It ended like so many conversations about Miguel Cabrera seem to do. Future Hall of Famer manager Tony La Russa discussed the ability of the Tigers slugger to vaporize baseballs. He relayed a story about walking along the back fields in Lakeland, Fla., last spring with good friend Jim Leyland. There were tall trees. They were planted a cab ride away from home plate. Only left-handed hitters rocketed shots over them. And there was one exception.
“Not only did (Cabrera) clear the trees, he hit them farther than anyone else. It’s not something you normally see,” La Russa said. “You are talking about one of the greatest hitters of all time.”
Cabrera has evolved from a prodigy to an all-star to an MVP to keeping company in with Rogers Hornsby and Albert Pujols. Cabrera enters September trying to do something no one has done: win consecutive Triple Crowns.
Babe Ruth, Stan Musial and Hank Aaron never won one. And of the 14 players to win the crown, no one came close to two in a row. Jimmie Foxx had arguably the best encore in 1934. He finished second in homers (44), fourth in RBIs (130) and seventh in average (.330). Yankees ironman Lou Gehrig won the Triple Crown that season, spoiling Foxx’s bid.
Cabrera enters September with a legitimate shot. He’s already better than last season when he became the first crown winner since Boston’s Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.
Despite myriad injuries, Cabrera entered Saturday with an American League-best .358 average and 130 RBIs, while his 43 home runs were four shy of Orioles slugger Chris Davis.
Forget Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson, can Cabrera pull off a double triple?
“If he wins a second in a row, he should retire and go right into the Hall of Fame,” Rockies first baseman Todd Helton said. “It’s hard to even imagine getting one. It’s unreal.”
Cabrera is the biggest reason to watch baseball this month, but he doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Even if pennant fever is 98.6 degrees in Colorado, there are several spicy story lines. A look at the best:
Blue in the face. The Dodgers are on the kind of run that makes the 2007 Rockies blush. Colorado was better over 22 games (21-1). But the Dodgers went from 12 games under .500 to a blue steamroller, winning 58 of their next 71. Dodgers president Stan Kasten noted that baseball is better when the Dodgers are good. He’s right. They lead in road attendance, a tip to the electric and enigmatic Yasiel Puig. And their pitching has been staggeringly good. Their team ERA over the first 39 games since the all-star break? Try 2.25, with a .221 batting average against. Clayton Kershaw anchors the staff, and likely will become the first Cy Young Award-winning starter with a sub 2.00 ERA since Pedro Martinez in 2000.
Bronx Zoo Part 2. The Yankees historically have been hard to root for. That changed with the arrival of Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. With Alex Rodriguez back, it’s not only difficult to cheer the Yankees, but a moral dilemma for even fans of the Bombers. Here’s what it’s come to: Friday, the Yankees scored five runs in the fifth inning, Rodriguez grounded into a double play and was roundly booed. What if he helps the Yankees get into the playoffs? The angst, the anger, the A-Rod.
In the Pitt. Pittsburgh, the city, wants to trust this group of patch-eyes. The fans really do. But when a team hasn’t had a winning season since 1992, the city’s trepidation can be excused. Once the Pirates reach 82 wins, it’s likely the fingers of the fist will uncoil, allowing them to finish strong. They are a playoff team. But the Pirates might only have one game, shoved into a wild-card matchup with the Reds. Manager Clint Hurdle is attempting to reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2007 Rockies. Yeah, you’ve probably heard of them. We wrote a book about it, so we can’t help it.
Clearing the bases. Of the singular achievements, it’s hard to top Davis. He’s pushing 50, trying to become the first big-leaguer to reach the half-century mark in homers since Rodriguez and Prince Fielder in 2007. Will Angels owner Arte Moreno blow up his team and start over, firing manager Mike Scioscia or general manager Jerry Dipoto? Can the Rays squeak into the playoffs, where they clearly will be a tough out with their rotation? And will there be more Red Sox fans than Rockies fans in the stands Sept. 25 for Helton’s likely final home game? Helton never won the Triple Crown, but only four other active players have had multiple 40-homer, 120-RBI years.
Of course, Cabrera is one.
“There’s some stuff other guys do that you try to apply in batting practice,” Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said. “With him, you don’t bother because you know you can’t. He’s that good.”
