Five Numbers That Sum Up The Season
OPS |
oWAR |
oWAR Rank |
IBB |
RBI |
1.042 |
7.4 |
1st |
32 |
126 |
What It All Means
Picking just five numbers for Cabrera is very, very challenging, because just about every offensive contribution statistic lists Cabrera at or near the top. His OPS was good for second in the AL, while his 7.4 oWAR was tops in the league, indicating he contributed more wins above a replacement player than anyone else in the AL when it comes to only his bat. He also led baseball with 126 RBI. One statistic that helps sum up both Cabrera’s (and the Tigers) season; he led baseball with 32 intentional walks, more than double the next player. Down the stretch, teams would rather load the bases and face someone else than let Cabrera hit in an important situation, showing just how good Cabrera was, and just how bad his protection was in the second half.
What Does the Future Hold
Whether or not Cabrera wins the MVP, he clearly had an MVP-caliber season. He’s the fixture in the middle of the order and at first base, and is just now beginning to enter his prime. There’s very little else to say about Cabrera, other than Tigers fans should enjoy getting the opportunity to see him play, night in and night out, because we haven’t had a hitter of his caliber for many years, and are unlikely to have another one like him anytime soon.