Baseball Question

[Rondoholic]

I can't believe I am trying to research the answer to a question that involves a Yankee but I was looking at Xavier Nady's stats the other day because I picked him up at the deadline in my fantasy league and I noticed that his total batting average for the season is .328 which would rank him first in the American League.  Now, because he spent the first half of the season in the NL, would he be eligible for AL batting champ or NL batting champ (although he wouldn't be the leader in the NL) or neither?

In addition, Mike Aviles of the Royals is batting .333 on the season but I don't think he has enough ABs to qualify for the batting title.  Thus, Joe Mauer is listed at the top of the AL leaders for BA.  Does anyone know the minimum ABs necessary to qualify?

So in conclusion...
Is Nady eligible for AL batting champ?
How many ABs are required to become eligible for this award?

TP to anyone who knows either answer or both!

[Chris]

Not sure what the minimum at bats are (I am also curius what the minimum innings requirement is to qualify for the ERA title), but I am pretty sure that Nady wouldn't be able to win the batting title in either league, because he won't meet the minimum at bats.

[Donoghus]

In agreement with Chris, I seriously doubt he'd get near the minimum at bats required to win the batting crown.  Stats get wiped out to 0 once you change leagues.  Stupid these days considering the implementation of interleague play.

[Roy Hobbs]

You need 502 plate appearances for a batting title.  Nady only had 400 plate appearances in Pittsburgh, so he's not eligible.

It *is* possible to win a batting title in one league after being traded to another one, though.  This happened with Willie McGee back in 1990, when he led the N.L. in batting average when he was traded.  There, he *did* have enough plate appearances to qualify, so he won the title.  The funny thing there was, he actually finished the season with a lower batting average overall (.324) than the second place finisher in the N.L. (Eddie Murray, with .330).  McGee had hit .335 in the N.L., though, so he won their title.

[Redz]

I believe you need 162 IPs to qualify for the ERA totle, but I'm not certain on that one.

The Willie McGee story reminded me of the 1981 Reds who had the best record in their division for the season but didn't make the playoffs!

[crownsy]

You need 502 plate appearances for a batting title.  Nady only had 400 plate appearances in Pittsburgh, so he's not eligible.

It *is* possible to win a batting title in one league after being traded to another one, though.  This happened with Willie McGee back in 1990, when he led the N.L. in batting average when he was traded.  There, he *did* have enough plate appearances to qualify, so he won the title.  The funny thing there was, he actually finished the season with a lower batting average overall (.324) than the second place finisher in the N.L. (Eddie Murray, with .330).  McGee had hit .335 in the N.L., though, so he won their title.

nady has a very slim chance then. he'd need to start 28 games and get 4 AB's a game.

and of course, keep hitting at his pace. neither likely.

[Roy Hobbs]

The Willie McGee story reminded me of the 1981 Reds who had the best record in their division for the season but didn't make the playoffs!

Yeah?  How did that work?  (Without me having to look it up.)  Sounds fascinating.

[Roy Hobbs]

You need 502 plate appearances for a batting title.  Nady only had 400 plate appearances in Pittsburgh, so he's not eligible.

It *is* possible to win a batting title in one league after being traded to another one, though.  This happened with Willie McGee back in 1990, when he led the N.L. in batting average when he was traded.  There, he *did* have enough plate appearances to qualify, so he won the title.  The funny thing there was, he actually finished the season with a lower batting average overall (.324) than the second place finisher in the N.L. (Eddie Murray, with .330).  McGee had hit .335 in the N.L., though, so he won their title.

nady has a very slim chance then. he'd need to start 28 games and get 4 AB's a game.

and of course, keep hitting at his pace. neither likely.

They'd have to be National League plate appearances (rather than at bats) to be eligible for the National League batting title, though.

[Donoghus]

The Willie McGee story reminded me of the 1981 Reds who had the best record in their division for the season but didn't make the playoffs!

Yeah?  How did that work?  (Without me having to look it up.)  Sounds fascinating.

Player's Stike of '81.  The season was divided into two halves.  There were divisional playoffs that year.  The 1st half leader would face the 2nd half leader with the winner advancing to the LCS.  So it was possible to have the best record for the entire season yet not win your division either half, thus missing the playoffs.

