Tributes to Miguel Cabrera are pouring in across baseball in the wake of Miggy's 500th home run.
"I know you're not the type of person to have everybody tell you how great you are, but I'll tell you, man," said Justin Verlander. "You're the best player, the best hitter I've ever played with."
"Welcome to the 500 Club," said Albert Pujols, "I'm so proud of everything you have accomplished in this game."
"I've had the opportunity to watch you forever and you're a joy to the game," said Jim Thome. "Congratulations and well-deserved, my friend. You are a special, special player."
Cabrera reached 500 for a litany of reasons, not least because of his smarts at the plate. He always seems to know what the pitcher is thinking. Like that time he called his shot to the entire Indians dugout by hitting a homer off the very pitch he told them was coming. A's All-Star Chris Bassitt offered a tribute of his own this week, detailing an episode where Cabrera deciphered Bassitt's plan of attack within two pitches of an at-bat.
It's May of 2019 and Bassitt is facing Cabrera at Comerica Park. Having yielded a single to Miggy in the shortstop-third base hole earlier in the game, Bassitt decides that's not happening again. So he tells shortstop Marcus Semein he's starting Miggy with a slider away and then a two-seam in,
so "shift late cause he’s hitting it in the 6 hole." After the two-seam inside, Cabrera sees everything happening, looks up at Bassitt and grins.
"I walked him on four straight," Bassitt said.
Cabrera's powers aren't what they used to be, but his mind is just as sharp. Take it from the guys who have to try getting him out.