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Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

Edgy MD May 22 2018 04:22 PM

Tipping my hat to the ever-impressive Asdrubal Cabrera and the malice with which he is treating major league baseballs this year. While he has been spared last season's positional float around the diamond, he has batted first, second, third, fourth, and fifth. He's been the most valuable Met who isn't a pitcher, and nobody comes particularly close to him. He's pinch-hit twice, turning a game around with a homer this weekend. And speaking of homers, he's one off the team lead. Second-year Brave secondbaseman Ozzie Albies is the only keystoner in the National League approaching his orbit offensively, and defensively, he's pretty much captain of the infield, with only one error thus far. Plus, he does that thing with the helmets. It's early, but I'm nominating him for an All-Star spot, which would be only his third, and first since 2012. He's the Salt-and-Pepper King thus far. [fimg=362:3eqm5t7q]https://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/1ff56e08a1786a8a36ac8eeb39628e449d645cbd/c=0-0-3291-1859&r=x1683&c=3200x1680/local/-/media/2018/04/28/Bergen/NorthJersey/636604709752560948-AP18118146155558.jpg[/fimg:3eqm5t7q] [fimg=338:3eqm5t7q]https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2018/01/21/images/mlbf_1182426383_th_45.jpg[/fimg:3eqm5t7q] [fimg=392:3eqm5t7q]https://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/de8fd04e39cd6a5b8099884b5ca662da37728e17/c=0-196-3324-2066&r=x1683&c=3200x1680/local/-/media/2017/06/24/USATODAY/usatsports/10e2f630f12742618323341b0667c4c2.jpg[/fimg:3eqm5t7q] [fimg=308:3eqm5t7q]https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/m1JzgL0F0rk4MxKkKdrgo9KNb50=/0x0:2726x1817/1200x800/filters:focal(0x0:2726x1817)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49510599/usa-today-9280905.0.jpg[/fimg:3eqm5t7q]

Centerfield May 22 2018 04:47 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

Was our best player in the second half of 2016 when he had very little help beyond Ces and Reyes. Good defense. Plays with fire. Really, really like Asdrubal Cabrera. I've been wrong about player moves too many times to count, but few are as egregious as Asdrubal. If I remember correctly, when the Walker trade went down, I think I posted something along the lines of "One of the best parts of this trade is that we don't have to hear the name Asdrubal Cabrera anymore." Only to be shocked when they signed him later that same night. I felt like he was money poorly spent, and that we could have gotten the same production from Wilmer Flores. Even this past winter I advocated Walker over Cabrera. And in the interest of consistency, I feel like Walker will be better for the rest of 2018 from this point on. But I'm happy to keep being wrong about him.

John Cougar Lunchbucket May 22 2018 05:04 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

I've also been proven wrong by this guy. I thought his whole career was some kind of trick but he's a much better player than I seem to be willing to admit and he keeps proving me wrong.

Edgy MD May 22 2018 05:12 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

Switch hitters are seemingly a dying breed. Switch hitters who can get it done from both sides are even rarer. I think the advantage of never having to bail helps a guy from getting too deep in a slump. (That theory isn't helping Reyes much, however.) Keith did an analysis of the differences between righthanded and lefthanded Cabrera last night. He tripped over his words, but it was basically that righthanded Cabrera was a high-ball line-drive hitter, and lefthanded Cabrera was a low ball power hitter, but his tomahawk drives can leave the park too. Mookie was also a guy who liked it up righhanded but hit it off his shoetops lefthanded.

Edgy MD May 30 2018 01:58 AM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

Know what I love? Whenever he fouls a ball off and it settles in the box or around the plate. Or whenever a ball pops away from the catcher. He corrals the ball with his bat, and plays a little hockey with it. He stick-handles it a couple of times while the catcher grabs at it futilely, and then he rakes it in to himself, picks it up, and tosses it to the ump, subtilely showing up the catcher while the pitcher looks on, in a manner that is plausibly innocent, but involves a little gamesmanship too. Did that tonight, and just while I'm admiring it, he cranks homerun #2.

