.400

[Half Massed]

I don't think it'll happen any time soon. A really good contact hitter with a low number of ABs would have the only chance.

[pokerplaya]

I brought a similar thread up preseason. I said Ichiro would have the best shot, but most agreed that it wasn't very likely. Bonds in his prime had a shot, and if Ichiro ever learned to walk half as much as Bonds he'd have a shot as well. That said, it's not happening anytime soon.

[irishdude103]

I personally thought Ichiro could do it his 2nd season in the league, but it feels like he has lost a lot of steam and the pitchers are finding out how to pitch to him. Plus he barely hit over 300 this season, 302 if i am not mistaken.

[SaintsOfTheDiamond]

If Pujols took more walks (he's gone 69, 72, 79, 84, 97 so far so that's a good trend) he's the only type of guy who could do it. It's going to have to be a power hitter who already comes in with ~40 or so guranteed hits and can walk 100-150 times a year because no one can stay hot enough all season to hit their way there (Lee this season, and Ichiro post AS break in '04).

[KaiserSoze]

Ichiro hit .429 for half a season. That is pretty ridiculous. If he does that again, but in the first half of a season instead of the second half, it would be reachable for sure.


Btw, these are his 2nd half 2004 stats:

G: 76
AB: 333
AVG: .429

[slomo007]

If Pujols took more walks (he's gone 69, 72, 79, 84, 97 so far so that's a good trend) he's the only type of guy who could do it. It's going to have to be a power hitter who already comes in with ~40 or so guranteed hits and can walk 100-150 times a year because no one can stay hot enough all season to hit their way there (Lee this season, and Ichiro post AS break in '04).

I agree that it will have to be someone with decent power...but I don't think it will have to be a 40 HR hitter. I think speed is more important than power when it comes to hitting for a high avg. A pure power hitter like Pujols in his prime may actually get walked too much to qualify for the record. I don't think there are any players with the ability to do it at the moment. Ichiro has the best shot, IMO...but it's still a very slim chance. It will take a player like Bonds (back when he was a 40/40 player) on a team with another player like Pujols batting behind him to protect him.

[Tavish]

A pure power hitter like Pujols in his prime may actually get walked too much to qualify for the record.

The qualification is based on plate appearances.

[slomo007]

A pure power hitter like Pujols in his prime may actually get walked too much to qualify for the record.

The qualification is based on plate appearances.

Thanks, didn't realize that. I guess I am thinking of the batting titles.

[HOOTIE]

Ichiro hit .429 for half a season. That is pretty ridiculous. If he does that again, but in the first half of a season instead of the second half, it would be reachable for sure.


Btw, these are his 2nd half 2004 stats:

G: 76
AB: 333
AVG: .429

Pretty unlikely he does it again. He could, but the odds, and his past hit rate %, suggests the 04 2nd half was a huge aberration. He had a 46% hit rate the 2nd half, way off his yearly totals of 39/37/35/33/ and 40 for 04. Frankly, i would be surprised to see him hit .360 again.

.400 may be out of reach, simply because of the daily media coverage it would have the last month.

[Tavish]

A pure power hitter like Pujols in his prime may actually get walked too much to qualify for the record.

The qualification is based on plate appearances.

Thanks, didn't realize that. I guess I am thinking of the batting titles.

Nope, not sure if there are any titles based on ABs.