Orlando Cabrera: Difference between revisions
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==Baseball career== |
==Baseball career== |
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As a batter, Cabrera is a good [[fastball]] line-drive hitter that uses all fields with |
As a batter, Cabrera is a good [[fastball]] line-drive hitter that uses all fields with gap power. He is a consistent [[Stolen base|base stealing]] threat, and he also has the aggressiveness to hustle out numerous [[Double (baseball)|doubles]] and [[Triple (baseball)|triples]]. |
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He has above average range to both sides, soft hands and a strong arm. He won the [[Gold Glove Award]] in {{by|2001}}. In 2002 he led all Major League shortstops with 29 errors, and had the lowest fielding percentage among them (.962). |
He has above average range to both sides, soft hands and a strong arm. He won the [[Gold Glove Award]] in {{by|2001}} and in 2007. In 2002 he led all Major League shortstops with 29 errors, and had the lowest fielding percentage among them (.962). |
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In {{by|2003}}, he finished second among the league shortstops in [[batting average]] (.297), [[slugging percentage]] (.415), [[runs batted in]] (80), and in stolen base percentage (24-to-26). Beside this, he is one of four [[Montreal Expos]] players to have ever played all 162 games in a season, and the first to do it twice. Also, his 17 [[home run]]s in that season were the most ever by a shortstop in the Expos history. |
In {{by|2003}}, he finished second among the league shortstops in [[batting average]] (.297), [[slugging percentage]] (.415), [[runs batted in]] (80), and in stolen base percentage (24-to-26). Beside this, he is one of four [[Montreal Expos]] players to have ever played all 162 games in a season, and the first to do it twice. Also, his 17 [[home run]]s in that season were the most ever by a shortstop in the Expos history. |
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Revision as of 09:06, 19 May 2008
| Orlando Cabrera | |
|---|---|
| Chicago White Sox – No. 18 | |
| Shortstop | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| debut | |
| September 3, 1997, for the Montreal Expos | |
| Career statistics (through April 8, 2008) | |
| Batting average | .271 |
| Home runs | 98 |
| Runs batted in | 633 |
| Stolen bases | 170 |
| Teams | |
| |
Orlando Luis Cabrera (born November 2, 1974 in Cartagena, Colombia) is a Major League Baseball shortstop who plays for the Chicago White Sox. He bats and throws right-handed. He achieved a championship in the 2004 Boston Red Sox season.
Cabrera is the younger brother of Jolbert Cabrera, a former Major League outfielder who recently signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds.
Baseball career
As a batter, Cabrera is a good fastball line-drive hitter that uses all fields with gap power. He is a consistent base stealing threat, and he also has the aggressiveness to hustle out numerous doubles and triples.
He has above average range to both sides, soft hands and a strong arm. He won the Gold Glove Award in 2001 and in 2007. In 2002 he led all Major League shortstops with 29 errors, and had the lowest fielding percentage among them (.962).
In 2003, he finished second among the league shortstops in batting average (.297), slugging percentage (.415), runs batted in (80), and in stolen base percentage (24-to-26). Beside this, he is one of four Montreal Expos players to have ever played all 162 games in a season, and the first to do it twice. Also, his 17 home runs in that season were the most ever by a shortstop in the Expos history.
Cabrera was traded by Montreal to the Boston Red Sox in the summer of 2004, on the last day of the July trading deadline. Cabrera made Boston fans forget their anger over the Garciaparra four-team deal, batting .294 with six home runs and 31 RBI in 58 games. He also brought stability to the shortstop position, which delighted the Red Sox pitchers. The trade, which also netted first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz from the Twins, shored up Boston's infield defense and energized the team, which went 42-19 after the deal to win the American League's wild card (56-45 before the trade). "He is a game-changer in the field for me," Curt Schilling said.
Following his 2004 World Series victory with the Red Sox, Cabrera signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Angels organization. Orlando replaced fan favorite David Eckstein at the shortstop position. While it took Angels fans a while to warm up to Cabrera, he eventually became a fan favorite himself after an excellent defensive season in 2005.
Cabrera is a career .273 hitter with 97 home runs and 627 RBI in 1411 games. As a shortstop, he has compiled 2107 putouts, 3801 assists, and 131 errors in 6037 total chances, for a .978 fielding percentage.
In his first game back to Fenway Park as an Anaheim Angel in June of 2005, Cabrera was greeted with a standing ovation which lasted 30 seconds before he walked to the plate. Red Sox fans continue to give him standing ovations upon each plate appearance at Fenway Park. In 2007, Cabrera led qualified AL shortstops with a .983 fielding percentage and a league-low 11 errors earning him the American League Gold Glove for shortstop. Also, he stole 20 bases for the third straight year and the fifth time overall.
On November 19, 2007 he was traded to the Chicago White Sox along with cash considerations for Jon Garland.
Highlights
- Gold Glove (2001,2007)
- Hit a home run on his first at-bat as a Red Sox, becoming the eighth Boston player to accomplish this feat (August 1, 2004)
- Won the World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2004. It was the franchise's first World Series since 1918.
- Had a straight steal of home plate on July 2, 2006, the first such time it had happened by an Angels player since 1997. Not only was it a straight steal, but Cabrera scored without a throw.
- Had a 63-game on-base streak in early-through-mid 2006, which was among the top five streaks of all time. Ted Williams holds the Major League record with 84 straight games reaching base by a hit, walk, or hit-by-pitch.
Nicknames
 | This article possibly contains original research. (January 2008) |
Cabrera has been given several nicknames by teammates, fans and media.
- O-Cab
- OC
- O-Dawg (commonly used by Rex Hudler)
- The Wizard of O.C. (bestowed on him by Angel broadcaster Steve Physioc)
- Cabfare
Related links
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs
- AL Gold Gloves show changing of guard MLB.com