Detroit Tigers: A Happy Birthday Salute To Miguel Cabrera

Today is Miguel Cabrera’s birthday. We are honoring the Detroit Tigers’ future Hall of Famer with our five favorite plays in his historical season of 2012 in which he won the MVP and hit for the Triple Crown.

Miguel Cabrera has had many moments in a Tigers uniform. Since the day he was traded to Detroit, Cabrera has provided numerous highlights in his Tigers career. This was rather difficult to narrow it down so I wanted to keep it as simple as possible. So I decided to look back at his 2012, one of the best seasons by a Tigers player in history. Not only would he hit for the Triple Crown but would become the first Tigers positional player to win MVP since Hank Greenburg did in 1940. (Minor disclaimer: Some of the videos could not be embedded into the story so there are a few links)

5.  April 7th: Miguel starts his journey

You have to start from the beginning. In the 10-0 win over Boston, Cabrera would start his walk towards history. He would hit his first two home runs of the season, both off Josh Beckett. The second home run kicked off a back to back with Prince Fielder. On the day, the Tigers would hit five.

4.  April 27th: Career RBI 1,000

Despite the loss in New York, Cabrera would drive in his 1000th RBI of his career with a single to right. With that, he became the sixth youngest player in MLB history to get to 1,000 RBIs.

3.  August 5th: Walk off clutchness

In a highly charged game between the Tigers and the Indians in which Joe West ejected both Gerald Laird and Jim Leyland after Laird argued a  single he beat out. (Check out the replay on the link, he was safe!) Miguel provided one of the biggest moments of 2012 in which he wasn’t sure his 27th home run of the season went out of the park in extra innings.  You can see the home run here. 

“It was a little scary,” Cabrera said. “It was high. I was not sure if I hit it out. I’m glad.”

2. July 22nd: Number 300

Cabrera would hit his 300th home run off the White Sox’s Philip Humber. That was his second of the game.

1. October 3rd: Take a bow, sir

After securing the Triple Crown on the road in Kansas City, the home crowd and the Tigers fans who were there, gave him a standing ovation as Ramon Santiago took over for him at third base.