Miggy’s Final Week At Comerica Park
If you are baseball fan or just a fan of Detroit, this week is a special and emotional one. Miggy will play his last games at Comerica Park and in…
If you are baseball fan or just a fan of Detroit, this week is a special and emotional one. Miggy will play his last games at Comerica Park and in the Major Leagues. Shoutout to the Tigers for pulling out all the stops to make sure Miggy is sent off in the right fashion.
It was 15 years ago, and I remember it like it was yesterday. The Tigers traded for Miguel Cabrera and the story began. If I am being honest, it has to be one of the top 5 all time trades in sports history. The Tigers got Miggy for Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller, Mike Rabelo, Burke Badenhop, Frankie De La Cruz, and Dallas Trahern to the then-Florida Marlins. At that time Miggy was only 24 years old, already one a World Series and made an impact on the game as one of the best young hitters in the game.
Years later, nothing changed. Miggy began to climb the ranks in Tigers History, as well as MLB history. He also helped bring the Tigers back from depths and challenge for titles once again. The stats say it all while here in Detroit. Miggy lead the Tigers, averaging 34 home runs and 38 doubles per season from 2008-2016, while batting .325 with a .405 on-base percentage and slugging .573.
The award and stats that stick out the most from Miggy was the year he won the triple crown. He is the only player in the last 56 years to win this award, and I have been on record saying he will be the last. In today's MLB I don't think you will ever see a guy hit for average and homeruns like Miggy did. It's simple, in today's world average does not matter when it comes to MLB hitter. That is something I will always disagree with. But anyway, back to Miggy.
This is his last week wearing the Old English D and like I said, the Tigers are making sure he knows how much he means and meant to this great city.
For example, this is what the outfield looks like at Comerica this week:
That's not all the MLB and Tigers are doing. Check out the baseballs that are being used in the final week of his career.
Here was his first at bat of the final homestand:
My love for Miggy:
As a young Ball player with dreams of making it to the MLB I looked up to Miggy. He showed you what being a good guy, and a good baseball player could get you in life. He had fun playing the game and never took himself seriously. He gave back to the community in more ways then 1.
When it is all said and done, I think Miggy goes down as the best right handed hitter in history and a top 15 player of all-time.
