Rockies' Justin Morneau clinches NL batting title; sits out last two games

[El Supremo]

Lowest average since Tony Gwynn in 1988

LOS ANGELES — Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau has clinched the National League batting title, finishing the season with a .319 average.

Morneau did not play Saturday night and is not in the lineup again for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Dodgers. Manager Walt Weiss said it was his decision to sit Morneau in an effort to help secure the batting title.

The Pirates' Josh Harrison came into the day hitting .318, but he went 0-for-4 in Pittsburgh's 4-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Harrison finished with a .315 average. Teammate Andrew McCutchen went 1-for-3 to finish third with a .314 average.

Weiss and Morneau have been harshly criticized for Morneau's absence in the final two games, but Weiss stood firmly by his decision.

the rest at: http://www.denverpost.com/rockies/ci_26623287/rockies-justin-morneau-clinches-nl-batting-title-sits

[madinmaryland]

1. Who cares. The Pirates are in the playoffs and the Rockies are not. nuff said.

[bigwillq]

2. That's weak

If one admits he sat in an effort to secure batting title then it's a weak excuse.

[El Supremo]

3. What's weak is than nobody else could top .319.

The lousiest year for batting in my memory.

[JonLP24]

5. At-least he admits

The difference between .299 and .300 is a lot of money--we're obsessed w/ round numbers. If you have years where you finish .300 or higher jumps at ball clubs more than high .200s so there have been countless examples of people sitting out to preserve .300.

[El Supremo]

4. He got to pinch hit.

After he was guaranteed of the batting title. He grounded out.