February 28, 200422 yr Nice article on Cabs While Cabrera played 55 games in left field a year ago, he did so with a borrowed glove. The name on Cabrera's glove was that of minor league outfielder Chris Aguila. Cabrera felt more comfortable with Aguila's glove and used it, recording two putouts in the ninth inning of the decisive Game 6 of the World Series. With all the history in that glove, Cabrera says, "It's mine." In return, Cabrera says he will likely return the favor to Aguila. "I'll give him one of my gloves," Cabrera says. Can't say I blame Cabrera for keeping the glove. But in the end it will be Chris Aguila that will be proud to have a Cabrera glove.
February 28, 200422 yr JUPITER, Fla. -- Special talent surfaces so rarely in baseball that former star Dave Parker once said it comes along once in a decade. "Dave Parker used to say there was only one like him, meaning himself, who came down the turnpike every 10 years," Marlins hitting coach Bill Robinson said. "It must be 10 years because here comes one down the turnpike." The Marlins' most gifted gem arrived at Spring Training on Wednesday for his physical. Not long after unpacking his bag, Miguel Cabrera was headed for the batting cage. Only after completing his cuts did Cabrera go back in the clubhouse and greet teammates he hasn't seen in months. All the while, the 20-year-old phenom (he turns 21 on April 18) was wearing his batting gloves and holding his bat. Bat in hand, Cabrera worked the room, exchanging hugs and handshakes. "It's his living," Robinson said of Cabrera's bat. "I like that. He's special. He's a special individual. He just grew up over night. You just hope that he does what he did last year. He is only going to get better." Frightening. Miguel Cabrera / LF Height: 6'2" Weight: 185 Bats/Throws: S/R More info: Player page Stats Splits Hit chart floridamarlins.com Still not of legal drinking age, Cabrera's dramatic rise to blossoming Major League star has already been well chronicled. He was a playoff hero who batted cleanup in the World Series, connecting on an opposite-field homer off Roger Clemens in Game 4. In the NLCS, Cabrera connected on three homers against the Cubs. His most telling shot was a golf-like-swing, three-run shot off Kerry Wood in the first inning of Game 7. The ball was literally inches off the ground, but high enough for Cabrera to go deep. Back home in Venezuela, his fame is growing like his potential. "It's crazy," Cabrera said. "I can't go out." So he stays home to avoid the mob scenes that invariably follow his every move. Called up late last June to fill in for struggling Todd Hollandsworth, Cabrera made the jump from Double-A to Major League starter. The fact he had just 69 games at the Double-A level didn't quash a stellar rookie season. Naturally, the kid who is treated like a treasure in his native country Venezuela, had his ups-and-downs. After posting a blistering .365 average with the minor league Carolina Mudcats, Cabrera had a solid first year that was a string of progressions. He hit .268 with 12 homers and 62 RBIs. In his Major League debut, he made a big splash. In the bottom of the 11th inning against Tampa Bay, the rookie smacked a game-winning, two-run homer at Pro Player Stadium. Cabrera became the third player since 1900 to belt a walk-off homer in his debut, joining California's Bill Parker (Sept. 9, 1971) and Cleveland's Josh Bard (Aug. 23, 2002). According to David Vincent at SABR (Society for American Baseball Research), Cabrera is the sixth youngest player to homer in his first game. Along with the many highs, there were some lows. Cabrera hit .158 in June and .230 in August. However, he batted .318 with 21 RBIs in July and .308 and drove in 20 runs in September. Both times he was honored as Rookie of the Month. Converted from third base to left field, Cabrera is making another switch for the defending World Series champions. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder is replacing Juan Encarnacion (traded to the Dodgers) in right field and he will likely bat third in the lineup. That's where catcher Ivan Rodriguez hit in his only season as a Marlin. "I still can't believe everything," said Cabrera, who followed up a whirlwind rookie year by winning the Venezuelan Winter League title playing for the Aragua Tigers. As usual, Cabrera continued to hit. In 15 Winter League games, he batted .327 and in 20 playoff games, he added a .288 mark with seven homers and 15 RBIs. Performing on the biggest stages in baseball has not fazed Cabrera. Neither is switching to right field. He possessed the strongest arm on the team even when Encarnacion was in right. He made a few starts in the World Series in right field, despite not practicing or playing there once in the regular season. Both Robinson (who is also the Marlins outfield defensive coach, and special assistant to the president) Andre Dawson will help Cabrera with the adjustment this spring. "I played right field a couple of times in the World Series, and I can play right field," Cabrera said. "I need to work. I need to play the angles and make the throws. I want to play there because I want to stay in the big leagues and play every day." While Cabrera played 55 games in left field a year ago, he did so with a borrowed glove. The name on Cabrera's glove was that of minor league outfielder Chris Aguila. Actually, Aguila and Chip Ambres each gave Cabrera one of their gloves as he was leaving the Carolina Mudcats for the Marlins. That's because Cabrera was exclusively a third baseman at Carolina and he had an infielder's glove. Aguila and Ambres provided outfield gloves that Cabrera has never given back. Cabrera felt more comfortable with Aguila's glove and used it, recording two putouts in the ninth inning of the decisive Game 6 of the World Series. With all the history in that glove, Cabrera says, "It's mine." In return, Cabrera says he will likely return the favor to Aguila. "I'll give him one of my gloves," Cabrera says.
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