Tigers' Cabrera wins Triple Crown

[1979Shocker]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera became the first player in 45 years to win baseball's Triple Crown on Wednesday night, joining an elite list that includes Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams and Lou Gehrig.

Cabrera's milestone wasn't official until the Yankees pinch hit for Curtis Granderson in their game against the Boston Red Sox. Granderson had homered twice to reach 43 for the year, tied with the Rangers' Josh Hamilton and one shy of Cabrera.

Cabrera went 0 for 2 against the Royals before leaving in the fourth inning to a standing ovation. He finished the regular season with a .330 average, four points better the Angels' Mike Trout, his biggest competition for MVP. Cabrera was the runaway leader with 139 RBIs.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/1...#ixzz28M1jrZGN

[SubGod22]

I was watching the game. Royals fans gave him a great standing ovation and demanded a curtain call from Miggy. It will be interesting to see who wins the MVP between he and Trout.

[Shocker85]

Heck of an accomplishment for a player these days. There aren't many guys who hit for power AND average any more. The HR total isn't gawdy, but a guy playing 161 games and producing for a whole season is impressive. I think Cabrera should win the MVP since the Tigers won their division and he was the heart of that team the whole season.

Did Trout have too many ABs in 2011 to qualify for 2012 Rookie of the Year? Trout is an amazing player. Barring injury, he can contend for MVP every year.

--'85.

[SubGod22]

He can't win ROY this year but he's also done something that nobody has EVER done in MLB history. I almost lean more towards Trout for MVP, but it'll probably come down to the Tigers are in the postseason and the Angels are not.

[60Shock]

It would be a total injustice for a triple crown winner, from a division winning team, not to be recognized as MVP.

[pinstripers]

Several triple crown winners were not chosen MVP. I think he'll likely get it, but if not, it isn't the end of the world. Good as he is, he ain't Ted Williams.

[60Shock]

Pin, I believe triple crown winners were a wee bit more common in the past than they have been during the last 45 years, which may or may not have anything to do with the selection process.

Agree with your comment reference, Ted Williams. In my opinion, there are only a handful or two of individuals, who have ever played the game, who were equal to or better than "The Splendid Splinter." And I'm not a Boston fan. We will never know what his statistical records might have been had he not missed three prime years during WWII (after batting 406 in 1941) and another two years during the Korean War.

[pinstripers]

Yes, they probably were a little more common. Cabrera is perhaps one of the best half-dozen righthanded hitters who ever played. (Mays, Aaron, Manny, Pujols, etc). Frankly, Adam Jones was probably more valuable to his team than either Miggy or Trout were to theirs.