Batting crown is Freddy-made

By Rob Rossi
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, October 2, 2006

A game of pingpong helped Freddy Sanchez win the National League batting championship Sunday.

After going 0 for 4 the previous night, due in large part to uncommon nervousness, Sanchez was intent on relaxing prior to the Pirates' season finale against the Cincinnati Reds yesterday.

As has often proven the case inside the home clubhouse at PNC Park this season, Sanchez engaged in a spirited game of pingpong before he took the field for the final time in 2006.

"(I played pingpong) to calm myself down," said Sanchez, whose final average of .344 was five points better than that of Florida's Miguel Cabrera, who went 0 for 2 against the Phillies yesterday.

With a pingpong paddle, Sanchez dispatched Ian Snell.

Sanchez thrilled nearly 25,000 adoring fans by going 2 for 4, winning the batting title and securing a spot in the record book.

"I wasn't thinking about it all season," said Sanchez of the batting title. "Then it came down to the final days and, whether I wanted to or not, I started thinking about it a lot."

As a result, Sanchez was not himself -- especially Saturday, when he quickly bolted from the clubhouse to avoid speaking with the media following a Pirates' victory that snapped an eight-game losing streak.

"There was so much pressure," Sanchez said. "It was definitely the most I've felt in a long time."
Jack Wilson could see that his best friend since high school was nearing a breaking point. Wilson knew that if Sanchez did not cool himself, the batting crown might slip through his hands.

"He wasn't being himself all day on Saturday, and I told him that after the game," Wilson said. "When he walked in (yesterday), he was different. He was Freddy again. I knew he was going to get a couple of hits and wrap this thing up."

Sanchez avoided talking about the batting race before the game, if at all possible. When wished good luck by a reporter, he offered a polite "thank you" and then asked if the discussion could take a different direction.

"I had to take my mind off it," Sanchez said. "I was so surprised to feel nervous. But I guess you really can't control your feelings.

"I had to do something, though. I didn't go onto the field early. When nobody had the (pingpong) table, I decided to have a game just to relax."

Wilson laughed when told of Sanchez's relaxation strategy.

"Would you expect anything else from Freddy?" Wilson said. "That totally makes sense for the way he thinks. The batting title is on the line ... so let's play pingpong right before the game starts."

There is little doubt that Sanchez wanted to win the batting title, but perhaps not as much as Pittsburghers wanted it for him.

Rhythmic chants of "Go Freddy Go!" followed him into and out of the batter's box over the weekend -- none louder than before his first plate appearance yesterday.

"I wanted to do this so bad for the city of Pittsburgh," said Sanchez, whose popularity among Pirates fans is unrivaled, even by Wilson and Jason Bay.

"I got the sense (the fans) wanted this for me so bad. I had to give it to them."

A Pittsburgh player hadn't won a batting title since 1983, when Bill Madlock won the second of his two titles while playing for the Pirates.

Sanchez's batting title is the record 25th in the 120-year history of Pittsburgh's baseball club. He joins the ranks of such legends as Honus Wagner, Paul Waner, Roberto Clemente and Dave Parker as Pirates who have paced the National League in hitting.

Sanchez is the 11th different Pirate to win the championship. His final average was the highest by a Pirates player since Roberto Clemente hit .345 in 1969.

Sanchez became just the third Pirate to collect at least 200 hits in a season. Parker had 215 in 1977, and Wilson recorded 201 hits during his All-Star campaign in 2004.

"That was a great year for me, obviously," Wilson said. "Honestly though, I'm more ecstatic for what Freddy did this season. To come from where we've come from -- this is really special.
"He wasn't supposed to be here. I mean, I knew that he had the talent, but Freddy was on the bench at the beginning of the season. Now he is the batting champ."

As Sanchez was hounded by photographers inside the Pirates' clubhouse, Wilson caught a glimpse of the excitement, paused and then flashed a smile wider than had been seen all season.
"Awesome," Wilson said.

From the bench to the All-Star Game to winning the batting title on the season's final day, Sanchez was exactly that in 2006.

Rob Rossi can be reached at rrossi@tribweb.com or (412) 380-5635.