Cabrera battles injury to win 4th batting crown in 5 years
Even at less than full strength, Miguel Cabrera proved he's still the king of the diamond.
Cabrera, the 10-time All-Star and two-time MVP, added more accolades to his impressive resume Sunday without stepping foot on the field when he officially secured his fourth American League batting crown in five years.
The Detroit Tigers slugger finished his season with a major-league best .338 average, edging out Miami Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon (.333) and AL runner-up Xander Bogaerts (.320) of the Boston Red Sox.
Cabrera, who was held out of Detroit's finale after battling through various injuries this season, ended his 2015 campaign with emphasis Saturday, homering and collecting three hits in four at-bats to finish the year with the fourth-highest average in 13 seasons.
"I haven't come across a hitter like Miggy in my career, other than him," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus told reporters Saturday. "Despite the fact that his home runs are down this year, he combines power and average like no one I've seen."
AL PLAYERS WITH 4 BATTING TITLES
| Player | TEAM | Career Avg | Titles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miguel Cabrera | DET | .321 | 4 |
| Ty Cobb | DET | .366 | 12 |
| Harry Heilmann | DET | .342 | 4 |
| Wade Boggs | BOS | .328 | 5 |
| Rod Carew | MIN | .328 | 7 |
| Ted Williams | BOS | .344 | 6 |
| Nap Lajoie | PHA/CLE | .338 | 5 |
Despite Cabrera's low home run total - his 18 homers and 119 games played were his lowest totals since his 2003 rookie year - the Tigers' first baseman was extremely productive battling a surgically repaired foot, ankle, and Grade 3 calf strain that sidelined him for six weeks in the middle of the season.
"I've been battling my ankle the whole year," said Cabrera, noting he's also been bothered by back soreness in recent weeks. "I played with a lot of pain, but it doesn't matter. I can play with that."
Related: Final league leaders - Davis finishes with MLB-best 47 HRs
The injuries, however, appeared to take a toll on Cabrera's production during the final couple months of the season. The 32-year-old hit .241 in September with a .626 OPS and managed just three homers over the final three months.
Nevertheless, Cabrera's impressive year once again left his teammates in awe.
"He's a once-in-a-generation type player," catcher Alex Avila said. "You should never take for granted that he's playing."