Miguel Cabrera: Could He Do It Again?

[RKMeibalane]

As of this evening, Miguel Cabrera leads the American League in batting average and runs batted in. He's near the league lead with nine home runs (including this evening's home run), and seems poised to make another run at the Triple Crown. Baseball has never had a back-to-back winner of the Triple Crown. If Cabrera pulls it off, where does that place him compared to other dominant hitters in the game's history?

On a semi-related note, is Cabrera a better hitter than either Frank Thomas or Albert Pujols was when each was at his best?

[RKMeibalane]

Cabrera has hit his second home run of the night and now has ten. He's two back of the league leaders in that department. To bring this arc full-circle, my girlfriend is texting me, saying that I wish the White Sox had a hitter as good as Miguel. I can only reply to her with, "Well, they used to have one."



"I am the man."

[DumpJerry]

It is May 19th. Way, way, way too early to start this talk. Most of the big time sluggers have hot streaks and cold streaks during the season. He'll cool off for a bit and someone else will be hot.

[Frater Perdurabo]

Originally Posted by RKMeibalane

Cabrera has hit his second home run of the night and now has ten. He's two back of the league leaders in that department. To bring this arc full-circle, my girlfriend is texting me, saying that I wish the White Sox had a hitter as good as Miguel. I can only reply to her with, "Well, they used to have one."



"I am the man."

No disrespect to Cabrera, but he has Prince Fielder protecting him. For much of Frank's peak, he lacked a true threat behind him to keep from being walked. Look at his 1994 season with Julio Franco protecting him: a 212 OPS+.

[RKMeibalane]

Originally Posted by Frater Perdurabo

No disrespect to Cabrera, but he has Prince Fielder protecting him. For much of Frank's peak, he lacked a true threat behind him to keep from being walked. Look at his 1994 season with Julio Franco protecting him: a 212 OPS+.

You're right, although I remember Franco having a good 1994 campaign. Finding someone to hit behind Frank seemed to be a yearly chore for the White Sox. Sammy Sosa hadn't discovered Flintstone vitamins, yet. Ventura didn't like it (so he hit fifth), and George Bell was too old. John Kruk waited until his batting average was higher than Mickey Mantle before he decided to quit, and Chris Sabo was just plain awful. Danny Tartabull hit home runs, but provided little else. Lyle Mouton was memorable only because his name was Lyle Mouton (Hawk insisted on trying five or six different pronunciations of his last name).

The Sox didn't finally find a good compliment for Thomas until Albert Belle came along, but that was right before Frank started to slip (coinciding with the arrival of Jerry "The Tinkerer" Manuel in 1998), and even that lasted only two seasons before Belle ended up in Baltimore. Magglio Ordonez was probably the best cleanup hitter Frank played with, but Frank wasn't quite the same by the time Magglio was protecting him, as age and injury had begun to slow him down.

[ChiSoxFann]

It's unlikely, but I wont doubt him. Watching this game tonight when Ron Washington walked him with runners on 1st and 2nd in the 6th inning really shows that he is the most feared hitter in the game.

[RKMeibalane]

Originally Posted by ChiSoxFann

It's unlikely, but I wont doubt him. Watching this game tonight when Ron Washington walked him with runners on 1st and 2nd in the 6th inning really shows that he is the most feared hitter in the game.

I want to see someone walk him with the bases loaded. Then we'll know for certain.

[Noneck]

Well unless he gets hurt he will play probably play more games than anyone except maybe fielder. That always helps for homers and rbis..

[102605]

3rd HR of the game.

[Lip Man 1]

And to think Kenny "almost" got him...but he wouldn't take Willis' remaining contract.



Lip

[RKMeibalane]

Originally Posted by 102605

3rd HR of the game.

Wow.

[DSpivack]

Their career numbers through age 30, which is what Miguel Cabrera currently is, do look somewhat similar (although Thomas' numbers look that way because of his great ability to walk). At 32, Frank Thomas had has monster MVP season in 2000. We'll see if Cabrera can continue to put up these numbers as he 30s go on. If he can, his resume will certainly look better than the Big Hurt.

Also, Thomas played during one of the game's most offensive eras. Baseball now is much more lower-scoring.

[RKMeibalane]

Originally Posted by DSpivack

Their career numbers through age 30, which is what Miguel Cabrera currently is, do look somewhat similar (although Thomas' numbers look that way because of his great ability to walk). At 32, Frank Thomas had has monster MVP season in 2000. We'll see if Cabrera can continue to put up these numbers as he 30s go on. If he can, his resume will certainly look better than the Big Hurt.

Also, Thomas played during one of the game's most offensive eras. Baseball now is much more lower-scoring.

It's too bad we'll never know what he may have accomplished had others not cheated in order to bring said era about.

[DSpivack]

Originally Posted by RKMeibalane

It's too bad we'll never know what he may have accomplished had others not cheated in order to bring said era about.

Thomas looks better against many of his competitors because he was clean and many others were not.

Cabrera looks better as his numbers are all the more amazing when comparing him to his peers.

As you said, we'll never know.

It's interesting to me that while for years Cabrera looked nearly as good as Pujols, most people would have probably expected Pujols to finish with the more amazing career. Now, I'm not so sure. The only glaring difference is their team's playoff performances.

[RKMeibalane]

Originally Posted by DSpivack

Thomas looks better against many of his competitors because he was clean and many others were not.

Cabrera looks better as his numbers are all the more amazing when comparing him to his peers.

As you said, we'll never know.

It's interesting to me that while for years Cabrera looked nearly as good as Pujols, most people would have probably expected Pujols to finish with the more amazing career. Now, I'm not so sure. The only glaring difference is their team's playoff performances.

I agree completely, as I thought Cabrera's weight problems would eventually hurt his productivity, but it doesn't seem to matter what he looks like. He just keeps hitting... and hitting... and hitting.