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The AL Wild Card Race (eventually won by the Tampa Bay Rays) wasn’t the only thing decided on the final day of the 2011 MLB Season. The batting title in the NL went to Jose Reyes, the first Mets player in history to lead the league in batting average with a .337 to Ryan Braun’s .332. Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers won the AL batting title with .344.
Reyes went into the final day with a .336 average. Reyes used a bunt in the first inning of the Mets’ outing against the Reds (3-0 for the New York Mets). Reyes got booed by his home fans, as the player will probably opt out of his contract after the World Series. Reyes – It was kind of tough. I want to stay in the game. They have to understand, too, what’s going on. They have to feel happy about it if I win the battling title.
Braun, who started his game knowing he needs to go 3-4 to win the battin title couldn’t get a hit, finishing his season with a .332, a career best and the fourth time in his five year career over .300. He also finished with 33 home runs and 111 RBIs. I’m not going to judge him. I respect whatever decision he decided to make. I’m a little disappointed, of course, but the chances of actually going 3-for-4 weren’t likely.
Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays finished the season with 43 home runs, winning his second consecutive AL Home run title (he hit 54 last season). Curtis Granderson of the New York Yankees with a career high of 41 home runs finished second. Granderson led the AL in RBIs, by far his best output of his career with 119. Teammate Robinson Cano finished just behind with 118. I’m betting on Granderson for AL MVP.
In the NL, Matt Kemp, who had a real shot of winning the first Triple Crown winner since 1967, led the league in Home Runs (39, a career high) and in RBIs with 126, a Major League best.
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[…] Reyes exits after first hit to win batting titleLexington Herald LeaderNew York Post -Sportige -New York Timesall 1,869 news […]