We were close to witnessing MLB history on Thursday.
It just wasn’t meant to be, at least not today.
Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera needs one hit to reach 3,000 in his career, a feat that only 32 other hitters have been able to achieve in more than 100 years of organized baseball.
He is currently at 2,999 hits and 599 doubles, oddly enough.
He was 0-for-3 on Thursday when it was his turn to hit again in the bottom of the eighth inning.
He went to the batter’s box with two outs and two men on base, against southpaw Lucas Luetge.
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone tried to keep it a 1-0 game heading to the ninth inning by intentionally walking Cabrera, a right-handed hitter, and letting Luetge face left-handed slugger Austin Meadows with the bases loaded.
In the tradeoff for the matchup advantage, Boone accepted an additional baserunner.
The move didn’t work, as Meadows hit a two-run double off Luetge that put the game 3-0.
Cabrera Is Still At 2,999
ESPN reporter Jesse Rogers wrote a funny tweet about the whole incident.
“Someone break out the unwritten rules regarding an IW in the 8th inning when the batter is sitting on 2999 hits! Boo Aaron Boone. (It backfired anyway),” he said.
Someone break out the unwritten rules regarding an IW in the 8th inning when the batter is sitting on 2999 hits! Boo Aaron Boone. (It backfired anyway)
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) April 21, 2022
In the last couple of years, there has been a lot of talk about baseball’s “unwritten rules.”
Those have become extremely controversial, and are still defended by traditionalist fans and writers.
But in a lot of cases, they are outdated, don’t make sense, or take the fun out of the game.
In any cases, Rogers is, tongue in cheek, “advocating” for a new unwritten rule preventing intentional walks to hitters on the verge of making history.
Cabrera will get another chance to reach 3,000 hits tomorrow against the Colorado Rockies in Comerica Park.
Leave a Reply