(Lakeland) Two years ago, Miguel Cabrera reached his 500It is circuit and last season its 3000It is of course.
Now there’s another reason to celebrate the career of the Detroit Tigers power hitter: 2023 is his final season.
“I’m going to use it to be myself. I try to have fun and when I have the opportunity to play, I play. I don’t know what my role will be this season, Cabrera said. If I manage to hit, I want to be training. »
Cabrera appeared at peace with his decision to end his career on Monday, joking with reporters as usual while insisting his opponents didn’t need to make a fuss about it. Which is bound to happen whether he likes it or not, though.
“I’ve talked about it since our first meeting, so it just goes to show how I didn’t respond to his wish not to talk about it,” said manager AJ Hinch. Let’s enjoy our time with Miggy. We’re also going to let him be a player and contribute, be himself. »
More than 20 years after his MLB debut with the Florida Marlins, Cabrera says he doesn’t remember much from his first training camp – “I have a better car now! – but hopes to be healthy all year and for the Tigers to pick up more wins.
Tigres haven’t made the playoffs since 2014, while Cabrera hasn’t had a good season since 2016.
The entire baseball world was captivated by Albert Pujols’ last drive last year, when he hit 24 home runs to reach the career mark of 700.
Such a run should not be expected in Cabrera’s case, especially since he has been through several plateaus recently. He’ll start the season with 507 home runs, 3,088 hits and 607 doubles, not to mention a career average of .
“It’s been a privilege to be able to hang out with him, watch him play every day for so many years,” noted Dave Dombrowski, current president of the Philadelphia Phillies, who led the Tigers for many years, including when Cabrera won the Triple Crown and the first of two consecutive All-American MVP awards in 2012.
Dombrowski, who was with the Marlins when they signed the young Cabrera in 1999, says he always texts him when he pulls off a stunt. That respect for Cabrera, we feel that everywhere in baseball.
Cabrera has played 112 games in 2022. He said on Monday he felt fine physically but jokingly said he had to wait and see how he felt after a day of 0-for-4 at bat. Because he doesn’t expect us to make his life easier, even if he plays one last season.
“It’s good that they point, it’s also good that they don’t,” he said. I don’t want attention. I don’t want to be a distraction to our team. »
Hinch and the Tigers, however, want to enjoy this last campaign with him. Cabrera is also likely to become the center of attention more quickly when he defends Venezuela’s colors at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March alongside teammate, left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez.
“It’s going to be very special,” said Rodriguez. It’s his last year and we’re going to play CMB together for our country, before playing his last season in the Majors. Can’t wait to enjoy it. »
