This is not something normal ball players do. This is not something good ball players do.

This is unreal.

After the oppo-dong landed several rows back in right-center in Arlington, my first thoughts were to how unbelievably lucky Detroit fans are to watch this guy play day-in and day-out. This is a once in a generation-type hitter. My second thought was a bit more…eccentric.

What would be the haul for trading someone like this? 

One of the things that most seems to influence discussions in deals in modern baseball is the amount of contract left, and the duration of the deal.

Cabrera’s deal runs through 2015, and he’ll make 21 million this year, and then 22 million the next two years. Seven players made more annually than Cabrera did in 2012, which was a 21 million payday. Two others also made that much.

Probably the two factors that follow contractual status in the importance of any trade is age and ability, because one is usually impacted by the other. Cabrera is newly 30, and he is the best hitter in the major leagues. His career arc has been in an upward trajectory since he came in the league in terms of offense, and he has shown that he can play first base well, third base average, and probably left field a little better than Delmon Young.

So, what would he be worth in a trade?

Frankly, it’s a lot more difficult a premise than one would think. Most hitters start the down slope of their power primes at 32 or 33, but Cabrera’s hinting at lasting a bit longer. But when his contract runs out after ’15, what would he be worth? He could very well be looking at a Pujols-type deal : Albert got a ten-year, 200+ million dollar contract at 32, and Cabrera could be staring down a gold-plated barrel of the same karat. So, essentially, whatever team would acquire him is basically hoping he’ll take the dollars when his current, “affordable” contract expires.

But what would the Tigers get in return? Prospects? MLB veterans? Young stars? Would he net a Jurickson Profar? A Giancarlo Stanton? A riot in the streets of Michigan?

It’s a fun though to roll around in one’s mind, mostly because it won’t happen. Detroit Tiger fans have fallen in love with the pudgy-faced slugger, and the everyone associated with the Tigers, from Mr. Illitch to the singing vendor, would all have coronaries if he left via trade.

But what if?

May 13, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) makes a play on a ball hit by Houston Astros third baseman Matt Dominguez (not pictured) in the second inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Last night the Tigers rebounded to take the first game of the series with the new AL whipping boy, Houston Astros. In between the MLB.TV buffers, outages and lots of swear words, I had a couple observations on some Tiger-related topics.

Miguel Cabrera

It amazed me that Miguel Cabrera winning the Triple Crown was not a huge story outside of Detroit. Perhaps that’s due to the rise of sabermetrics, and a segment of baseball fans and media valuing the new-age stats over the traditional numbers. It could also be because the accomplishment happened to a player with Detroit. Had it been New York or Boston, it may have been a bigger deal. Either way, one thing is certain, Miguel is on a similar pace as last year.

Through 36 games in 2012: .308, 8 HR, 31 RBI; Through 36 games in 2013: .385, 6 HR, 36 RBIs

Friday night, almost on cue when Fox Sports Detroit put a graphic up about his unbelievable numbers with RISP, he hit a three-run bomb. He is so good that its actually more newsworthy when he fails, as was the case when he grounded out to end Saturday’s game with the tying run in scoring position.

There is no debate that Miggy is the best player in the game today. It is not out of the realm of possibility that he could win another Triple Crown and become the first player to ever achieve the honor two straight years. If that happens, perhaps sabermetricians and ESPN will finally give him his due.

May 7, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila (13) reacts after striking out to end the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Alex Avila

No one needs to be reminded of the struggles of Alex Avila. Perhaps his lone highlight of the year was the clutch home run in Houston. Other than that, he has struggled at the plate and is average behind the plate (including looking awful on a couple of throws in last night’s games). Which leads me to wonder if the Tigers are stuck with Avila. Brayan Pena‘s productive Sunday should lead to questions of if he should be starting more often, at least until he cools off.

Avila has plenty of supporters. Justin Verlander likes having him as his catcher, and, more importantly, his dad is the assistant GM. A major change will not happen during the season, but if Avila struggles this year, giving him two straight subpar years (and three out of four), should the Tigers think of upgrading the position? Will that be a problem because of Alex’s relationship to the front office?

The Jim Price Drinking Game

Because of my battles with MLB.TV’s crappy reception for the last week, I’ve been listening to more of the radio feed, which has renewed my astonishment that Jim Price is still employed. The Rod Allen Drinking Game has nothing on a possible Jim Price Drinking Game, except everyone would be passed out by the third inning.

Price relies heavily on gimmicks. He describes any location that Dan Dickerson talks about during an advertisement as, “what a great place, I love it there,” even though you know he’s never been there. I almost wish DD would trip him up one time and say, “We have a young man attending his first Tigers’ game from Fallujah,” only to have Price utter, “oh what a beautiful city that is!”

Aside from the constant eating on the air, the other thing that drive me insane about Price is his constant use of the talking point “the art of pitching.” It is like nails on a chalkboard. Dickerson is a very good broadcaster, but his partner is so awful that it brings the entire broadcast level down.

Price is getting to the Hawk Harrelson level for embarrassment, and this needs to be his last season in the booth.

With the bases loaded Austin Jackson was in an 0-2 hole. He had already fouled off three pitches while facing 0-2 and it felt inevitable that the inning would end with a “Tigers threaten but do not score.”

But Jackson took ball one. Ok. Bobby LaFromboise had essentially thrown five straight strikes, so a waste pitch out of the strike zone was bound to happen. Still it was 1-2.

Jackson took ball two. Now hope, which had already dissipated, slowly returns. Jackson is no longer in a hole. The count is even. Jackson has new life. The pressure is now on LaFromboise, who has nowhere else to put Jackson with the bases loaded.

Jackson took ball three. Well now we’re invested as fans. What was a meaningless at bat bound for a tragic ending is now the most important at bat of the entire game. It will all come down to one pitch (a slight exaggeration but when you’re in the moment everything feels this important).

Ball four.

Jackson takes his base and an uncomfortable two-run lead becomes a slightly more comfortable three-run lead with the bullpen ready to take over the game.

Considering how well the Tigers pitchers performed, Jackson’s at bat wasn’t a turning point in the game nor was it the moment Detroit clinched this one.

But it’s a great example of how much better Jackson has become as a hitter. He opened the game facing an 0-2 count and that at bat ended in a triple and he eventually scored.

Jackson has come a long way from the player who struck out 170 times in his rookie season only to follow that up with 181 strikeouts in his sophomore year. And if he continues to improve on this transformation into a more patient hitter, Jackson could very well be the consensus No. 1 hitter in the league.

Not a bad player to have setting the table when Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez are the ones coming to dinner on a nightly basis.

Bullets

• The bullpen may be a concern of ours for a while, but it’s clear that when it comes starting games, the Tigers have no problems. It’ll be interesting to see if Detroit can continue it’s run of scoring first (and scoring in the first inning) all year.
• Prince Fielder needs to take the tape of this game and just burn it. There’s nothing you can learn from watching yourself strike out four times in a game. Sometimes it’s best to just forget about the day and move on.
• I like Al Alburqurque. I’ve been in love with that slider ever since I first saw it. And I know he walks guys way more than a closer should. But why not try him as a closer?
• What more can be said about Miguel Cabrera? At this point he needs to start not hitting for us to write more about him. He’s become as predictable (in a great way) as the sun rising and setting. Never change Miggy.
• If Alex Avila continues to struggle at the plate the way he has been (.195/.233/.341 with 12 Ks in 10 games before tonight) the Tigers will essentially have 0 catchers for the entire season. Fortunately his defense hasn’t been this bad.