RSS
Time For Cabrera To Be All He Can Be
I think the key player for the Tigers the second half of the season is going to be Miguel Cabrera.
This much we know about Cabrera: If he stays healthy, he is going to put up good statistics. The question is whether he can match or surpass the production of other great players in the game when it counts.
He is tied for 24th in the American League RBI with 50. It’s 20 less than Justin Morneau, and the same amount as Alex Rodriguez - and A-Rod has 120 fewer at bats. It seems unlikely the Tigers will win the division if Paul Kornerko has more RBI than Cabrera. Right now he does - considerably.
The Tigers have their share of really good players. Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco are terrific and they need to perform better in the second half than the first, too. Certainly, they are capable. Brandon Inge should still provide good production. I don’t think anybody is waiting with bated breath for Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen to come around, but if they do, it will be gravy. The Tigers’ big gun, though, is Cabrera.
Can he do for the Tigers what Morneau does for the Twins? Or what Albert Pujols does for the Cardinals? Or you know what A-Rod is eventually going to provide for the Yankees?
Can Cabrera be an MVP-caliber player? Isn’t that what he is supposed to be?
Already, you hear excuses being made for Cabrera about how there is nobody hitting behind him.
It’s not like other gifted hitters often don’t have that same problem, particularly Pujols.
And the truly premier hitters make the others around them that much better. Is Cabrera doing that for the Tigers’ hitters?
I don’t see where they are exactly pitching around Cabrera like he is Barry Bonds. He only has 31 walks. While he has hit a lot of home runs - although fewer than Granderson and Inge for perspective - Cabrera is on target for only about 30 other extra base hits this season. He just has too live a bat not to hit with more thunder.
That bat must come alive in the second of the season or the Tigers odds of reaching the postseason will drop considerably.
Random Thoughts
- Have there been more phony tears cried than those by Brett Favre the day he announced he was retiring from the Packers?
- Good for Tom Watson shooting a 65 at the British Open Thursday. Not sure history always gives him his proper due. Maybe this will help to rectify the situation.
- A blast from the past: Yorman Bazardo taking the loss in the Triple-A All Star Game Wednesday. Does he fall in the same category as Beiker Graterol? How about Shane Loux?
Wait a second. Loux is back in the big leagues.
Who’s next? Matt Drews? Oh, he never did pitch in the big leagues. Then again, he was traded for Cecil Fielder. How many players can make that claim?
This much we know about Cabrera: If he stays healthy, he is going to put up good statistics. The question is whether he can match or surpass the production of other great players in the game when it counts.
He is tied for 24th in the American League RBI with 50. It’s 20 less than Justin Morneau, and the same amount as Alex Rodriguez - and A-Rod has 120 fewer at bats. It seems unlikely the Tigers will win the division if Paul Kornerko has more RBI than Cabrera. Right now he does - considerably.
The Tigers have their share of really good players. Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco are terrific and they need to perform better in the second half than the first, too. Certainly, they are capable. Brandon Inge should still provide good production. I don’t think anybody is waiting with bated breath for Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen to come around, but if they do, it will be gravy. The Tigers’ big gun, though, is Cabrera.
Can he do for the Tigers what Morneau does for the Twins? Or what Albert Pujols does for the Cardinals? Or you know what A-Rod is eventually going to provide for the Yankees?
Can Cabrera be an MVP-caliber player? Isn’t that what he is supposed to be?
Already, you hear excuses being made for Cabrera about how there is nobody hitting behind him.
It’s not like other gifted hitters often don’t have that same problem, particularly Pujols.
And the truly premier hitters make the others around them that much better. Is Cabrera doing that for the Tigers’ hitters?
I don’t see where they are exactly pitching around Cabrera like he is Barry Bonds. He only has 31 walks. While he has hit a lot of home runs - although fewer than Granderson and Inge for perspective - Cabrera is on target for only about 30 other extra base hits this season. He just has too live a bat not to hit with more thunder.
That bat must come alive in the second of the season or the Tigers odds of reaching the postseason will drop considerably.
Random Thoughts
- Have there been more phony tears cried than those by Brett Favre the day he announced he was retiring from the Packers?
- Good for Tom Watson shooting a 65 at the British Open Thursday. Not sure history always gives him his proper due. Maybe this will help to rectify the situation.
- A blast from the past: Yorman Bazardo taking the loss in the Triple-A All Star Game Wednesday. Does he fall in the same category as Beiker Graterol? How about Shane Loux?
Wait a second. Loux is back in the big leagues.
Who’s next? Matt Drews? Oh, he never did pitch in the big leagues. Then again, he was traded for Cecil Fielder. How many players can make that claim?
posted by Pat Caputo at
12:51 PM
4 Comments:
Favre's tears were probably real, just not for the reasons Packers fans hoped. He was probably thinking about how pissed he was that the Packers management didn't want him back and were suggesting he should retire.
Maybe he was already thinking about revenge then? The man seems to have a vendetta.
Pat, I'm more of the thought that Cabrera doesn't have closer to the 70 rbi due to Granderson and Polanco not being on base as much as they have been the past 3 years.
Both have lower obp and ave. If they are on base more with Cabrera's hitting in the 3 spot, he has maybe 15 or more rbi the first 87 games.
Cabrerra doesn't have a ton of RBIs because Polanco, granderson, Ordonez, etc. haven't been getting on in front of him. Granderson's been good this year but much of his value is wrapped up in home runs and not OBP. Polanco started slow and wasn't getting on and Ordonez was atrocious.
you know who else needs to step up.. Dombrowski.. He needs to start earning his keep.. I mean the man has made some good moves...Especially if they want this team to compete. For example Zumaya.. the guy can't keep being trotted out their to blow solid pitching performances. Especially if you are going to rely on French and Porcello to go the distance this year.. You will need a solid bullpen.. I thought B.J. ryan while available might be a good option because I felt we could of got him at a descent rate. PErsonally I like Zumaya, but I still would prefer we send him to the minors and allow him to develop into a starter..where he was dominant in the minors..
I agree Cabrera needs to be the guy offensively to step up. How many times has he been up with someone on and he bounced out.. He needs to drive those runs in..He had a solid start , but since has been just here and there... Leyland needs to light a firecracker up his but..
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home