Cabrera Looks To Rebound

Posted March 9, 200519 yr

Cabrera looks to rebound

With Delgado aboard, Marlins lineup should improve

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) -- Miguel Cabrera will likely see more strikes this season, he'll probably see more fastballs, and he'll surely be swinging.

Batting ahead of newcomer Carlos Delgado in the Florida Marlins' lineup, Cabrera figures pitchers will be reluctant to work around him the way they often did last year.

"I'm not taking any pitches," the aggressive young slugger jokes.

Cabrera swung at too many pitches last season, when he struck out 148 times. He had 112 RBIs but batted just .238 with runners in scoring position, compared with .375 as a 20-year-old rookie in 2003, when he helped the Marlins win the World Series.

With Cabrera, Delgado and Mike Lowell batting third, fourth and fifth, the Marlins expect their order to rank among the most potent in the National League.

"We can do a lot, but we don't like to talk too much," Cabrera says. "We'll just play."

Last year the trio totaled 92 home runs and 296 RBIs -- but that was for two teams. Delgado hit 32 homers and drove in 99 runs with Toronto, and his presence in the Marlins' cleanup spot should force opponents to challenge Cabrera.

"He thinks so," Delgado says with a grin. "He mentioned that the other day. We were joking about it. I said, 'You know what? I know you're going to swing anyway."'

The Marlins have no complaints about the 21-year-old Cabrera's aggressive approach. He was an All-Star last year, his first full major-league season, and became the fifth-youngest player to have a 100-RBI season, behind only Mel Ott, Al Kaline, Ted Williams and Alex Rodriguez.

Cabrera hit .294 with 33 home runs.

"Not many young guys come up and do it as quick as he did," manager Jack McKeon says. "You know he's going to hit."

Delgado, swinging from the left side, only figures to help the right-handed Cabrera. Along with more strikes, Cabrera should see more left-handed pitchers, and he won't feel the need to carry the offense.

"It takes a lot of pressure off Miguel," leadoff hitter Juan Pierre says. "He's so young, and he was thrown in the fire where he was our main guy last year to drive in the runs. They were pitching around him, and sometimes I don't think he realized that because he's so aggressive."

Delgado, 32, has a more patient approach. Since 2000 the Puerto Rican has 103 walks per season -- and 35 homers.

Cabrera has walked just 93 times in 247 career games. But the Venezuelan has a career average of .285 and a slugging percentage of .497, and he doesn't turn 22 until April 13.

Delgado was still in Triple-A most of the year when he turned 22. Even though the veteran slugger is 6-foot-3 and weighs 240 pounds, he was impressed by Cabrera's physique when they first met at spring training.

The youngster is a sturdy 6-2 and 210.

"I was very surprised to see him so big," Delgado says. "On TV he doesn't look that big. I almost have to look up. And in batting practice he's got unbelievable pop. I'm looking forward to watching him play."

Playing for $370,000 this season, Cabrera represents one of baseball's best bargains. He knows his first big contract will come soon enough. And he was delighted to learn in January that the Marlins had signed Delgado to a $52 million, four-year deal.

"I thought, 'That's awesome,"' Cabrera says. "A left-handed hitter with power -- he'll help not just me, but the whole team."

So far the Marlins have had little chance to see what kind of damage Delgado can do. He sat out five spring training games last week as a precaution to nurse tendinitis in his left elbow.

His acquisition solidified the batting order but muddled the defensive alignment, which could affect Cabrera.

With Delgado entrenched at first base, Jeff Conine will battle Juan Encarnacion for one outfield job. If Encarnacion wins, he'll be in right field and Cabrera will play left. If Conine wins, he'll likely be in left field with Cabrera in right, where he's less comfortable.

"I don't like it, because it's a hard position for me," Cabrera says. "But I'll play it. That's up to McKeon."

Cabrera made his right-field debut during the 2003 playoffs, and the position switch hardly affected his offense. He set rookie postseason records with 12 RBIs and four home runs, including one against Roger Clemens in the World Series.

He built on that success last year. But while Cabrera didn't even turn professional until 1999, Delgado has hit at least 30 home runs every year since 1997.

So expect pitchers to challenge Cabrera -- at first, at least.

"He's young," Lowell says, "and people are going to think he only did it for one year. After he punishes them a couple of times, they might go after Delgado."

Adds Pierre: "They can't pitch around the whole lineup."

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