With a counterattack in the first inning of Saturday’s game against the Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers hitter Miguel Cabrera, 39, became the 33rd player in MLB history to hit 3,000 and the first Venezuelan-born player to dem succeeded in this feat.
Right off the bat, Cabrera knew what he had done. As he headed for the first, Cabrera raised his arm in triumph to a thunderous round of applause. The game, the first of a day-night doubleheader, stalled after Cabrera reached first. Even a few Rockies, notably shortstop José Iglesias, who was a teammate of Cabrera with the Tigers from 2013-2018, stopped by to congratulate Miggy on his milestone.
At Miggy’s 3,000. Hit there was a lot of construction work and also a little controversy. You see, during Thursday’s game against the Yankees, Cabrera had 2,999 hits. The Tigers led 1-0 en route to the end of the round of 16. Miggy came onto the plate with two outs and runners in second and third place. This was the perfect opportunity for Cabrera, his 3,000th. to land a hit. Just imagine. Two outs, two men in goal position with a chance to seal the game for his team against the Yankees. It’s a fairytale story. This is what kids dream of in their backyards, but Cabrera never had that opportunity. He was deliberately led to load the bases, a decision that would kill the Yankees’ chances, as Austin Meadows would end up double-left and driving in two, but even so, Yankees manager Aaron Boone should have given Miggy a chance to take his 3,000 most hit on.
Obviously we’re not huge fans of the unwritten rules of baseball here at Peppystores, but this is one of those rare exceptions. No one calls for Boone’s head, as is usually the case when an unwritten rule is broken, but Boone’s decision nonetheless had the entire baseball world collectively roll their eyes and sigh in disappointment. Move dick, Boone. Luckily, Cabrera didn’t have to wait long for his next goal.
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This milestone makes Cabrera one of only two active players to have 3,000 career hits (Albert Pujols) and one of only seven players of all time to have both 3,000 career hits and 500 career homers (Hank Aaron , Willie Mays, Álex Rodríguez, Eddie Murray, Rafael Palmeiro and Pujols). The next active player to come closest to 3,000 hits is New York Mets second baseman Robinson Canó, also 39 years old and currently 370 hits away. After Canó, St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina is the active hit leader with 2,116. He doesn’t arrive. The most likely next batsman to reach 3,000 hits is difficult to determine. Jose Altuve and Freddie Freeman are 31 and 32 years old respectively, but they’re each more than 1,250 hits away. Mike Trout is 30 but he’s more than 1,500 away and he’s always injured. In fact, there are only two players under the age of 30 in the top 35 active hit leaders (Bryce Harper and Xander Bogaerts). Maybe they can do it, but it’s too early to tell. This 2020 season shortened by COVID has certainly done them no favours.
The lack of active players able to join Miggy in the 3,000-hit club is a testament to Cabrera’s consistency and staying power at a time when older players are often sidelined. There’s no doubt he’ll be anchored in Cooperstown in the first election he’s eligible for. He’s a two-time MVP, 11-time All-Star, three-time Crown Champion, and World Series Champion. If that’s not enough to be the second (or third, due to Pujols’ likely retirement at the end of this season) ever unanimous Hall of Famer, then I don’t know what is.
