A nice read:

 

Big stick in Marlins' lineup

 

By Joe Capozzi, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Sunday, March 21, 2004

 

MELBOURNE -- Even when he's not at the ballpark, Miguel Cabrera carries a baseball bat.

 

"I've got bats everywhere,'' the Florida Marlins right fielder says. "In the house, in the car, on the couch.''

 

There's one in the back seat of his Cadillac Esplanade, his vehicle of choice to and from Roger Dean Stadium, Florida's spring training base in Jupiter. There's even one in the bathroom of his Jupiter apartment, where he practices his swing wearing nothing but shorts.

 

"I'll look in the mirror at my hands,'' he says, to practice the proper grip.

 

Cabrera's mother, Gregoria, remembers her son sleeping alongside a baseball bat as a kid. "I don't sleep with my bats now,'' he says smiling from a face that barely looks legal enough to be on a driver's license.

 

Lenny Harris, baseball's all-time pinch-hits leader, said it's not unusual for minor-league players to carry baseball bats around outside the ballpark. "In the minor leagues I used to carry a bat with me, washing my clothes, to the movies,'' he said.

 

"But he's still doing it at the big-league level. He's kind of the 'Walking Tall' guy right now with that stick everywhere he goes.''

 

Cabrera is a baseball version of the old Teddy Roosevelt adage, a soft-spoken 20-year-old whom the Marlins will count on to provide a big bat in a lineup that will have to adjust to the off-season losses of Pudge Rodriguez and Derrek Lee.

 

"He'll bat third,'' said manager Jack McKeon. "He's just a damn good hitter. I just like him hitting there.''

 

Cabrera batted mostly seventh last year when he hit.268 with 12 homers, 62 RBI and a slugging percentage of.468, highest among NL rookies -- all after being called up from Class AA Carolina on June 20.

 

The Marlins went 54-31 in games he started and 37-40 in other games. After excelling from the cleanup spot in the World Series -- including a memorable home run off Roger Clemens in Game 4 -- he will take Rodriguez's spot in the lineup, ahead of third baseman Mike Lowell.

 

In 13 Grapefruit League games from his new spot in the order, he is batting.395 with three home runs and 13 RBI.

 

"I don't think people fear Miguel the way they do Pudge, but when he takes them deep a couple of times, they will," said Lowell.

 

"When he takes batting practice, the ball sounds different off his bat. I really think he'll have a chance to be an absolutely elite player."

 

Cabrera admits he's more comfortable hitting lower in the order but prepares to take a mental approach to his new spot this season. "I'm hitting third in the first inning only,'' he said, "because the other innings you never know when you're position (in the order) is up.''

 

One area for improvement will be learning the strike zone. He struck out 84 times in 314 at-bats and 19 more in the post-season. This spring he has six strikeouts in 38 at-bats.

 

"If they want to put me third, I'll hit third,'' he said. "My thing is, I'm doing my best at home plate to see the ball and look for my pitch.''

 

Harris has no doubt that Cabrera will meet the lofty expectations being put on him. After all, the day he arrived in Miami, he became the third player since 1900 to hit a game-winning home run in his major-league debut.

 

"Every at-bat he takes is pretty much like his last at-bat,'' Harris said. "Every at-bat he wants to get a hit, which is good. A lot of kids don't have that mentality."

 

Before Saturday's game, Cabrera sat at his locker holding -- what else? -- a black Old Hickory model. He pointed at two parts of the barrel, about 3 inches apart.

 

Then he kissed his middle and index fingers and tapped them on the middle of that section, where the black paint was worn down to the tan-colored wood from repeated hitting.

 

"Sweet spot,'' he said.

 

joe_capozzi@pbpost.com

 

Article

cabs is a stud :thumbup :thumbup

"I don't think people fear Miguel the way they do Pudge, but when he takes them deep a couple of times, they will," said Lowell.

Just ask Roger Clemens........

Anyone have any predictions for Cabs this year? These numbers are probably inflated but I just bought MVP 2004 and started a franchise with the Marlins and at the All-Star Cabs is batting .321 20 HR 62RBI.... Hope he can preform this well !!

Anyone have any predictions for Cabs this year? These numbers are probably inflated but I just bought MVP 2004 and started a franchise with the Marlins and at the All-Star Cabs is batting .321 20 HR 62RBI.... Hope he can preform this well !!

I'm hoping for .280 with 25 HR's and 95-105 RBI...

Man Cabs is gonna be a great player. He can play almost any position and gives your Power, and contact at the same time.

 

He will be fine batting 3rd, but Louie and Peanut need to get on base first. I dont think that will be a problem.

One area for improvement will be learning the strike zone. He struck out 84 times in 314 at-bats and 19 more in the post-season. This spring he has six strikeouts in 38 at-bats.

 

Cabs is showing much better plate discipline so far this spring. I wouldn't be surprised to see an OPS greater than .900 this year.

Lenny Harris, baseball's all-time pinch-hits leader, said it's not unusual for minor-league players to carry baseball bats around outside the ballpark. "In the minor leagues I used to carry a bat with me, washing my clothes, to the movies,'' he said.

could you imagine seeing a young plump Lenny with a bat in his hands at the movies?

 

he is a stone cold P.I.M.P. :pimp

Cabs has a great future. I am going conservative for his numbers this season, probably about .280 20-25HR. But it wouldnt shock me if he hit .300+ with 30+. I just hope we have a new stadium lined up so we can afford to pay him...

Amen

Cabs has a great future.? I am going conservative for his numbers this season, probably about .280 20-25HR.? But it wouldnt shock me if he hit .300+ with 30+.? I just hope we have a new stadium lined up so we can afford to pay him...

Oh yeah thats tral conservative.

 

Cabs will get a lot of rbi's this season considering who he is batting ahead and behind...

RBIs should be no problem for Cabs because of JP and Luis, as a simple pop fly will get him some. Hopefully he can keep up his power, three run homers in the 1st inning will be huge for games.