MFS62 May 30 2018 02:43 AM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

Get the publicity machine cranked up. He deserves to be an All Star. Later

G-Fafif Jun 11 2018 05:50 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

Asdrubal is the only Met to show up among NL position leaders, currently placing 4th in the 2B race, well off the pace of the top three keystoners to date, Albies, Baez and Gennett.

smg58 Jun 11 2018 07:18 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

He's the only Met position player that has a chance of getting in, but DeGrom is a surer selection at this point.

Ceetar Jun 11 2018 07:25 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

smg58 wrote: He's the only Met position player that has a chance of getting in, but DeGrom is a surer selection at this point. Nimmo should get selected as a reserve, as he's one of the best players in the league. If the Mets would score some runs so he gets more than 4 PA a game he'll show up on the leaderboards soon too.

smg58 Jun 11 2018 07:46 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

Geez, I forgot about Nimmo. Sorry Brandon!

41Forever Jun 11 2018 08:26 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

De Grom, already the author of one of the best All-Star pitching performances, should be the NL starter!

Ceetar Jun 11 2018 09:00 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

41Forever wrote: De Grom, already the author of one of the best All-Star pitching performances, should be the NL starter! It's Scherzer at home unless his arm explodes.

Centerfield Jun 15 2018 07:19 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

So, it's time to put Cabrera on the DL. I love that he has the heart to try to grind this out, but he's got a .339 OPS in June and moves around like he's been shot. Get bettter. Come back when you're ready to rip.

Ceetar Jun 15 2018 07:39 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

Centerfield wrote: So, it's time to put Cabrera on the DL. I love that he has the heart to try to grind this out, but he's got a .339 OPS in June and moves around like he's been shot. Get bettter. Come back when you're ready to rip. one more rehab game for Flores probably?

Edgy MD Jun 15 2018 07:48 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

His games have progressed nicely — 1-for-3 with a double in the first game; 2-for-3 with an RBI in the second; and 3-for-3 with a homer and 3 RBI in the third — but they may want to play him above St. Lucie over the weekend before activating him.

smg58 Jun 16 2018 01:44 AM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

Centerfield wrote: So, it's time to put Cabrera on the DL. I love that he has the heart to try to grind this out, but he's got a .339 OPS in June and moves around like he's been shot. Get bettter. Come back when you're ready to rip. Unfortunately, you could be describing the entire Mets lineup.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 16 2018 05:34 AM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

G-Fafif wrote: Asdrubal is the only Met to show up among NL position leaders, currently placing 4th in the 2B race, well off the pace of the top three keystoners to date, Albies, Baez and Gennett. I mean, we don't DESERVE to have a position player on there. I'd imagine that if one-- Assdrubbin, Nimmo, Cyborg Lagares-- somehow found his way into the squad, he would feel a bit like the nerdy character who gets asked to the prom by the football captain or head cheerleader in one of those '80s-'90s high-school movies: confused, suspicious, and waiting for the other shoe to drop on the inevitable prank.

41Forever Jun 17 2018 02:46 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

Ceetar wrote: 41Forever wrote: De Grom, already the author of one of the best All-Star pitching performances, should be the NL starter! It's Scherzer at home unless his arm explodes. Good point! Forgot it was in DC.

cooby Jun 17 2018 02:58 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

Assdrubbin lololol

Edgy MD Jun 17 2018 04:36 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

I hate myself for prematurely launching this thread.

G-Fafif Jun 18 2018 05:02 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

Asdrubal drops to fifth, behind Albies, Baez, Gennett and Joe Panik, who was out for quite a while with an injury. But he's still the only Met appearing among the leaders at any position.

seawolf17 Jun 18 2018 05:08 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

deGrom will be the only Met representative. Nimmo will probably be one of the five "final vote" candidates or whatever they call it.

G-Fafif Jun 25 2018 04:43 PM Re: Asdrubal Cabrera, All-Star

Asdrubal has dropped out of the top five at second base. No Met has ascended into the leadership ranks at any NL position.