NL NOTEBOOK
.364 at 36 Brings Chipper First Batting Title
Atlanta Braves' Chipper Jones tosses his bat on a walk in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008 in Houston. Jones secured his first NL batting title, hitting a career-high .364 to edge Albert Pujols and become the NL's first switch-hitting batting champion since Terry Pendleton won in his 1991 MVP season for Atlanta. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
(Pat Sullivan - AP)
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Chipper Jones walked in his only at-bat against Houston yesterday and earned his first National League batting title with a career-high .364 average.
Jones's average was the highest for an NL batting champ since Barry Bonds won with a .370 average in 2002. The 36-year-old Jones is the oldest switch-hitting batting champion ever.
Jones fell just shy of Mickey Mantle's season record for a switch hitter. Mantle batted .365 in 1957.
"When I was growing up, there were two guys that I wanted to be mentioned with, when I was done playing -- Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray," Jones said. "I'm starting to reach that kind of company now and I'm honored and humbled to be there."
· METS: Even though New York missed the playoffs, it appears Jerry Manuel will return as manager. A person familiar with Mets management discussions said there's a good chance Manuel will be brought back. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because a final decision had not been made.
· PHILLIES: Ace Cole Hamels will pitch Game 1 of the division series when the NL East champions open Wednesday at home against the Brewers. Manager Charlie Manuel said he was undecided about his Game 2 starter.
-- From News Services
