Kendrick takes over Midwest League batting lead with one game remaining
September 6, 2004 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa â Cedar Rapids second baseman Howie Kendrick could win a Midwest League batting title Monday when the Kernels close out the regular season against West Michigan.
Kendrick, who missed nearly two months with a groin injury, heads into Monday's game with a .369 batting average, but is 45 plate appearances shy of qualifying for the batting championship. However, according to the exception in Rule 10.23 in the baseball rule book (attached), Kendrick would win the title if his adjusted batting average â adding the number of plate appearances he is short of qualifying to his at-bats total â is better than the best qualifying average. Plate appearances are defined as at-bats plus bases on balls, times hit by pitcher, sacrifice hits, sacrifice flies and times awarded first base because of interference or obstruction. Kendrick's 333 plate appearances are 45 shy of the 378 necessary to automatically qualify for the championship.
Peoria's Brendan Ryan is listed as the league's official batting leader with a .322 average. However, if the 45 appearances he needs are added to his at-bats total, Kendrick edges ahead of Ryan by .0005 of a percentage point.
A check of Midwest League stats shows that Kendrick is the only player not to have qualified that has a chance to win the batting championship via the exception in Rule 10.23.
Here are the top contenders for the batting crown heading into Monday's regular season finales:
Kendrick (Cedar Rapids) .369 (114-309, 333 plate appearances).
Kendrick (adjusted, 0-45) .3220 (114-354)
Ryan (Peoria) .3215 (137-426)
Juan Francia (West Michigan) .320 (131-410)
Daric Barton (Peoria) .315 (97-308)
Kendrick had three hits Sunday and is 8-for-11 in the three-game series against West Michigan. Francia, who had four hits against the Kernels on Sunday, is 8-for-14 in the series.
Ryan had two hits Sunday against Beloit and is 5-for-12 in the series against the Snappers.
Midwest League Stories from September 6, 2004
- BC Yankees post 8th straight winning season - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
- Cougars beat the Lugnuts, 11 - 10 - Kane County Cougars
- 'Caps Claim Second Half Division Championship; 'Caps to faceLansing in First Round of playofffs - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Kernels drop finale - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Rottino Plays Every Position, Snappers Play Extras - Beloit Sky Carp
- Bees Finish Season on a High Note - Burlington Bees
- 'Caps Second Half Champs . . . Meet Lugnuts in Playoffs - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Rattler season ends with a loss - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Yankees end season with extra-inning loss - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
- Dragons End '04 Season with 7-4 11 Inning Win - Dayton Dragons
- Swing drop season finale, 2-1 - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Martinez sent to Provo - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Kane County vs. Peoria in Round 1 of MWL Playoffs - Kane County Cougars
- Kendrick takes over Midwest League batting lead with one game remaining - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Lugnuts get best of Cougars for third straight time - Lansing Lugnuts
- Tyler, DePaula and Sawatski combine on three-hitter - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Cougars lose to the Lugnuts, 5 - 1 - Kane County Cougars
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