Miguel Cabrera: legend

Jose Miguel Cabrera Torres, nicknamed “Miggy”, is a Venezuelan professional baseball player who currently plays as the first baseman and designated hitter for the Detroit Tigers in Major League Baseball (MLB). Cabrera has established himself as one of the greatest players in modern baseball history, due to his many accomplishments and  amazing feats. He is a 2-time AL MVP, Triple crown winner (first since 1967) 4-time AL Batting champion, 12-time MLB all-star, and a member of both the 500 home run club and 3000 hit club. Only two other players in MLB history have achieved both feats: Hank Aaron and Willie Mays (both in the hall of fame).
Miguel Cabrera was born on April 18, 1983, in Maracay, Venezuela, to parents with a blue-collar and athletic background. His parents instilled in him a passion for baseball from a young age, which led to his signing with the Tigres de Aragua winter league team at 14 years old. Cabrera played for the team during off-seasons until 2008 when he retired from professional Venezuelan baseball to focus on his MLB career.
Following his impressive performance in the Venezuelan baseball league, Cabrera garnered significant attention as a highly skilled hitter. He was signed by the Florida Marlins in 1999 as an international free agent for a remarkable $1.8 million. Cabrera progressed through various minor league teams nationwide, establishing himself as a top prospect in the system. After a mere three years of minor league play, he was called up to the Major Leagues on June 20, 2003, to play for the Florida Marlins.
Cabrera with Marlins 2003-2007

Cabrera established himself as a key player for the Marlins, contributing to their victorious 2003 World Series campaign with an impressive four home runs and a .286 batting average in the NL Championship Series. Over the next four years, Cabrera emerged as one of baseball’s top sluggers, with his best season in 2007 hitting .339 with 26 home runs, placing him in the top 5 for MVP votes and earning an All-Star Game appearance. However, after his rookie deal expired, Cabrera entered a bidding war with several teams, ultimately signing a record-breaking 7-year, $153.3 million contract with the Detroit Tigers in 2008. He went on to dominate the game, winning multiple accolades and breaking records. In his first year with the Tigers, he hit 37 home runs and 127 RBIs, finishing fifth in AL MVP voting and receiving his first Silver Slugger award. The following year, he won the first of four consecutive AL batting titles with a .344 batting average, hitting 34 home runs and earning his sixth All-Star Game appearance, finishing second in AL MVP voting.

Miguel Cabrera on the Detroit tigers

In the 2012 season, he became the first player in 45 years to win the Triple Crown, leading the league in batting average (.330), home runs (44), and RBIs (139). He won the AL MVP unanimously and secured his third consecutive AL batting title. In the following year, Cabrera continued his exceptional form, hitting .348 with 44 home runs and 137 RBIs, earning his third straight AL batting title and AL MVP for the second year in a row. In 2014, he hit .313 with 25 home runs and 109 RBIs, securing his ninth All-Star Game selection and fourth consecutive Silver Slugger award.

DETROIT, MI – OCTOBER 27: Baseball Hall of Famer and former Triple Crown Award winner Frank Robinson presents the 2012 Triple Crown Award to Miguel Cabrera #24 of the Detroit Tigers prior to Game Three of the World Series against the San Francisco Giants at Comerica Park on October 27, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. The Giants defeated the Tigers 2-0. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Miguel Cabrera’s impressive performance in the 2015 season cemented his status as one of the best players in baseball. He hit .338 with 18 home runs and 76 RBIs in just 119 games, securing his fourth American League batting title and his tenth All-Star Game selection. He was a force to be reckoned with at the plate, consistently hitting the ball with power and precision.

However, injuries would soon plague Cabrera’s career. Despite placing in the top ten for MVP voting in 2016 and making his eleventh All-Star Game appearance, his performance began to decline due to various ailments. He struggled to stay healthy, never playing more than 130 games per season, and his batting average plummeted to a career-worst .250 in 2017.

Despite these setbacks, Cabrera’s massive contract extension with the Detroit Tigers, which he signed in 2014, ensured that he remained one of the highest-paid athletes in all of sports. This financial security, coupled with his pursuit of all-time records, has kept him in the spotlight even as his performance has waned in recent years.

In 2021, Cabrera finally achieved one of his long-standing goals: he became the first Venezuelan player to hit 500

Miguel Cabrera gets a standing ovation from the Canadian fans after hitting his 500th homerun in Toronto

home runs. This achievement put him in the company of only 36 players in baseball history who have hit this milestone, all of whom are in the Hall of Fame. Cabrera’s pursuit of all-time records did not end there, however. He was determined to become only the third player in MLB history to hit 3,000 hits and 500 home runs in a season, following in the footsteps of legends like Henry Aaron and Willie Mays.

On a sunny spring afternoon on April 23, 2022, Cabrera stepped up to the plate with the hopes of achieving this historic feat. With one swing of the bat, he sliced a single into right field, securing his 3,000th hit and etching his name into the record books. The Detroit faithful erupted with joy, and fireworks went off in the stadium as history was made. This accomplishment solidified Cabrera’s status as a future first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee, and cemented his place in baseball history as one of the greatest players of his generation.

Miguel Cabrera gets a huge standing ovation from the Detroit faithful after hitting his 3000th hit.

Miguel Cabrera’s impact on baseball is significant, particularly in Venezuela where he serves as a source of inspiration for a generation of aspiring ballplayers. Notable players such as Luis Arraez, Pablo Lopez, Ronald Acuna Jr, Andres Gimenez, Jesus Luzardo and others credit Cabrera for inspiring them to pursue their baseball careers. In Venezuela, he is considered a national hero, with his likeness appearing on murals, t-shirts, and even tattoos across the country. Cabrera’s legacy will forever be remembered in Venezuela, where his greatness has provided hope and encouragement for young people to pursue their dreams despite adversity. His resilience and hard work serve as an emblem for all Latinos, proving that with determination and effort, anything can be achieved. After the 2023 season, Cabrera will retire from an illustrious 20-year career filled with dominance and excellence. We express our gratitude to Miggy for his contributions to the game of baseball, and his achievements will undoubtedly be celebrated for generations to come. Thank you, Miguel!

Miguel Cabrera representing Venezuela in the 2023 World baseball classics tournament in Miami