.319. With four games to go, Justin is still leading the batting title chase. #FinishStrong pic.twitter.com/WX2Nwu27oa
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) September 24, 2014
Former Twins first baseman Justin Morneau is pursuing his first batting title, as the season winds down.
Morneau, now plays first base for the Colorado Rockies. He went into Wednesday night’s game against San Diego leading the National League with his .319 batting average.
Morneau took the lead in the batting race with a 2-for-4 performance on Monday night to move ahead of a pair of his former teammates from late last season, Pittsburgh’s Josh Harrison and Andrew McCutcheon.
The Twins traded Morneau to Pittsburgh in 2013.
“Anybody who hasn’t won a World Series will tell you they’ll trade any personal accolade for a World Series ring,” Morneau told the Denver Post this week. “Obviously, it helps with the focus of the last week of the season. But I’m trying to not treat it any differently than I have all year.”
If Morneau were to hold on and win the batting title, he would become the second former Twins player to win a batting title with the Rockies in as many seasons. Michael Cuddyer, who played for the Twins from 2001 to 2011, won the 2013 National League batting title, with the Rockies while hitting .331.
Morneau has never won a batting title, he is a .281 lifetime hitter, but during his MVP season in 2006 with the Twins, Morenau hit .321.
When Justin Morneau won the MVP award in 2006 he hit .321 in 157 GP. This season he's hitting .318 in 130 GP, tied for 1st for NL BA.
— Ex Twins News (@ExTwinsNews) September 22, 2014
In 2010, Morneau was batting .345 through 81 games when concussions derailed his season.
Morneau has maintained friendships with some of his former teammates in Minnesota. But one of his best friends – a batting title winner in his own right – Joe Mauer, said he hasn’t spoken to Morneau recently.
“I don’t want to mess up his mojo,” Mauer told the Pioneer Press. “He’s a very superstitious guy, so I’m going to leave him alone for another week or so.”
