Detroit Tigers Position Grades: 1B/DH — Miguel Cabrera is Elite but Injury Concerns are Real
By Matt Snyder
Sep 7, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) at bat against the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
The Detroit Tigers received a combined 2.0 WAR out of their first base and designated hitter positions in 2015 which was the fourth lowest mark in the American League. Miguel Cabrera accounted for +4.1 of those WAR, but the rest of the crew combined for -2.1 WAR.
Cabrera is still a bona fide All-Star and potential MVP candidate, but the collapse of Victor Martinez stung the team and there wasn’t any depth to speak of around those two to fill in the gaps.
What a change from 2014 when the Tigers received 9.1 WAR of production out of the first base and DH positions!
Those seven additional wins wouldn’t necessarily put the Tigers in the playoffs (add them to the current total and you’re basically only at .500), but if they got back that lost production and didn’t sell David Price and Yoenis Cespedes at the deadline (instead maybe adding a bullpen arm or two), we might very well still be watching meaningful games.
Things didn’t go well for the Tigers at these traditionally slugging positions in 2015. Scroll through the pages to see how the Tigers first basemen and DH-types graded out.
Next: Miguel Cabrera