea, luhnow probably wants the batting title to come from the team as some sort of organizational prize. Glad it wasn't Jose's decision, certainly didn't seem like the kind of thing he would want to do. Obviously I don't know him, but he comes across as a great competitor
I meant it in the context of him resting at any point this last week. I'm on record saying I'd have liked to see him rest yesterday... and then go out and play rested today. You gotta admit he's been scuffling... if he plays, and has another 0-4 or 1-4, is that him really "winning" the batting title by playing? Its not... its simply him being ahead by enough thanks to his tremendous season, not whether or not he plays the last game.
Well, the 0-4 yesterday led to today's move. Altuve could have put this out of reach by not scuffling/pressing/going through his worst stretch at the plate all season.... and maybe the team could have helped him out by resting him prior to today to not have this move be questioned.
