.325 average (Hanley Ramirez leads at .347) 34 homers (9 up on 2nd place) 91 RBIs (5 up on Fielder, his only competition in this category) He is in the best position I have seen someone in at this stage of the season in quite a while. Based on the fact he has no challengers in the home run department and only 1 challenger in the RBI department, that is huge. Hanley Ramirez is a .314 career hitter (and that's figuring in his .347 thus far this season) and his best season is .332. Pujols has batted .359 and .357 as his best seasons. So there is history that he can get much higher than he currently stands. Pujols is 3rd overall, with Tejada 2nd at .329. Tejada will more than likely wilt in August and September, like he did last season with the Astros. Tejada is a career .289 hitter. Helton at .322 may pose more of a problem coming down the stretch. He has batted .370 before. Pablo Sandoval is currently batting right around .320 and could be an X factor. He is a great hitter but I also see him wilting in the late summer months in his first full year in the majors.
Derrick Lee was leading in all 3 categories in August a few years ago. Before him, I think Helton was the last to give it a run through the summer. It's just too hard. Pujols is great--better than the above two guys--but I don't think he'll make it.
I can't remember a year Helton was up there in home runs. I'd have to go back and look at DLee, but I am pretty sure he had a few people right behind him in each category. You have to admit with 2 of the three cats having very little competition, it's pretty interesting to see how this unfolds. We all know Pujols could ramp it up and bat over .340 easily. And if that happens, watch out.
had to look it up 2000 - Helton led the league with 147 RBI and .372 avg. but finish SEVENTH with 42 HRs. Next year he went .336 / 49 / 146 and didn't lead the league in any of the stats. Lee won the batting title in '05 hitting .335, 2nd in HR with 46, but only had 107 ribbies. I like Pujols' chances better than either of these two simply because the rest of league ain't where it was a few years back. Helton should have won it with numbers like he had in '00, but evrybody and their brother was hitting 40+ homers back then. Not the case anymore.
not only will he not fade much, he's a lock to win this. BA? please. thats his strong-point. hrs are locked up. rbi will be his challenge since fielder is a beast but the holliday trade just wrapped that up.
It was brought up, I remember there was a report by someone saying he was. He was on Jim Rome saying all the usual, "Never, not me, I play the right way"
no clue really wouldn't be shocked one way or the other in his defense, he did hit nearly twice as many homers at Coors than on the road that year, so he prolly wouldn't have touched those numbers if he played for someone else. what I am saying is that hitting over 40 homers and finishing as far back as 7th ain't happening as much as it did back then.
but ever since the steroid shyt hit the fan he has averaged about 20 homers or maybe even less way down from those gaudy numbers
