Miguel Cabrera
José Miguel Cabrera Torres, nicknamed Miggy, is a Venezuelan former professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and designated hitter who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Florida Marlins and Detroit Tigers. Debuting in 2003, he was a two-time American League Most Valuable Player award winner, a four-time AL batting champion, and a 12-time MLB All-Star. Although he primarily played in left and right field before 2006, he spent the majority of his major league career at first and third base. He claimed the 17th MLB Triple Crown in 2012, the first to do so in 45 seasons. Cabrera is one of three players in MLB history to have a career batting average above.300, 500 home runs, and 3,000 hits, joining Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. Cabrera is regarded as one of the greatest hitters of all time.
At 16 years old, Cabrera was signed by Tigres de Aragua of the Venezuelan Winter League, where he recorded his first hit as a professional in December 1999. Cabrera was signed in 1999 as an amateur free agent by the Florida Marlins, and progressed through their minor league system. He made his MLB debut in mid-2003 at the age of 20, and contributed to the Marlins' World Series victory later that year. Over the next four seasons, Cabrera was a regular player for the Marlins before being traded to the Detroit Tigers before the 2008 season.
In 2012, Cabrera became the first player since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967 to win the batting Triple Crown, leading the AL with a.330 batting average, 44 home runs, and 139 runs batted in, earning him the AL MVP award that year. In the first half of 2013, Cabrera was on pace to shatter his numbers from his prior Triple Crown season. He became the first player to ever reach 30 home runs and 90 RBIs before the all-star break and was on pace to bat.366 with 53 home runs and 167 RBIs at that time. However, injuries plagued much of the latter half of the season and both his performance and playing time were reduced as a result. Overall, Cabrera still improved on his previous year's batting performance, including a career-high.348 batting average, and received his second consecutive AL MVP award.
Cabrera won four AL batting titles, including three in consecutive years, and batted over.300 in 11 different seasons. He hit 30 or more home runs in ten separate seasons and drove in over 100 runs in 12 separate seasons. Cabrera is the all-time leader in career home runs and hits by a Venezuelan player, surpassing Andrés Galarraga and Omar Vizquel, respectively. He joined the 500 home run club in 2021 and the 3,000 hit club in 2022; he was the seventh player in MLB history to reach both milestones. In international competition, he represented Venezuela at five World Baseball Classic tournaments from 2006 to 2023. Cabrera retired after the 2023 season and continues to work for the Tigers' organization as a special assistant to the president of baseball operations.
Early life
Cabrera was born in Maracay, Aragua State, Venezuela, to parents Miguel Cabrera and Gregoria Torres de Cabrera. Growing up, Cabrera showed interest in volleyball as well as baseball. From early on, he was guided by his maternal uncle, David Torres. At 14, he was enrolled in a baseball school in Cagua, so he could continue his studies while still playing ball.Professional career
Minor leagues
Miguel was signed by the Marlins in 1999 as an amateur free agent and came up through their farm system, teaming with future major leaguers Adrián González and Dontrelle Willis.He began his professional career in 2000 as a shortstop in the Gulf Coast League. After batting.260 with 10 doubles, two triples, and two home runs through 57 games for the GCL Marlins, Cabrera was promoted to Class-A ball where he finished the final eight games batting.250 with 6 RBIs for the New York–Penn League Blue Sox in Utica, New York. While playing that winter for the Tigres de Aragua in the Venezuelan Winter League, manager Bill Plummer moved Cabrera from shortstop to third base.
Heading into 2001, the Marlins bumped Cabrera up to the Low Class-A Kane County Cougars. He earned his way into the Futures Game during All-Star Weekend in Seattle, along with González. He ended the year batting.268 with 30 extra-base hits, 66 RBIs, and distinguished himself as having the strongest arm in the Midwest League.
Entering the following season, Cabrera was once again promoted, this time to the Jupiter Hammerheads of the High Class-A Florida State League. At the request of the Marlins coach Ozzie Guillén, Cabrera made the transition from shortstop to third base. By July, his average was at.277, and he led his team with 45 RBI earning himself a second trip to the Future's game, where he collected two singles. He finished the season batting.278 with 43 doubles and 75 RBIs. Up to this point, he hit just nine homers in his 489 at-bats.
To begin the 2003 season, Cabrera earned another promotion to the Double-A Carolina Mudcats. There he again teamed up with Willis, the left-handed fireballer with whom he would join in the majors. In April, he hit.402, and by June his average stood at.365 with 10 homers and 59 RBIs before being called up to the majors.
