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Decade and MLB consultant for over two decades) and Fred Claire (World Series-winning general
manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers and member of the club’s front office for 30 years.)
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Not only is Miguel Cabrera one of fourteen MLB players to ever win the Triple Crown, but he also has a chance to become the first player
ever to win the award in back to back years. Cabrera hits some pitches better than anybody else in the league and makes hitting a baseball
look like it’s as easy as hitting a slow pitch softball. His Detroit Tigers are currently first in the AL Central as they look to make another
run to the World Series. Cabrera shows great power with 15 of his 31 home runs to right field as well as outfield hits to all parts of the field.
Strengths:
First pitches should scare pitchers: Cabrera is hitting a remarkable 31 for 67 (.462) when he hits the first pitch into play.
Overall, Cabrera swings at the first pitch 39% of the time compared to the MLB average of 28%. He is aggressive with first pitch fastballs
and takes advantage of first pitches down the heart of the plate.
Cabrera is helping his team more than last year: So far this year, Cabrera is involved in creating 1.15 runs versus .85 runs last year,
a metric measured by AriBall analysis. The MLB average for a run created by a player is 0.4.
Cabrera hits like it’s his job, well … it is: Cabrera is hitting 7 for 15 (.466) off cutters, 14 for 29 (.482) off
sinkers and 15 for 38 (.394) off changeups. One reason why he is such a great batter is because he doesn’t commit too many outs
on low balls in the dirt. Most pitches below the strike zone that he does hits into an out are from curveballs and sliders (not pictured).
Weaknesses:
Two strikes: Pitchers are likely to get Cabrera out by throwing sliders that are low and away. He does a great job at taking pitches
out of the strike zone, but he is only batting 2 for 16 off sliders in the bottom left zone or extended with 11 of the outs occurring with
two strikes. Although he is batting .466 overall when he hits sliders into play, he struggles in this area of the strike zone.
Outside pitches: High and low outside pitches are keeping Cabrera’s batting average from being close to the .400 range.
The majority of Cabrera’s swing and misses come from outside pitches in general and he is only batting .200 in the top and bottom
outside zones with 9 hits in 45 at bats.
Cabrera has already completed an amazing feat by winning the Triple Crown once and would do something that only Ted Williams (1942,1947)
and Rogers Hornsby (1922, 1925) have done if he can win the award twice. With the second half of the season under way, we’ll have to wait
until September approaches to see if Miguel Cabrera can accomplish one of the greatest feats in all sports and win the Triple Crown two years in a row.
NOTE: All statistics accurate as of 7/24/13
By Danny Malter, AriBall.com Sportswriter
