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[QUOTE]Major League Baseball is poised to strip the 2012 National League batting title from Melky Cabrera after the suspended San Francisco Giants outfielder requested that his name be removed from consideration for the distinction.
A union official with knowledge of the agreement confirmed to USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale that Cabrera removed himself from consideration from the award, thanks to an unprecedented one-time agreement between MLB and the players' association. They agreed that a rule that enables Cabrera to win the title despite his season ending one plate appearance shy of qualification will be amended, and he will be ineligible for the award.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was not yet announced.
Cabrera's request to remove himself from batting-title consideration was first reported by CSN Bay Area.
Cabrera, hitting .346 when he was suspended Aug. 15 for a positive testosterone test, was in line to win the title thanks to rule 10.22(a), which would deduct points from his average until he had the requisite 502 plate appearances. Since he was one plate appearance shy of qualifying, his average, rounded up, would remain at .346
Instead, Cabrera requested, and was granted, to be removed from batting title consideration.
Said Cabrera in a statement provided to CSN Bay Area: "I am grateful that the Players Association and MLB were able to honor my request. I know that changing the rules midseason can present problems, and I thank the Players Association and MLB for finding a way to grant my request."
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen (.339) and Cabrera's Giants teammate, Buster Posey (.335) now are poised to claim the title.[Quote]
A union official with knowledge of the agreement confirmed to USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale that Cabrera removed himself from consideration from the award, thanks to an unprecedented one-time agreement between MLB and the players' association. They agreed that a rule that enables Cabrera to win the title despite his season ending one plate appearance shy of qualification will be amended, and he will be ineligible for the award.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was not yet announced.
Cabrera's request to remove himself from batting-title consideration was first reported by CSN Bay Area.
Cabrera, hitting .346 when he was suspended Aug. 15 for a positive testosterone test, was in line to win the title thanks to rule 10.22(a), which would deduct points from his average until he had the requisite 502 plate appearances. Since he was one plate appearance shy of qualifying, his average, rounded up, would remain at .346
Instead, Cabrera requested, and was granted, to be removed from batting title consideration.
Said Cabrera in a statement provided to CSN Bay Area: "I am grateful that the Players Association and MLB were able to honor my request. I know that changing the rules midseason can present problems, and I thank the Players Association and MLB for finding a way to grant my request."
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen (.339) and Cabrera's Giants teammate, Buster Posey (.335) now are poised to claim the title.[Quote]
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