Miguel Cabrera became the seventh MLB player in history to hit 3,000 career hits and 500 homers. The Detroit Tigers slugger is only one of three players with both milestones within his first 13 seasons–the others are Albert Pujols and Hank Aaron. As teams have switched their philosophies this century from “hitters” to “power pitchers,” a few names on baseball’s all-time list have become more prominent than ever before
Miguel Cabrera, the Detroit Tigers slugger, became seventh player in MLB history to reach 3,000 hits and 500 homers.
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ESPN Writer Marly Rivera
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- Marly Rivera is an ESPNdeportes.com and ESPN.com journalist.
Miguel Cabrera became the 33rd member of the 3,000-hit club and just the seventh player in big league history to smash 500 home runs with a single against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.
In the first inning, he hit No. 3,000 by hitting an opposite-field single to right field against fellow Venezuelan pitcher Antonio Senzatela.
As he approached first base, Cabrera instinctively lifted his right arm. While pyrotechnics were launched out of the scoreboard, the audience of 37,566 at Comerica Park gave him a standing ovation and screamed “Miggy! Miggy!” Cabrera’s former Tigers teammate, Rockies shortstop Jose Iglesias, walked over to embrace his old buddy.
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By that point, the Tigers’ whole dugout had gathered to meet the newest member of baseball’s prestigious 3,000-hit club. Cabrera stepped around home plate a few moments later to hug his mother, wife, son, and daughter on the field.
Cabrera quickly returned to first base, but only for a short time. He came around to score on a three-run homer by 22-year-old rookie Spencer Torkelson, who has taken over as the Tigers’ regular first baseman with Cabrera at the plate.
The scoreboard showed “Congratulations Miggy” at the conclusion of the inning, and Cabrera exited from the bench to wave to the spectators who had been rewarded with the highlight they had come to witness.
Cabrera finished the sixth inning with a two-run single before being removed by pinch runner Eric Haase. The Tigers went on to win by a score of 13-0.
Cabrera went 0-for-3 against the New York Yankees on Thursday after surpassing 2,999 hits on Wednesday. In the eighth inning, he was deliberately walked, his fourth and last plate appearance of the game. Cabrera’s quest for history was put on hold on Friday when the Tigers’ planned series opening against the Rockies was rained out. The game was rescheduled for Saturday as part of a doubleheader.
The 39-year-old became the first Venezuelan-born player and the eighth Latino to hit 3,000 hits, joining Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente and Rod Carew, as well as Rafael Palmeiro, Alex Rodriguez, Adrian Beltre, and Albert Pujols, on the list. Luis Aparicio got 2,677 career hits and is the only Venezuelan-born player in the Hall of Fame.
Cabrera became the 28th member of the 500-home run club in August, after winning the Triple Crown and the first of back-to-back MVP honors in 2012. Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Palmeiro, Pujols, Rodriguez, and Eddie Murray are the only other players with 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.
Cabrera became the first player in 45 years to win the Triple Crown after leading the American League in batting average, home runs, and RBIs in 2012. In his career, the 11-time All-Star has won four batting crowns.
Cabrera made his big league debut with the Marlins in 2003 when he was 20 years old. That year, he assisted them in winning the World Series.
Cabrera was acquired by the Tigers in a 2007 trade that also included Dontrelle Willis, Andrew Miller, and Cameron Maybin. At the time, Cabrera had 842 hits.
He joins Ty Cobb and Al Kaline as the third player in Detroit history to reach the 3,000-hit plateau.
This article was written with the help of the Associated Press.
Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera becomes the seventh MLB player to have 3,000 hits and 500 home runs. Reference: detroit baseball team.
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