Miguel Cabrera's contract
What's the feeling out there on this?
Miguel Cabrera's salary jumps from $15 million this year to $20 million next year and doesn't duck back down under $20 million for the next SIX YEARS. The Tigers owe him $126 million for the next six.
With what took place on the last Saturday of the season, how comfortable are you all with this? Or this the time to explore a deal because you don't trust his behavior for the term of the contract?
Here's what I think: Preference can't enter into it. The Tigers HAVE to keep him. They wouldn't have an offense without him. So concerned or not. Tiger Nation must grin and bear it. But you might disagree. Hopefully, some of you do.
To Bob: Not so.
To Grant: Not to be snarky back, but I believe you were wrong
To Yooper: Ouch, but I also value your opinion.
To Salty: I get the feeling they share your thoughts about Avila
Phillies and Yankees, by the way. But the Angels are going to make the Y's earn it. Seven games in AL, six in NL.
Comments
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Cabrera
Are you kidding? When do we stop allowing these "men" to behave so inappropriately? What about consequences? So the guy humiliates a teenage boy and Detroit will not only keep him he will get a raise. Hope your son or daughter isn't next!
Cabrera Forever?
We must remember that Cabrera was acquired to get the team to the '08 World Series. Remember, how it was a shoo-in for the Tigers? And, Dombrowski feared the worst, should they actually win it, with Cabrera having an MVP year. Best to lock him up, rather than to lose him to the Yankee$ or Red $ox.
But the repeat WS never happened, and the Tigers are now back to being "competitive" at best. Time to ask if the $156m investment is still worth it. You could get a lot of good players for that mooh-la, and there might be another "contender" that's one more super-bat away from a Championship.
Cabrera's Contract
I agree with the comment not worth the 20 million per season. He is however, the main offensive power the Tigers have to build around. My problem is giving large contracts to players coming from outside the organization without seemingly doing background checks on the other intangibles concerning their character/personality. Willis's contract for example. There should have been more previous investigation into this prior to rewarding him before he threw a pitch. Maybe they did, I don't know. College sports programs experience this a lot when recruiting high school players. Great athletes but within a couple of years are disciplined or suspended from the program for various team violtions brought on by their character/personality shortcomings.
Miguel Cabrera's Contract
I think they have to keep him. RoseAngel gave me a tooth of hers he knocked out (Thanks), but said the guy's seen the light. Or was that the police headlights at 6:00 AM? Regardless, everyone deserve a second chance at a second chance along with $126 million and Rosey's standing behind her man. Cabrera mentioned through his publicist that he deeply regrets the inconvenience his error in judgment has caused him. Some contrition.
Miguel Cabrera's Contract
They gotta keep him....what else would I do with my Cabrera jersey?
Cabrera's Contract
Since this is the "king of the numbers" sites of the all the forums, can someone please substantiate how Miggy did NOT perform with men on base (TDog & GW, 2009). I mean, he leads the team in every statistical number except "kissing the butts of the forum members who don't like him" and somehow he's not clutch, not a good RBI guy, and just a guy who hits for numbers when it doesn't matter (Statistical analysis of Miggy, 2009).
Seriously.
"Who loves ya', Baby" (Savales, 1975).
Miguel Cabrera's Contract
"What's the feeling out there on this?"
I like it. In fact, it's the only very "big" contract that I like at the moment, unless you bump Granderson into the group.
I'd trade Ordonez, Guillen, Inge, Willis, Bonderman, and Robertson all for nothing, just to free up payroll. I think we can do better in each case with the money. That said, I'd offer arbitration to Polanco, and I'd be glad if he accepted.
Clearly, Miguel has a problem that goes deeper than just one night out on the town. You don't blow a .26 without building up a substantial tolerance for booze. Almost surely liquor, rather than suds, too. I mean, the sheer quantity of liquid that you'd have to feed a six foot five stud like Miggy to get him up to .26 would be a truck load! He's also getting to the point where his marriage is impacted by this. Like DD says, there are programs- GOOD programs- that the league and the players have set up to deal with those issues. I don't think it's a personality disorder along the lines of a Milton Bradley, so I think that Cabrera will be fine, and he'll be a stud for the duration of his contract.
BTW- Ordonez led the league in batting after the All Star break by quite a wide margin- .375 to Mauer's and Kendrick's .358! He also knocked 14 doubles and posted a .987 OPS. Not bad at all!
Cabrera's Contract
I need to comment on Cabrera: heckuva talent.....he's probably worth $12-15M per season, not $20-22M per. He's 27 and probably will be at the end of his productive years about the time that the contract ends. For him, the built in raises into the ether given by DD is just the right cocoon to foster his drinking and woman-beating problems, and whatever other addictive trouble he can get into over those six season.
And, Tom Gage, you are correct: we're stuck with him and the pay out unless there is an escape clause if he gets in TOO MUCH trouble.
As for Miguel's ability, there is no doubt that he could be a great, great player...even HOF material. However, reports circulate and even appear in print about Cabrera's nighttime escapades and near misses with assaults and excessive imbibliating. To put it mildly, Cabrera is a train wreck waiting to happen. DD needs to pull him off on a siding and read him the facts of life; not just for Miguel's sake, but for the integrity of the major league baseball contract process. I would hate to see a player of Cabrera's caliber and potential become a shell of the player we have seen so far.
This season was not Miguel's best. Instead of solving the run production problems to a degree, he contributed to them. I didn't think he performed to the level he demonstrated in his first couple or three seasons.
Downhill is no direction to go in when the compensation is on an uphill slant.
Salary
Johnh - Cabrera wil be 32 at the end of his contract. He will be in his prime years as a baseball player, provided he doesn't sustain a significant injury. There is no reason to expect him to not be able to play 1st base at that point. He also should not be declining much, if at all, in terms of batting prowess.
Salary
I do not believe that there is a market for Cabrera right now, all things considered. Yes, he can rake, and is at least decent at 1B, although DH will be his position at the back end of this contract. It's anyones guess if he can get his situation under control, Tigers can only hope he does. This could turn into another DD contract disaster, although, there is still potential for upside.
Tom
I would explore a trade to the Red Sox for Lester and Victor Martinez and then use the salary space provided to sign Jason Bay or Holliday. That improves the starting pitching, catching while not hurting the offense. If Stirby can make the jump to the bigs and play 1st base that move might actually help the offense. Guillen, Maggs and Raburn could rotate between DH and the OF.
Apologies
I'm wrong on my previous because here I am agreeing on your next.I strongly feel that this was the event in Cabrera's life where he looks in the mirror.His pride's too great where he thinks that he's being looked at by his peers as a mouthy young drunk. The Tigers have no choice but to go along at present because of their contractural commitment(Dombrowski can ill-afford another one going south),but I think he straightens out to enjoy a great career.
Mr. Gage
Out of curiosity, it would seem wise that when investing 150M into one player you would insert a morals clause into the contract. It wouldn't be acceptable to use narcotics of any kind, have a blood alcohol content level probably north of .30 when the incident happened should be a severe enough offense to trigger such a clause if the Tigers wanted to.
What is bothersome is that the behavior didn't stay off the field. It was apparent that Cabrera was not competing fully and giving up at bats towards the end of the year. I am a fan of swinging at whatever pitch gives you the best chance to get a hit but Cabrera swung at an inordinate number of first pitches, many of them out of the strike zone, and when he made contact it didn't translate to well hit balls.
Should he go? I don't think so but I think his leash is VERY short at this point.
Mr. Gage
Touche, sir. Game four would indeed have been last night, they would be off today.
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