PITTSBURGH -- Entering Tuesday night's game in Pittsburgh, 22-year-old Marlins outfielder Miguel Cabrera leads the National League in hitting with a .358 average.

 

Cabrera looks like a finished product at the plate, but he still has some things to work on -- and the best is still to come, according to Florida hitting coach Bill Robinson.

 

"Everything is going to come," Robinson said. "He's just learning clubhead awareness, learning to pull balls. The thing that makes him effective, and he's the least of my worries, because he has the ability to hit the ball out in right field as well as left field. He has a good eye and a good sense of balls and strikes. He swings at strikes, not a whole lot of balls, and that's something as a hitting coach you just don't teach."

 

Cabrera is a willing pupil who is just starting to realize his potential.

 

"I don't try to hit the ball for average and power," said Cabrera. "I try to see the ball and hit the ball. To hit for average, you have to concentrate every day."

 

Last year, Cabrera batted .294 with 33 homers and 112 RBIs, but he struck out 148 times. He has made adjustments to try to cut that number down. He isn't over-swinging at the plate, and he is concentrating on making contact.

 

"Last year, that's why I struck out too much, because I swung too hard," said Cabrera. "When I had two strikes, I swung too hard. This year, I'm not doing that. I'm trying to make contact. I'm getting a lot of base hits this year because I'm making contact. The home runs come. That's the difference."

 

Cabrera is starting to be mentioned in the same breath with some of today's top hitters, guys like Albert Pujols and Vladimir Guerrero.

 

Cabrera is flattered by the talk.

 

"I feel great," Cabrera said. "When they say my name with those people, it makes me feel great. Those guys are great players. I want to play like they play, and play hard."

 

Robinson doesn't like to make comparisons.

 

"I don't like comparing," Robinson explained. "But two years ago this young man was in Double-A baseball and ends up before the year is out hitting cleanup for a world champion. The next year he makes the All-Star team and drives in over 100 runs. And then this year he's off to another good start. Really, the sky's the limit. We just try to keep him hungry, keep his head on straight, keep him humble and let him have fun playing the game."

 

http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/...t=.jsp&c_id=fla

OMGFIREBILLROBINSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good to see that Cabrera is really dedicated to being the best he can be. Learning how to hit and in what situations is really the next step now that he's physically ready to dominate. I was just looking the other day on espn, and he's on pace for much less K's, which is really comforting to me as someone who wants to see him develop into being one of the best ever. I think he's well on his way.