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Detroit sports radio commentator Jamie Samuelson knows his "who's best" game steps outside the baseline, so he invokes a no-cursing rule in a Free Press guest column that ranks Miguel Cabrera alongside Ty Cobb and Al Kaline:
There is no right answer given the restrictions on comparing eras, so let's all agree that this is simply a friendly debate and not grounds for name-calling. (No really – I mean it.)
With that out of the way, the co-host of "Jamie and Wojo" on WXYT (97.1 The Ticket) looks at the three legendary Tigers sluggers, starting with the current star:
There is no doubt that he'll go to the Hall of Fame and there is no doubt that his No. 24 will be retired and displayed on the outfield wall at Comerica Park underneath a statue alongside the likes of Ty Cobb and Al Kaline. . . .
Cabrera does everything well. He's durable. He hits with power and consistency. He's an outstanding teammate. And even if some analysts decry the notion of clutch stats, Cabrera as a knack for coming through when the pressure is on. . . .
Cabrera would have dominated Cobb's era [1905-26] in such a way that nobody would have known who Ty Cobb was. But given what an athlete Cobb was, he would have excelled in modern baseball with the advancements in equipment, weight training and diet. . . .
Kaline was unquestionably a better fielder. He won 10 Gold Gloves, including seven in a row at one point. He finished his career with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs. . . . Offensively, Cabrera is much better – averaging a season of .320, 35 homers and 122 RBIs to Kaline's .297, 23 homers and 90 RBIs. To be fair, Kaline's numbers trended down as he got older, as will Cabrera's.
Cobb's numbers are nearly impossible to measure. He won 12 batting tittles, hit .380 or better seven times, won the stolen base crown four times and the RBI title four times. His lifetime batting average of .366 remains the all-time best and probably will for the rest of time. His 4,189 hits are the second most all time and will probably stay right there for the rest of time as well. . . . He is a star of stars and a historic giant.
More than a few apples-and-oranges factors exist, the columnist acknowledges again. "I agonized over this question from many angles," he writes before confirming the outcome you surely anticipate:
I refuse to believe that on equal footing with equal opponents, Cobb could outperform Cabrera. He'd certainly outrun him. He'd never outhit him. . . .
If all three players were available in an expansion draft, who would you take first? The answer is Cabrera.
He has some flaws. But there's never been a better-rounded hitter in the game. Defense is part of it. His defense has improved. But his bat is so good and so consistent that it would still be Cabrera even if he were a butcher on the infield.
Your turn: Anyone disagree? (Remember what the man says: "This is simply a friendly debate.")
