Miggy Cabrera and Ozzie Guillen Jr. Reconnect, Rejoice
Growing up in Venezuela I had always heard of this mystical kid who was only a year older than I. The unicorn kid was already playing against kids two to four years older in our homeland.
He was from Maracay, which is known for its amazing baseball talent, from David Concepcion to Bob Abreu. In spring training 2002, I would finally meet Miguel Cabrera.
“This kid is a really big shortstop,” I thought immediately. Miguel had not broken into the big leagues yet. He had been battling a few nagging injuries that had sidelined him in the minors. During batting practice, you could see his talent and how mature he was in the batter’s box.
Miggy the Myth
He was beyond his years. In 2002 and 2003, he led the Tigres de Aragua to a Venezuelan League championship at 19 years old. He had been playing with the team since he was 16. The kid was not a myth. Cabrera was the real deal.
In spring training 2002, I finally met the “kid.” I I connected with “Miggy” right away. After all, we were a year apart in age. He was always smiling and having fun. His energy and love for the game was contagious. Let’s be honest, I admire the guy.
He was what I wanted to be like. He was like every other aspiring baseball player. I was in high school trying to play well enough to land somewhere in college. Miggy was in the minor leagues trying to reach the big leagues.
When spring training 2003 came around I was excited to see Miggy. At this point, we were a lot closer in our friendship. I was headed to the end of my senior year and the final season at Saint Andrews High School in Boca Raton, Fla.
It’s a great boarding school with top-notch academics. Let’s just say we were not known for our baseball. We were known more for our golf, tennis and lacrosse state championships. I had a decent year on the field.
I was recruited by a few Division II and III schools in baseball. I decided to attend Eckerd College in St Petersburg, Fla.
Kid Rescues Marlins
The Marlins’ struggles continued under manager Jeff Torborg. It was an injury-prone team. A manager change was made, but the biggest rumor was the calling up of Miggy. At this point, it’s now summer and I was a batboy for the team, helping in the clubhouse and during games.
I was often running after bats and balls. That role allowed me to work out early with the team and be around my father and the guys in the clubhouse. I remain super close with many of the players on that team.
Miggy was coming up to play left field. I was surprised because I had never seen Miggy play the outfield, but I knew he figured it out because the guy was coming to the big leagues. At this point, the Marlins were not even close to becoming a playoff contender.
They were 15 ½ games out of first place. They actually finished the regular season 10 games behind first place and never were atop the standings.
Miggy’s first game in the big leagues was on June 20, 2003, against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Miggy was in the eighth spot in the lineup, hitting before the pitcher and playing left field. I was so excited to see him walk up to the on-deck circle.
This kid was just 14 months older than I was and about to debut in Major League Baseball. Miguel did not do much in his first four at-bats. He struck out, flied out to right, grounded into a double play and grounded out to the pitcher.
Smile Remains
The one thing that did not change was Miggy’s smile. I think I was more nervous than he was. Then in the bottom of the 11th after an Alex Gonzales single, Miggy hit the first of many home runs to win the game.
We enjoyed every second of that summer.
Miggy ended up hitting cleanup in the batting order for the Marlins as they beat the San Francisco Giants in the Division Series, and the Cubs and Steve Bartman in the National League Championship Series before winning the World Series over the Yankees.
It was the beginning of a Hall of Fame career. We shared many off-the-field moments that were special like his wedding. We always talked about baseball, but I had never interviewed him.
I never thought the moment was right or the channel was a good fit. I was honored and excited when I was approached by La Vida Baseball to do a show. I knew it was time to sit down with Miggy. I contacted Miggy’s wife Rosangel first to get support just in case Miggy came up with an excuse.
I was using her and our friendship as leverage, but as soon as I reached out to him, he was all about it. Getting Miggy was the easy part for me.
Searching for Questions
What do you ask the Triple Crown winner you consider a friend and also idolize? That was the hard part. Everyone in the Guillen family started poking fun at me right away. Please don’t mess this up.
I did not want to focus on one specific issue or topic in his career.
I wanted to discuss the journey, the ups and downs. Miggy has been able to overcome obstacles and still perform. I admire that. I wanted the interview to show it. How do I ask the hard questions and not come off like I want to put him down? How do I conduct a strong interview where I am not hiding anything?
Miguel and I had not talked face to face for more than a few summers. I would see him in the stadium, say hi and have a short talk about family. Life just happened, and I knew I wanted to catch up off camera.
We had kids and a long-lived life between the first time we talked in spring training 2002 and now in the clubhouse in Chicago in 2019.
I don’t know why, but I still feel a little out of place when I am in a big league clubhouse with a media pass. It’s a challenge being on the other side but one that I have embraced. I grew up in a clubhouse not only around players but the media.
I have always had respect for their job. I never saw myself as someone who could interview a player. And here I was about to do the biggest interview of my life.
Same Miggy
I was standing by the entrance of the visiting clubhouse. I was not hiding, but I was definitely out of the way. Miggy walked in with the swagger of a 19-year-old I had connected with in Miami.
A big smile was followed by a handshake and a hug. “I see married life has been treating you right,” he said.
“I am trying not to lose more hair and still trying to find my swing,” I shot back.
“Aren’t we all,” he replied in Spanish.
Miggy is a batting genius not because of his Triple Crown and home run and batting titles but because he can break it down and teach it. He tells you why it works for him and not for you, and vice versa.
I asked about the kids and his awesome wife Rosangel. We talked about back home, always a topic these days. Then to baseball and his health. It was raining, and I wanted him to be comfortable. The rain never bothered Miggy. He let me know to ask him anything. Let’s have fun, he said.
We sure did. He joked around and was Miguel. We talked about the game, the struggles and how it was changed for better or worse. The interview flew by.
I hope this was not the last time that I get to interview Miggy. I aspire to be one day sitting in Cooperstown, N.Y., watching him get inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, where he belongs.
I want to join him in the audience, just like I was there when he got his first hit.
I jokingly said that it would be cool if I was his batboy when he got his 3,000th hit in MLB. He said it would be cool, but he also joked that I would have to wear a full uniform.
This interview was the most important for me in 2019. It brought me full circle in the game. It represented La Vida Baseball and what we are all about. The love, friendship, glory and the struggle of the game we love.