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I'm a little concerned about Miguel Cabrera.
I wrote before that I did not think Miggy would have a year that a number two Overall fantasy pick should have. He's 31, was hurt badly last year, and just received a fat contract. All these factors are negative reasonings, or maybe even excuses for Cabrera to perform poorly.
This is not a Shandler/Trout write up. I did not expect Miggy to perform THIS poorly. But, in one way, it is more alarming than Trout's start last year.
Cabrera is so darned consistent, we never expect an elongated slump. No matter the time of season.

Despite the early showing, I still consider Cabrera the best hitter in baseball. But like said, I'm worried.
I'm worried that his injury from last year will effect Cabrera, the same way that Plantar footitis effected Pujols. Either he still feels something in his groin or midruff, or he is afraid to cut loose and be the old Miggy for fear of the injury coming back.
Either way, it is not good.

I thought the Tigers made a big mistake in prolonging his years. They had it perfect in paying him through his prime. Now, they'll be giving him 30 million dollars when he's 41.
If averaging 600 at bats through that age 41 season, Cabrera will make about $50,000 per at bat. In each at bat, he'll make more than the average worker in Michigan.
Miggy no longer has contracts to play for.
The Tigers in giving this contract think they have done themselves, Cabrera, and their fans proud.
Ask Angel fans if that is the feeling they have.
Contracts like this, for lack of better words, piss me right off.
Like the Pujols or Josh Hamilton contracts, these clubs are paying more for a players past than future.
Age 20-30 seasons, in almost every case, will be better than age 31-40 seasons.
Sure, some steroid heads contradict those samples, but for the most part, it is the case.

Like said, I thought that this may be the year that Miggy 'isn't Miggy'.
But, I hope he comes back to be a semblance of the Miggy we all remember.
Baseball needs a 'best hitter in the game'. And without Miggy being Miggy, I don't even know who that best hitter would be.
Cabrera has so outclassed all other hitters in the past, that there really has been no competition for him.
Whether it's age, injury, contract, or all those factors, Cabrera needs to fight through it and be the Man again.
Baseball is just more fun when he is the best hitter in baseball.

Miggy's contract extension is worse than Ryan Howard's.

It simply makes no sense for a team to sign a player early without getting a discount. The Tigers paid full-price and more for Miggy.

Oh...I thought this thread was about Votto....

The Tigers have played the least amount of games in baseball, have had a lot of rain games and cold weather games. He will be fine. UPDATE - There it is

Hey, Dan, Miggy has a double, homer and 3 RBI in his first two at bats tonight. Can you please worry about some of the guys on my roster?

Mike

Dan,

This is very easily traced back to the fact that Miguel and I have parted ways this season. This is the first time that I haven't had him on at least one team. We are both suffering from separation depression. My performance to date is as weak as his. We've had a lot of talks about helping each other through this difficult period.

It appears that the talks have helped Miguel tonight, me not so much.

I'm still concerned.
The Tigers faced a minor league kid tonight. The wind blew out and the home run hit the top of the wall. While we as fantasy players look at results, Miggy was fortunate.
True, with the glut of pitching injuries, many hitters will be facing lesser pitchers this year and I expect A LOT of high scoring games this summer when the weather gets hotter and the ball travels farther.
It may be unfair to Cabrera, but we hold him to a higher standard. A standard that he has set for himself.
Over the last two years, Cabrera never slumped. His worst month was last September when playing through injury, he hit 'only' .278 and had one homer.

It's easy to say that the cold, postponements, or other reasons have temporarily stopped Cabrera, and that soon he'll be hitting like his normal self.
It is what we have come to expect.
His consistency is what sets him apart from other players. For this April, that consistency is gone.
He has looked like other players in showing a flash, such as last night, but also getting 0 fer fours.

Perhaps Cabrera, through his own greatness, has set the bar so high for himself, that we keep expecting more.
Or the same.
When we should expect less.
I know that this April alone is a very small sampling, but here is a little Numerish that may astonish....
During the first five months of last year, Cabrera only had nine games in which he went 0-4 or 0-5.
Nine. Total.
In September of last year, he had six such games.
And in April of this year, he has already had six games of 0 fer four.

Again, this is not a doomsday report on Cabrera. I want him to succeed as if I owned him in a Main League. The baseball world is a better place with Cabrera being the best hitter in the game.
But, I have to believe that the long contract and hidden injury or fear of that injury reoccurring, have conspired to slow down the Cabrera consistency machine.

BR