By: David Washburn
With the 2023 MLB season coming to a close and the playoffs looming, the baseball world, no– the sports world says farewell to the face of a generation, Miguel Cabrera. With a feared bat that has been firmly cemented in the middle of a batting order for much of his career, Miggy winds down his twenty-year plus career in a Tiger uniform.
It is important to acknowledge a player who so many people in Detroit, and even outside of the city, have come to love and respect. Cabrera began his career as a Florida Marlin (now Miami) and in his rookie season made an immediate impact. When you can show up to The Show and end up on the biggest stage, the World Series, against a Yankees team that became the evil empire you know you’re doing okay. He was a contributor to a team that would eventually become the World Champions. There are so many players in the history of the game who go on to have Cooperstown-bound careers that never experience being on that stage. In this story, Miguel Cabrera is not one of those guys. In fact, Miguel Cabrera also led the 2012 Detroit Tigers to play under the brightest lights in October against the San Francisco Giants, who would win that series.
In the 2003 World Series Miggy was able to let the world know he had arrived when he took Roger Clemens deep in the first inning with a two-run opposite field jack. This right here is “big dick energy” if you had to describe it to someone. If Miggy would have fizzled out and never become the legend he is, and his career ended there, he would still have bragging rights for life.
2003 WS Gm4: Cabrera hits two-run homer vs. Clemens – YouTube
After setting the table for what would go on to be a remarkable career, he established excellent seasons in Florida that only served as a warning of the beast he would become. Detroit took that warning seriously and that led to a trade that sent Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller, Mike Rabelo, Frankie De La Cruz, Dallas Trahern, and Burke Badenhop to Florida. In exchange, Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera put on Tiger uniforms.
Miguel Cabrera would go on to be –as expected– a Motor City monster at the plate. He would become the face of the franchise for a long time thereafter as he put together one of the most dominant stretches seen in the game. I personally haven’t seen anything like it when we are talking about just insane offensive output. Between 2010 and 2015 his season numbers are the definition of consistency. In that span he managed to lead the Tigers to the World Series in 2012, Win two AL MVP awards, and became the first Triple Crown winner to win it since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967 did it for Boston. All hail King Cabrera!
With this display of dominance, one thing I always laugh at in hindsight is that Mike Trout, who would go on to become the guy in MLB, was blossoming into a phenomenal player and was nipping at Miggy’s heels for MVP votes, but Miggy beat him out still. Fans watched highlights every night or the next day and it became commonplace that Miguel Cabrera did something incredible again. He truly was on top of his game at all times and teammates marvel at his routine and consistency, whether it be in the batting cages or on the field before a game, or under the lights. Watching the MLB Network do their off-season projections of the best players at their position was always interesting because I would bet money that ninety-nine percent of the people at home knew who was going to be number one at first base, or third base.
Dontrelle Willis recalled a time when they were in the minors together and Miggy was called up, and Dontrelle wasn’t surprised at all. But then, when Dontrelle Willis got the call, Miggy was the happiest guy in the locker room and his biggest fan. To this day they are big fans of each other. Willis says that Miggy will send him pictures of him watching Willis on the TV in the clubhouse during his broadcast. Dontrelle Willis has made the transition from player to media personality, and one of his biggest highlights is that Miguel Cabrera is still his biggest fan.
Miggy plays the game at an elite level but also doesn’t hide his enthusiasm on the field. He has fun with other players on the field and at times even brings the fans in on it. A few things that always come to mind when I think about him playing a kid’s game like a kid is him and Jose Altuve at first base. Miguel is holding it down at first base as Jose Altuve is getting ready to take a lead. As he steps away, he untucks Miggy’s shirt.
Another one is Adrian Beltre. Miguel ends up on first base and Beltre has this thing where he doesn’t like his head being touched. Miggy has a little fun and pats his head and Beltre hits him with his glove and they both protect themselves from being ‘cup-checked’. Like a pair of middle-schoolers.
Stopping to greet a fan or to take a selfie isn’t forbidden when it comes to Miggy. I’ve never met him but just watching him I can tell he radiates good energy that seems infectious, even through the TV. I will always think of his playfulness at a human level even when I am an old man and look back on his baseball career.
Cabrera currently is the Venezuelan-born MLB home run leader. Overtaking Andres Galarraga for the top spot. His heritage is important to him, as can be seen in his five World Baseball Classic appearances. He is arguably the greatest MLB player to come out of Venezuela.
He has played alongside some serious talent in his years. Here is a list of notable stars and a few current young guys.
Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, Torii Hunter, Prince Fielder, Curtis Granderson, Victor Martinez, J.D. Martinez, Akil Baddoo, Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene, Josh Beckett and Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez.
With a career that has touched three decades, he has amassed many achievements along the way while commanding respect at the plate and captivating fans.
- 3,000 Hit Club
- 500 HR Club
- Career Batting Average over .300
- 4x Batting Title Champ
- 2x AL MVP
- 2003 World Series Champion
- 12x All-Star
- 7x Silver Slugger
Those numbers exemplify ‘getting it done’ and are evidence as to why Miguel Cabrera at the plate is must-see TV. Miguel Cabrera is without a doubt a first-ballot Hall of Famer with the pile of accolades mentioned previously.
Miggy is on his farewell tour now as the 2023 season winds down. At the time of me writing this, the Tigers are 63-74 but on a four-game winning streak. This record is not very encouraging for a wild card berth, so Cabrera will say his farewells, and go away quietly into the offseason where he can reflect on a career that many prospects and hopefuls can only dream of having.
On August 27th at Comerica Park. Miguel Cabrera faced off against longtime (former) teammate, Justin Verlander, now a Houston Astro. With an honorary tip of the cap from each player the world cannot help but notice the nuance in the game. This is likely to be the last time the two face one another as Cabrera goes hitless in two at-bats Sunday afternoon. After the game Miguel declined to comment but here is what Justin Verlander had to say.
“The cool moment between [us] is the acknowledgement, the hat tip from me to him and him to me,” Verlander said. “Then we go about competing. But those moments don’t happen too often, where you’ve got two guys who have played together as long as him and I have.”
“You have a moment where everybody knows it’s Miggy’s last season, and the crowd, I thought, did a great job acknowledging it and taking a moment. … A hat tip says a million things.”
So, as they tip their hats to each other, the fans cheer as we all say goodbye to Miguel Cabrera, and we tip our hats to a legendary player.
The impact he has made is huge and he will forever be remembered as a Tiger for his contributions to the organization. Miggy is at the top of almost every offensive leaderboard for Detroit and is likely to end his career as the second greatest Tiger of all-time behind the great Al Kaline.
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