DETROIT — The bat met the ball, as it has so many times, with a sharp crack. And the man met the moment, decades in the making, then hours in the making, the legend officially bronzed on a brilliant day, in a perfect way.
Miguel Cabrera did something rarely seen, and the truth is, something we’ll likely never see again. Hit No. 3,000 was a simple, well-struck grounder to right field, the opposite way for mortal right-handers, the appropriate way for a player who has defied baseball metrics for 20 years. Not defined by a solitary trait, he’s deified for his ability to use everything — every type of swing, every spot on the diamond.
After three days of rain and cold, the Detroit skies cleared and Cabrera delivered the moment Tigers fans have been charting since the season began. When he punched a 1-1 pitch in the first inning off a fellow Venezuelan, Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela, the crowd leaped and roared as loudly as we’ve heard in a long time. Cabrera thrust a fist to the sky as he trotted to first, then held both arms aloft, flashing his classic smile. The first big hug came from Rockies shortstop Jose Iglesias, a former Tiger and fellow Venezuelan, who ran across the infield and practically leapt into Cabrera’s arms.
