Life is too sweet for Cabrera to walk away
Sometimes, Miguel Cabrera can feel his age creeping up on him, the lingering aches and pains that seem to linger a bit longer than in the past, especially for a day game after a night game.
“It’s hard to recover,” the Detroit Tigers star said. “The next day, you are tired in the morning.” It’s natural, if not inevitable. Which brings up the natural if not inevitable question: How much longer can he keep playing?
When will he put down his bat and retire to the land of Miggy’s Bitbits and candy bars?
After announcing his new venture into the candy business Friday afternoon at a news conference at Comerica Park, Cabrera said he wants to play at least another eight or nine years.
“The contract says 40 ( years old),” said Cabrera, who turned 34 in April. “I want to play to 42, 43. If I drive in runs, I think I’m gonna have a job. If I can still hit the ball, when I’m 41 or 42, they can give me a chance.”
But is it realistic? Can he play that long?
“He’s going to be able to hit for many years,” manager Brad Ausmus said. “At some point, he’ll probably have to DH more.”
Then again, it depends on how many of his Miggy’s Bitbits he eats.
“As he gets older, the workouts are going to have to become more rigorous, to keep his weight in check, to keep his coordination, agility and strength,” Ausmus said. “That applies to everybody.”
Cabrera’s move into the world of chocolate makes perfect sense. .
“Eating this chocolate makes me happy,” Cabrera said. “When they come in with this idea, I say yes right away.”
Who can say no to chocolate? For now, the candy comes in four flavors and is available exclusively at Comerica Park for $ 1.09.
Cabrera’s favorite is chocolate- cov- ered peanuts, which second baseman Ian Kinsler sampled in the clubhouse.
“It’s good,” Kinsler said. “Reminds me of the peanut M& M’s, but it’s mixed with something else … like a KitKat.”
At which point, Cabrera held out his hand and took some more.
“It’s good for the movies,” Kinsler said.
The candy has been in development for three years, and Cabrera even visited the factory in Brazil. “It was unbelievable,” he said. “It was beautiful.”
This is all part of his exit strategy from his playing days, which he envisions including a mix of business with a front- office gig. “After baseball, Mr. Avila’s going to give me a job, special assistant,” Cabrera said.
But he wants more than that. “I want to do something else,” he said.
As he spoke, Cabrera wore a shirt from his clothing line — a black golf shirt with a Triple Crown logo on his chest and a pair of black shoes, which he said will be available in a few months.
“Right now, we want to make something good,” Cabrera said. “I don’t want people to say, ‘ Ah, that’s no good.’ I want to make something special.”
On the baseball field, Cabrera is funloving, messing with runners at first base, full of personality and fun.
So, what’s he like in the business world?
“It’s more like he’s going to bat,” said Chris Coello, who is part of the team behind Miggy Foods. “More serious. When he steps up to the plate, more focused. He takes that type of attitude when he’s at a board meeting. After the board meeting, it’s different. But during the meeting, it’s like he’s waiting on a 96 mph fastball.”
The news conference to announce Miggy’s candy was one of the most unusual ever held at Comerica Park. There were models wearing cardboard crowns handing out bags of candy and a mascot that looked like a Triple Crown.
“I only came for the candy,” general manager Al Avila said, grabbing a bag.
But in the midst of a fine sugar buzz, there was a bit of irony at this event.
Cabrera talked about his new business — laying out his future beyond baseball — at a time when he was out with an injury. Cabrera injured a muscle in his side during batting practice before Wednesday’s game.
“Something popped. I feel kind of scared, almost crying. I said, not again, please,” said Cabrera, who went on the disabled list earlier this season with a groin muscle injury.
But he was feeling better on Friday and was back in the lineup Saturday night as a designated hitter. He hit a home run in his first at- bat. So, he was able to come back quickly. While talking about playing another eight or nine years.
While trying to make the world some seriously good candy.
But can he do it? Can he play that long?
Hard to say. But if he does, one thing comes to mind.
Willy Wonka: “But, Charlie, don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted.” Charlie Bucket: “What happened?” Willy Wonka: “He lived happily ever after.”