[nickagneta]

The Willie McGee story reminded me of the 1981 Reds who had the best record in their division for the season but didn't make the playoffs!

Yeah?  How did that work?  (Without me having to look it up.)  Sounds fascinating.

Player's Stike of '81.  The season was divided into two halves.  There were divisional playoffs that year.  The 1st half leader would face the 2nd half leader with the winner advancing to the LCS.  So it was possible to have the best record for the entire season yet not win your division either half, thus missing the playoffs.

Didn't that happen to Montreal that year?

[crownsy]

You need 502 plate appearances for a batting title.  Nady only had 400 plate appearances in Pittsburgh, so he's not eligible.

It *is* possible to win a batting title in one league after being traded to another one, though.  This happened with Willie McGee back in 1990, when he led the N.L. in batting average when he was traded.  There, he *did* have enough plate appearances to qualify, so he won the title.  The funny thing there was, he actually finished the season with a lower batting average overall (.324) than the second place finisher in the N.L. (Eddie Murray, with .330).  McGee had hit .335 in the N.L., though, so he won their title.

nady has a very slim chance then. he'd need to start 28 games and get 4 AB's a game.

and of course, keep hitting at his pace. neither likely.

They'd have to be National League plate appearances (rather than at bats) to be eligible for the National League batting title, though.

ohhh, i see, so its not a total abat thing, its an at bat's in the certain league thing.

gotcha now.

[Redz]

The Willie McGee story reminded me of the 1981 Reds who had the best record in their division for the season but didn't make the playoffs!

Yeah?  How did that work?  (Without me having to look it up.)  Sounds fascinating.

Player's Stike of '81.  The season was divided into two halves.  There were divisional playoffs that year.  The 1st half leader would face the 2nd half leader with the winner advancing to the LCS.  So it was possible to have the best record for the entire season yet not win your division either half, thus missing the playoffs.

yup

my other favorite oddity of that season was the 4 way tie for the AL Home Run lead at 22.

Can anyone name the 4 guys?

[Donoghus]

The Willie McGee story reminded me of the 1981 Reds who had the best record in their division for the season but didn't make the playoffs!

Yeah?  How did that work?  (Without me having to look it up.)  Sounds fascinating.

Player's Stike of '81.  The season was divided into two halves.  There were divisional playoffs that year.  The 1st half leader would face the 2nd half leader with the winner advancing to the LCS.  So it was possible to have the best record for the entire season yet not win your division either half, thus missing the playoffs.

Didn't that happen to Montreal that year?

I think they made the NLCS that season and lost to the Dodgers in 5 games.  (Back then the LCS' were only best of five)

Pretty sure Montreal had the best record in baseball in '94 before the league went on strike and wiped out the rest of the season and playoffs.  Then the Expos started dismantling that team in the off-season that that organization was never the same.

[Redz]

The Willie McGee story reminded me of the 1981 Reds who had the best record in their division for the season but didn't make the playoffs!

Yeah?  How did that work?  (Without me having to look it up.)  Sounds fascinating.

Player's Stike of '81.  The season was divided into two halves.  There were divisional playoffs that year.  The 1st half leader would face the 2nd half leader with the winner advancing to the LCS.  So it was possible to have the best record for the entire season yet not win your division either half, thus missing the playoffs.

Didn't that happen to Montreal that year?

Nope.  Montreal actually made the playoffs that year (the only time)...They got screwed in `94 when they had they're best team ever.

[nickagneta]

The Willie McGee story reminded me of the 1981 Reds who had the best record in their division for the season but didn't make the playoffs!

Yeah?  How did that work?  (Without me having to look it up.)  Sounds fascinating.

Player's Stike of '81.  The season was divided into two halves.  There were divisional playoffs that year.  The 1st half leader would face the 2nd half leader with the winner advancing to the LCS.  So it was possible to have the best record for the entire season yet not win your division either half, thus missing the playoffs.

Didn't that happen to Montreal that year?

Nope.  Montreal actually made the playoffs that year (the only time)...They got screwed in `94 when they had they're best team ever.

I remember they got screwed like that one year. TP for the trivia knowledge.