What will become of Miggy Cabrera?
It will be interesting to see if the Tigers organization keeps the greatest Bengal of his generation in the team's inner circle after he retires.
He was a staple of Lakeland.
Every February starting in 1975—his first year of retirement as a player—Al Kaline, Mr. Tiger, would slip on the creamy white threads with the Old English D over the heart and gather the young outfielders around him.
There, Kaline would teach the kids the tricks of the trade: footwork, taking the proper routes to the ball, the mechanics of throwing—you name it. And the youngsters would be enraptured, hanging on Al’s every word. For nobody knew outfielding better than Al Kaline.
Kirk Gibson. Steve Kemp. Glenn Wilson. Too many more to mention. They all benefited from the sessions Kaline held during spring training. No matter how much more gray was in his hair. No matter how far the calendar advanced from his last big league game in October 1974. No matter who the manager was. There would be Kaline, still looking like he could drive a ball into the alley, truth be told. Still looking like he could nail a runner trying to advance from first to third on a single.
The day that Sparky Anderson took the skipper’s job in Detroit in June 1979, he veered from the script as he talked to the Tigers media. Ole Sparky saw Kaline off in the distance and pointed.
“And there’s Al Kaline. If I can’t tap into that baseball knowledge, shame on me,” Sparky said.
Indeed, Kaline, by then a seasoned broadcaster, kept working with the Tigers outfielders every spring training long after Sparky Anderson became manager. And sometimes during the regular season, if Sparky so desired. Just like Bill Freehan would do with the Tigers catchers—including no less than Lance Parrish, who was forever grateful for Bill’s mentorship.
Having Al Kaline on the team plane for so many road trips, thanks to his broadcasting duties, didn’t hurt one iota. No doubt that the narrow aisles of airplanes doubled at times as outfield routes.
It was a seamless transition—Kaline’s retirement and subsequent integration as a Tigers tutor. Al lived in the area year-round, had for years, and he never really took off the uniform for good until he was well into his 80s. He passed away in April 2020 at age 85.
I bring up Kaline because he was the last true superstar Tiger, the last surefire, first ballot Hall of Famer, that the franchise was graced with having on the roster. And Al retired almost 50 years ago.
Until now.
Miguel Cabrera’s ticket to Cooperstown has been punched. Only the most delusional would doubt that Cabrera, in January 2029, will get the call telling him that he’s been elected into the Hall of Fame after the customary five-year waiting period.
But 2029 is a long ways away, despite how fast the years go by.
Is there room for Miggy Cabrera in the Tigers organization after he hangs up his spikes?
It seems like such a dumb question, but we’re in unchartered territory here.
First, ownership has changed since Al Kaline retired in 1974. The Tigers, under the stewardship of John Fetzer, were a staid, button-downed organization that greatly relied on a certain “old boys network” when it came to front office and other roles.
George Kell was an executive, even when he was calling games on TV. Former old-time Tigers such as Rick Ferrell and Hoot Evers held front office positions. It was a no-brainer to invite Kaline to Lakeland to work with the kids.
Mike Ilitch did indeed make Kaline and Willie Horton advisors in the early-2000s. He did the same with Alan Trammell. Parrish and Gibson were coaches and broadcasters at varying times.
But Miggy Cabrera is unlike those players, in many ways.
He’s not a Michigander—not even an honorary one. You’d never see him in town between October and April. His English wasn’t always the best. He seemed like he was a Tiger in uniform only.
Nothing is wrong with any of that.
But the owner is a funny dude. Chris Ilitch can be, simultaneously, arid, vapid and maddeningly out of touch. If there’s a pulse on the team, his finger isn’t on it.
So what will Little I do with Miggy Cabrera once the playing days are done?
Maybe the better question is, Does Miguel Cabrera want anything to do with baseball after October 2023? Hey, does he want anything to do with the Tigers?
Cabrera is one of the greatest hitters of his generation and some put him right below Ty Cobb as the greatest in Tigers history. Surely the franchise won’t just let him walk away forever—right?
Let’s not talk about Miggy being an “advisor.” He’s not the type.
Let’s not talk about he being a coach. Again, he’s not the type.
But he will forever be a Tiger in everyone’s hearts.
Does he walk off into the sunset? Do the Tigers invite him to Lakeland next February? What will become of Miggy, post-playing?
For whatever reason, this question hasn’t been asked. But of course, the feckless Detroit sports media isn’t exactly known for asking questions of any substance. So maybe it’s not a surprise.
This is the greatest Tiger in a generation, maybe two. On the one hand, it seems unfathomable that he would retire and never be heard from again around these parts.
But we’re talking about Chris Ilitch, so who the hell knows.