Florida Marlins (2003–2007)
2003: Rookie year and World Series
Cabrera made his major league debut on June 20, 2003, at 20 years old. Cabrera hit a walk-off home run in his first major league game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, following Billy Parker in 1972 and Josh Bard in 2002 as the third player since 1900 to hit a game-winning home run in his big-league debut. Cabrera rapidly established himself, as his stellar play in July made him the Marlins' cleanup hitter. Cabrera's postseason play helped propel Florida to the World Series title over the New York Yankees and landed him on the cover of ESPN The Magazine during the offseason. He finished fifth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting, as teammate Dontrelle Willis took home the award.In the NLDS against the Giants, Cabrera hit.286 with three RBIs. After changing positions in the heat of the NLCS against the Chicago Cubs, he hit.333 with three homers and six RBIs, including clutch home runs in Game 1 and Game 7 that gave the Marlins crucial leads. In Game 4 of the 2003 World Series against the Yankees, Cabrera faced Roger Clemens for the first time in his career. In the first inning, Clemens threw a 92-mph fastball in the vicinity of Cabrera's chin, causing Cabrera to turn and stare at Clemens. Later in the at-bat, Cabrera hit a pitch to deep right field for a two-run home run. The home run would give the Marlins an early 2–0 lead en route to a 4–3 Marlins victory that evened the series at two games apiece. Cabrera and the Marlins would go on to win the 2003 World Series in 6 games.
In his first season, Cabrera batted.268, with 12 home runs, 62 RBIs, 39 runs, 21 doubles, and three triples in 87 games played and received NL Rookie of the Month honors for both July and September.
2004: 1st All-Star Game
On April 20, 2004, Cabrera recorded his 100th career hit, an RBI single in the seventh inning against Roberto Hernández. In 2004, Cabrera batted.294 with 33 home runs, 112 RBIs, 101 runs, 177 hits, a.366 on-base percentage, and a.512 slugging percentage from the third and fourth spots in the order, while playing in 160 games and earning his first All-Star appearance. Cabrera spent the entire 2004 season playing in the outfield and had 13 outfield assists. In 284 total fielding chances, he committed nine errors and made 262 putouts. Cabrera also appeared in his first career all-star game, as a reserve. Cabrera hit an RBI scoring forceout in the 8th inning to drive in Moisés Alou.2005
In 2005, Cabrera finished second in the National League in hits with 198 and batted.323 with 33 home runs, 43 doubles, two triples, and 116 RBIs. He was voted to his second consecutive All-Star Game, along with teammates Paul Lo Duca and Willis, and won his first Silver Slugger Award. Cabrera's 33 home runs made him the youngest player in Major League Baseball history with back-to-back 30-homer seasons, at 22 years, 143 days. Albert Pujols performed the feat at 22 years, 223 days. Cabrera ultimately would have four seasons with at least 100 runs batted in, which is the most among Marlin players in history, and he is the only one to have had consecutive 100-RBI seasons.2006
On June 22, 2006, pitcher Todd Williams let the first pitch of an attempted intentional walk get too close to the plate and Cabrera reached out and singled it to right center field. The hit occurred during the 10th inning, scoring the winning run to give the Marlins a 6–5 lead over the Baltimore Orioles.During a July 9, 7–6 road loss to the New York Mets, Cabrera became involved in an altercation with teammate Scott Olsen. With the Marlins trailing 2–0, Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca hit a hard grounder that glanced off Cabrera's glove and rolled into left field, allowing a run to score as Lo Duca raced to second with a double. As they came off the field, Olsen could be seen shouting something at Cabrera. A moment later, television cameras showed Cabrera in the crowded dugout reaching past teammates to poke his finger at Olsen as the pitcher walked past him. Olsen tried to jab back at Cabrera, who charged Olsen and tried to kick the pitcher before the players were quickly separated by teammates. Cabrera was voted to represent the National League All-Stars for the third time in his career and made his first appearance in the Home Run Derby. Cabrera finished in third place with 15 home runs in the event.
With teammates Josh Willingham and Dan Uggla hitting behind and ahead of him respectively, Cabrera finished the year with a.339 batting average, 26 home runs, and 114 RBIs. He was selected for his third consecutive All-Star Game and won his second Silver Slugger Award. Cabrera battled the Pittsburgh Pirates' shortstop Freddy Sanchez for the National League batting crown until the last day of the regular season. Marlins manager Joe Girardi decided to bat Cabrera leadoff for the final game of the season to give him more chances to get a hit for the crown. He ended up finishing second to Sanchez. Cabrera also finished the 2006 campaign with a.568 slugging percentage and a.430 on-base percentage.