02-11-2007, 05:28 PM
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 | Senior Member | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Florida
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| Miguel Cabrera in hot water
Marlins officials slam Cabrera for missing pre-season events via the Palm Beach Post. Quote:
By Joe Capozzi
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Sunday, February 11, 2007
MIAMI GARDENS — Less than a week before they take him to arbitration, the Marlins delivered an early salvo at their most productive player, All-Star third baseman Miguel Cabrera.
In front of hundreds of fans and season-ticket holders over the weekend, Marlins President David Samson and General Manager Larry Beinfest made a point to voice their disappointment that Cabrera blew off the team's pre-season promotional events.
"(Owner) Jeffrey (Loria) and the rest of us are extremely disappointed that he's not here with every one of his teammates. All the players are here except Miguel," Samson said Saturday at FanFest at Dolphin Stadium.
Samson made similar remarks from the podium Friday night at $200-a-plate awards dinner. Beinfest publicly noted Cabrera's absence from the podium at a Town Hall meeting on Saturday.
Pitcher Reynel Pinto and infielder Alfredo Amezaga also didn't attend, but they had excused absences because they were completing Winter Ball activities. Samson said members of the front office were told by Cabrera's agents that "he was unable to make it for personal reasons.
"We're disappointed, that's the bottom line. Our organization is disappointed that he wasn't there with his teammates."
Loria also was a no-show all week, but Samson said he had business conflicts.
Pitcher Scott Olsen, whom Samson publicly praised for attending every promotional event, said none of the teammates he has spoken with for the past two weeks has complained about Cabrera's absence.
"It's not even a big deal to any of the players at all," said Olsen, who had a physical confrontation with Cabrera in the dugout during a game last season.
"He's a three-time All-Star. He's kind of earned his right to do some stuff that other guys who haven't earned a right to do. We all know he's going to come in and be ready to go. That's all we care about."
Two years ago, Cabrera didn't attend any pre-season promotional functions, and he wasn't publicly criticized for it.
"I don't remember that," Samson said. "I just know we were hoping he'd be here this year to accept his MVP award Friday night and to be at FanFest on Saturday with all of his teammates."
Cabrera, who was scheduled to return to South Florida today from Venezuela, could not be reached, His agent did not return phone calls over the weekend.
But a source who has spoken with the Cabrera camp said part of the reason he didn't show up is that he is not happy that the team is taking him to arbitration on Friday over a $700,000 difference.
Cabrera, who made $472,000 last year, wants $7.4 million. The team has offered him $6.7 million.
"If he wins, he'll be a very rich man and if he loses he'll be a very rich man. And we'll all fly back to start spring training," Samson said.
Samson said team officials plan to tell Cabrera and his agents at the arbitration hearing in Phoenix about their displeasure over his unexcused absences. But Samson said he didn't think it will cause hard feelings that could linger into the season.
"We're all adults here and we all have responsibilities. We look forward to speaking to Miguel and just speaking to him about responsibilities, and how important he is to this team both on the field and off the field," he said.
"Once spring training starts. I don't think there's an issue at all."
| As the article states, this isn't the first time Cabrera has not complied with the clubhouse. Should this latest incident have a significant effect on his arbitration?
Or, maybe Cabrera already sees himself playing for another ballclub in the near future? |
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