RWhitney014
Ginger Whit
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Cabrera’s Weight No Issue
By Perry Gattegno
He’s too big, they say, to cover ground at third base; look at the errors. He’s going to have to move to first or the American League to be a designated hitter, they say; look at his baserunning. He’s going to eat himself out of his career, they say; look at the pictures of him from 2003.
I say leave him alone.
Cabrera’s official 210-pound listing is a joke, to be sure. He does not deny reporters that he has grown larger over the past couple years. Thing is, so have his offensive statistics. Cabrera is hitting .332 with 16 HR and 51 RBI so far this year. His average is tops among major league 3B and his 45 runs scored put him second among that group and ahead of such offensive juggernauts as Alfonso Soriano, Albert Pujols, and Vladimir Guerrero.
Cabrera was never going to beat Juan Pierre in any sprint competitions, so whatever effect his size has on his speed is negligible. He is no Mike Lowell on the bases, and he compensates for his lack of twinkletoes with his impeccable instincts.
Defense is a concern. Cabrera is tied for the most errors among MLB 3B with Ryan Zimmerman and (surprise)Lowell. But many of Cabrera’s errors come on poor throws across the diamond on routine plays. This suggests his footwork and a couple lapses in concentration are at fault, two separate problems unrelated to his weight.
Too many critics take the too easy path of lobbing jabs at Cabrera. Some fans have taken it steps farther, advocating trading Cabrera while he’s still marketable. Put clearly, this is ridiculous. If the Marlins were to put Cabrera up for sale, 29 other teams would be lining up with their best offers. Cabrera’s career numbers through age 23 compare him favorably to five players: Hank Aaron, Orlando Cepeda, Frank Robinson, Joe Medwick, and Mickey Mantle, says baseball-reference.com. Notice anything those guys have in common?
Only a few players exist whom are definitely better than Cabrera. Pujols is on top, and Guerrero is probably up there, too. Alex Rodriguez is having a historically good season. After that trio, who else is there? David Wright? Cabrera’s leading him in just about every offensive category but stolen bases and All-Star votes. Travis Hafner? David Ortiz? Two other big guys who truly have taken themselves off the field due to their defensive incompetence.
Miguel Cabrera is what differentiates the Marlins, a young team with a bright, immediate future, from the Royals, a young team constantly mired in rebuilding with a couple nice pieces but no relief in sight. Cabrera has developed into a leader, telling pitchers off when they throw at hitters and coming to the defense of his teammates in dicey situations. He has taken his newfound money – his $7.4 million was a record contract for a player in his first year of arbitration – with a sense of responsibility, not immaturity.
So Cabrera may have a Ruthian physique, but his numbers are approachable to that stratum of player. If the critics have to focus on a player’s weight, that’s because there’s nothing in his game for them to lambaste. In Cabrera’s case, let him continue to assault Florida’s offensive records. Maybe then the critics will realize just how unimportant Cabrera’s weight is.
