Miggy Says He Feels Like He Is Back In 2014 Shape, Which Would Be Nice For Detroit If True

Former two-time American League MVP Miguel Cabrera, 38, hasn’t been the same player lately, mostly due to injury. But now he believes he’s back, and that’s exciting.

He spoke with the media about his upcoming season:

“Right now, I feel like I did back when I was in 2014,” Cabrera said Friday morning. “I feel like more like when I was healthy, with my legs, my hips. I can move my body when hitting. I don’t try to do too much. I swing naturally. I think that’s going to help me a lot this year to produce more and hit for more power.”

Here’s @MiguelCabrera hitting baseballs.

Just wait until the end. #TigersST pic.twitter.com/ri1czuYXrS

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) February 22, 2021

Miggy was diagnosed with a “chronic” knee injury back in 2019, but he has also undergone surgeries on his shoulder and to repair a broken bone in his ankle. Injuries have derailed an otherwise flawless offensive career that will still easily cement his legacy in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Matter fact, he’s not too far off from 3,000 hits and 500 home runs, which almost guarantees a plaque in Cooperstown.

Miguel Cabrera said he hopes to reach both milestones, 500 home runs and 3000 hits, this season.

“I hope we can do both. It’s one of my goals this year,” he said. “Mentally I feel good.”

— Jason Beck (@beckjason) February 26, 2021

Tigers’ manager AJ Hinch spoke about Cabrera after today’s practice:

“He just needs to be the best version of himself now, and he’s going to be very productive. Just give me what you got, as long as you can, on any given day. It’s going to be good enough.”

Miggy is what baseball misses

Miguel Cabrera is largely what made baseball entertaining before the generation of “launch angle.” Offensively, Cabrera takes pride in putting the ball in play, despite what analytical nerds say. His prime was filled with .330+ batting averages, 120+ RBI, and hardly any strikeouts that put audiences to sleep.

A mostly-recovered Cabrera is exactly what baseball needs today to make its own recovery. It’s just too bad father time and injuries have a say. No matter how badly Miggy’s body hurts him this year–we just hope for him to go out the way he came in.

A legend.