New York Mets’ Jose Reyes Beats Out Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun for National League Batting Title

It was controversial, but Mets short stop Jose Reyes takes home the National League batting title.  It could also be the final thing he does as a New York Met.

Last night Jose Reyes became the first player in Mets history to win a batting title finishing up the year with a .337 average.  He had 181 hits in 537 at-bats, and last night he finished the year 1-1 with a bunt single in the bottom of the first inning.  After that single, as per his request, Mets manager Terry Collins pulled him out of the game and sent Justin Turner in to pinch run for him.

It was a move that a lot of Mets fans did not appreciate and was met by boos from the home crowd at Citi Field.  Reyes said that the decision to come out after his first (and only) hit was his decision, and not Terry Collins'.

I said, 'If I go 1-for-1, take me out of the game, and I did that. If I went 0-for-1, maybe I'm still in the game until I get a hit. ... I wanted to stay in the game, but Mets fans have to understand, too, what's going on. They have to feel happy about it if I win the batting title. I do that for the team, for the fans too, because they've been supporting me all the way through. I've throughout my career a lot of ups and downs here with a lot of injuries. One thing I do all the time is give 100 percent on the field.

-Jose Reyes

Collins said he hear grumblings in the stands after Reyes was pulled and said he understand why they would be upset, because the fans pay a lot of money to watch the big players.  Collins also said that the fans need to understand that the players do a lot during the season and deserve respect.

Milwaukee's Ryan Braun finished just a few points behind Reyes with a .332 average after going 0-4 last night.  Braun said after the game that Reyes left it wide open for him and that he just couldn't get it done.

Check out ESPN.com for more on this story.