Cabrera pulls out of NL batting race

NEW YORK, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- San Francisco Giants slugger Melky Cabrera, serving a suspension for use of banned substances, removed himself Friday from eligibility for the NL batting title.

Representatives for Cabrera sent a letter to the MLB Players' Association asking that he not be considered for the National League batting championship. Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig agreed to the request.

Cabrera was hitting .346 Aug. 12 when he was suspended for 50 games after tests indicated a high level of testosterone.

His average was still listed atop the chart of Major League hitters on MLB.com as of late Friday afternoon.

"I have no wish to win an award that would be tainted. I believe it would be far better for someone more deserving to win," Cabrera said. "I asked the Players Association and the league to take the necessary steps to remove my name from consideration for the National League batting title."

Selig said," I respect his gesture as a sign of his regret and desire to move forward."

With Cabrera being pulled from consideration, Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen leads the National League with a .339 average while Buster Posey, Cabrera's teammate in San Francisco, is batting .335.