With the acquisition of Prince Fielder last month, news started circulating that Miguel Cabrera would be transitioning back to 3rd base. It's easy to forget (or it is for me anyway) that Cabrera used to play both 3rd base and outfield with the Marlins from 2003-2007. Thank goodness Leyland didn't consider putting him out in right field to replace Mags. It's enough of a mess out there with Delmon and Raburn...poor Austin Jackson.
Major league managers seem to love taking power hitters and playing them at 1st base where agility is appreciated, but not a prerequisite. Watching Cabrera at 1st, there are glimmers of the man who used to play 3rd, especially when he dives and jumps for balls that could easily be reached from his feet. Without giving specific numbers, the Tigers are reporting that Cabrera has "slimmed down" in the off season to prepare for his new role. Is it fair, though, to compare the Cabrera of 2003 (a mere 20 years old) to the Cabrera of 2012? Obviously he's put on weight and lost some of his bounce, but who hasn't since they were 20!? (It's also humorous to think about the sports journalists evaluating Cabrera's weight like mean girls in bathroom at a high school) If someone put a side-by-side photo of me at 17 and me now, I'd probably punch him in the face. With that being said, I'm now going to do that below...
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| Cabrera in 2003, or after his first bout with Weight Watchers in 2025 |
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Cabrera in 2011 patting his belly, either after hitting a home run or after Thanksgiving dinner
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Reports (from Tigers camp of course) are coming in that Cabrera showed up EARLY to camp and has already taken swings while the other players are still unpacking their Snuggies for those cold Florida nights. I think he's just hoping that baseball fans have bad memories and don't remember that it was just last Spring Training that he was arrested for drunk driving. The fact is, he can't risk getting anymore bad press. It would be a good idea to be Leyland's lap dog all year so he can get the tearful speech at the end of the year how he's really turned his life around since he started hanging out with Donnie Kelly and taking weekend trips to the Upper Peninsula for fresh air and perspective. The question is, does Cabrera have something to prove? The answer is yes, but how is that different from every year? When you are a six time All Star, expectations are always high and tolerance for shenanigans is always low. Regardless, I'm excited to see what happens, how the infield shakes out, and if the Tigers can take their momentum from last season into 2012. If anything, it will get me to Comerica for several games, and isn't that what Dombrowski wants us to do?
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