There are franchise players, Hall of Famers, and then those athletes that transcend baseball. Miguel Cabrera is a surefire Hall of Famer, but I would also classify him as a player that has revolutionized the game.
The Detroit Tigers were on the road in Cleveland for a three-game series this week, which concluded with a doubleheader on Wednesday. The season has not gone in favor of the Tigers, but the team still found a way to make history in the two-game set.
The Tigers swept the Indians thanks to a great showing from Cabrera. It was the team’s first doubleheader sweep in Cleveland since September 14, 1997.
Big Day for Miguel Cabrera
The Cleveland fan base was not very kind towards the future Hall of Famer, Miguel Cabrera. The fans chanted ‘retire’ every time the Tiger stepped into the box, but Cabrera stayed collected at the plate and delivered.
Cabrera blasted his 494th home run in his storied career, which highlighted his four-hit day. There was a time when the Tigers owned Progressive Field, and the sweep along with Miggy’s bomb showed that Detroit has a promising future.
The Tigers outscored the Indians 16-5 in 14 innings on Wednesday. Detroit only won two games at Progressive Field in 2019 and 2020, so the doubleheader win was meaningful for the organization.
Cabrera has been sensational this month, proving that he still has good baseball left before he calls it a career. The veteran batted .329 in June with five doubles, three home runs, and 14 RBIs. This was the first time he batted over .300 in a month since 2019.
In addition to leading the offense, Cabrera has also been instrumental in changing the culture of this club. This mentality will be present long after he hangs up the cleats.
Detroit finished the month by winning seven of their final ten against the Indians, Astros, Cardinals, and Angels.
AJ Hinch on His Club
Say what you want about AJ Hinch. He may have been involved in the Houston cheating scandal, but the skipper knows how to win. He has been squeezed every ounce of talent out of the Tigers through the first half of the season.
The level of play is only going to improve in Detroit, and Hinch is a coach that can take this franchise back to the promised land.
After the series win, he said, “The expectation for us to have winning months has to be the norm. We really need that to be a goal, it starts with winning series. We won this series. That’s big for us.”
The Tigers are out of the playoff picture, but this club will be a spoiler down the stretch in the American League.
Miggy Approaching 500 Home Runs and 3,000 Hits
Cabrera is about to join an elite club for players with 500 homers and 3,000 hits. Only six players have achieved this status during their time in the show. Cabrera is 28th on the all-time home run list, and it appears that he will indeed surpass 500 in 2021.
Hinch praised the veteran after the doubleheader.
He said, “I think he’s settled in nicely, and I think he knows what he’s trying to do. And when he goes up and executes that and gets rewarded with a few hits and the oppo homer today, like anybody, that breeds confidence. I don’t care how long you’ve been in this league. You need production in order to feel good about yourself.”
Cabrera is definitely feeling good, and this confidence should continue to grow throughout July.
