Asdrúbal Cabrera

Infobox MLB player
name = Asdrúbal Cabrera

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width = 300
caption = Cabrera in the minor leagues playing for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
team = Cleveland Indians
number = 13
position = Second baseman
birthdate = birth date and age|1985|11|13
birthplace = Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela
bats = Switch
throws = Right
debutdate = August 8
debutyear = 2007
debutteam = Cleveland Indians
statyear = 2008 season
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .266
stat2label = Home runs
stat2value = 9
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 69
teams =
*Cleveland Indians (by|2007–present)

Asdrúbal José Cabrera (born November 13, 1985 in Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela) is a switch hitting infielder for the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball. After coming up through the Seattle Mariners organization, he was acquired by the Indians on June 30, by|2006, in exchange for Eduardo Perez. Cabrera spent the remainder of the 2006 season at Cleveland's Triple-A minor league team, the Buffalo Bisons.

Cabrera was a non-roster invitee to the Indians mlby|2007 spring training, but was reassigned to their minor league camp March 16. He started 2007 at Double-A with the Akron Aeros and was named to the Eastern League mid-season All-Star team. He was promoted to the Indians' Triple-A affiliate, Buffalo Bisons July 30 and then to Cleveland August 7. Cabrera made his major league debut the following night against the White Sox, starting at second base. He was hitless in three at-bats and scored a run after he was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning. Four days later, Cabrera picked up his first major league hit, a double, against Mike Mussina of the New York Yankees. Cabrera's first home run came August 18, 2007, off Jason Hammel of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in a 8-1 victory for the Indians. Cabrera eventually assumed Cleveland's everday second baseman job despite being a natural shortstop, taking over for an ineffective Josh Barfield.

In 2007, Cabrera helped power the Indians to a tie for the best record in baseball (96-66 with the Boston Red Sox) with his late inning heroics. Cabrera batted .375 (21 for 56) in the 7th inning or later. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/bsplit.cgi?n1=cabreas01&year=2007 "Asdrubal Cabrera 2007 Batting Splits."] "Baseball-Reference PI". 26 June 2008.] For good luck, Cabrera wears a white beaded necklace which was made for him by his wife. [Castrovince, Anthony. [http://mlb.mlb.com/content/printer_friendly/cle/y2007/m09/d03/c2186509.jsp "Mailbag: Borowski fixed as closer?"] "MLB.com". 3 September 2007. 26 June 2008.] In the 2007 postseason, he became the first baseball player named Asdrubal to ever compete in the American League Championship Series. [Newman, Mark. [http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071020&content_id=2273788&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle "Past Game 7s in all their glory."] "MLB.com". 21 October 2007. 26 June 2008.]

At Progressive Field on May 12, mlby|2008, Cabrera turned the 14th unassisted triple play in MLB history against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second game of a doubleheader. In the fifth inning, with Toronto's Marco Scutaro on first base and Kevin Mench on second, Cabrera dove and caught a Lyle Overbay liner, stepped on second base before leading runner Mench could return, and then tagged Scutaro who had already passed second base. [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/05/12/bc.bba.indians.unassisted.ap/index.html "You're out! You, too! And you! Indians turn unassisted triple play."] "Sports Illustrated". 12 May 2008.] Ron Hansen, who had turned an unassisted triple play in mlby|1968, was in attendance to witness Cabrera's feat. [ [http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AuCKIvsxR7mt3K819Hbk7.IRvLYF?slug=ap-indians-unassistedtripleplay&prov=ap&type=lgns "Cabrera's unassisted triple play one for the ages."] "Yahoo! Sports". 13 May 2008. 26 June 2008.]

On June 9, 2008, Cabrera was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo after hitting a team low .184 with 14 RBI in 52 games. Barfield was called back up to take his place. During his stay in Buffalo, Cabrera hit .326 in 34 games with 25 runs, seven doubles, four homers and 13 RBI. He was also named International League Batter of the Week after hitting .394, going 13 for 33, with three doubles, three homers and six RBI. Cabrera was called back up to the Indians on July 18, and has since hit .261 (30 for 115) with 3 homers, raising his season average (with the Indians) from .184 to .216.

References

External links

* [http://www.mlb.com Asdrubal Cabrera Quote regarding Julio Lugo]