TAVERAS WINS MIDWEST LEAGUE BATTING TITLE
Taveras, 19, hit .386 for the River Bandits but only had 347 plate appearances, 31 shy of the number initially required to qualify. Because of Rule 10.22(a)*, his adjusted numbers resulted in qualification for the title. His adjusted stats are: 383 plate appearances, 346 at bats, 119 hits and an average of .351.
The talented outfielder was twice named the Midwest League Player of the Week. The first occasion was July 11-17 when he hit .600 over six games. The other instance was August 22-28 when he hit at a .581 clip for the week. The Cardinals also named him organizational Player of the Month for July after he hit .402 with 3 home runs and 27 RBI.
The left-handed hitting outfielder signed with the Cardinals organization out of the Dominican Republic in 2008. He was rated as the Cardinals #24 prospect according to Baseball America at the start of the season.
MLBAM is the official statistician for Minor League Baseball and makes the adjustments for specific players who, by rule, qualify as the leaders in specific categories.
UP NEXT: The River Bandits swept the Clinton LumberKings to advance to the Semifinals of the 2011 Midwest League Playoffs. The River Bandits will host Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3 at Modern Woodmen Park on Sunday, September 11 and Monday, September 12. Ticket prices for postseason games remain the same as regular season tickets. Playoff tickets can be purchased online, in person or by phone at (563) 3-BANDIT. Regular season group rates still apply for postseason games. Call a River Bandits group representative to lock-in your group night with playoff flavor.
ABOUT THE BANDITS: After three years of ballpark improvements, the River Bandits and the City of Davenport have just unveiled some of the most impressive enhancements to Modern Woodmen Park yet. A brand new, state of the art, high definition 20' x 35' video board went live on June 7 and the newly enclosed glass Sky Deck on the suite level of Modern Woodmen Park was just completed last month. Those improvements, in addition to new flood protection, a new front plaza, and a new parking lot directly across the street from the ballpark, are quickly making Modern Woodmen Park one of the premier facilities in all of Minor League Baseball.
* 10.22 Minimum Standards For Individual Championships
To assure uniformity in establishing the batting, pitching and fielding championships of professional leagues, such champions shall meet the following minimum performance standards:
(a) The individual batting, slugging or on-base percentage champion shall be the player with the highest batting average, slugging percentage or on-base percentage, as the case may be, provided the player is credited with as many or more total appearances at the plate in league championship games as the number of games scheduled for each club in his club's league that season, multiplied by 3.1 in the case of a Major League player and by 2.7 in the case of a National Association player. Total appearances at the plate shall include official times at bat, plus bases on balls, times hit by pitcher, sacrifice hits, sacrifice flies and times awarded first base because of interference or obstruction. Notwithstanding the foregoing requirement of minimum appearances at the plate, any player with fewer than the required number of plate appearances whose average would be the highest, if he were charged with the required number of plate appearances shall be awarded the batting, slugging or on-base percentage championship, as the case may be.