Can Joey Votto still win the batting title?

The answer is yes, but it would be extremely difficult thanks to the minimum of 502 plate appearances.  With Melky Cabrera now disqualified, Votto's chances have improved.

Currently, Votto has 426 PAs.  If you finish with less than 502, you can still win the batting title as long as the addition of the necessary PAs, in the form of hitless at-bats, still gives you a high enough average.  This is according to MLB rule 10.22(a).

So let's calculate his current "effective" average.

Joey has 116 hits in 339 at-bats, for a true average of .342 (behind only the now-disqualified Melky Cabrera)

However, you have to currently add 76 imaginary, hitless at-bats (to bring him from 426 to 502 PAs).

So Votto's "effective" average is only .280 (116 hits in 415 ABs).

For the remainder of the season, two things can help him dramatically raise that effective average:

- HITS (obviously)

- BB, HBP, SF, etc... (any PA that doesn't count as an AB)

Hits will help improve the numerator of his "effective" average, which currently sits at 116.

The non-AB PAs will help reduce, thereby improving, the denominator which is currently 415.



So now we can discuss the sort of average Joey might finish with.  There are only 12 games remaining.  We might expect him to perform roughly the same way he has over the past 12 games (keeping in mind that he likely won't even play in a couple of them, and certainly won't START all 12).

If Votto matches his production from the previous 12, he would accumulate 12 more hits and 14 more PAs which do not count as ABs.

Add the 12 hits to the current 116 = 128

Subtract the 14 non-AB PAs from the current 415 effective ABs = 401

Divide 128 by 401...


The effective average would be .319 - very good, but almost certainly not good enough to beat McCutchen (sitting at .339) or Posey (.335).

Let's say JDV really goes crazy and gets 18 hits and the same 14 non-AB PAs over the final 12 games.  

Add the 18 to the current 116 hits = 134

Subtract the 14 non-AB PAs from the current 415 effective ABs = 401

134/401 = .334, which would definitely put him in contention.

So in conclusion...there is still a possibility, but it's a very slim possibility.  And I think we'd all rather have a healthy Joey in the playoffs than worry about him pushing for personal distinction.  Stand-up guy that he is, Votto would be the first to agree.