Outside The Confines: A baseball icon is taking a farewell lap

We are coming to a point in baseball where it is hard to say what players might be capable of achieving the same kinds of feats that those who are taking their final bows were able to manage. I think most of us would be hard-pressed to name the next player likely to hit 700 home runs like Albert Pujols did in 2022.

But Pujols isn’t the only player who made history late in his career. Detroit Tigers super-slugger Miguel Cabrera, in the twilight years of his time with the team, managed to collect both his 500th home run and also his 3000th career hit.

This week, Cabrera announced that, following years of physical health difficulties that limited his playing time, the 2023 season would be his last as a player. In that time Cabrera has won the hitting Triple Crown, a World Series during his time with the Marlins, been a 12-time All-Star, two-time MVP, and is a sure-bet to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Though his playing years are coming to a close (Cabrera will turn 40 at the beginning of the 2023 season), he has expressed an ardent desire to remain with the Tigers in some capacity after he hangs up his cleats.

• Nick Selbe writes about the announcement for SI.

Now onto the rest of today’s links!

• Ryan Gilbert shares Brett Phillips’ philosophy on being who you are, no matter what.
• Jim Callis looks at which clubs have the prospect depth to actually make big deals.
• Justin Choi has a suggestion for the best place to use a breaking ball.
• David Schoenfield suggests some bold offseason moves for baseball’s most interesting teams.
• Is Trevor Story slated for a bounce-back season? Chad Jennings thinks so. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• I’d call this financial perspective but I literally can’t even conceive of this amount of money.

• Marc Carig revisits an iconic moment in Baseball Twitter lore that had Ken Rosenthal at the center of a truly ludicrous message. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• I’m including a link to this Michael Bauman article about the Phillies' search for a new outfielder largely because the punny title made me laugh.
• The owner of the Minnesota Twins has handed over day-to-day operations of the club to his nephew. (AP) (Total side note but I want very badly to make a reference to Little Big League here, but more than that I really just want to watch Little Big League again.)
• Tony Clark will be sticking around as the head of the MLBPA until 2027. (AP)
• Evan Drellich offers a little more insight into why the Clark extension makes sense after this year. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Iiiinteresting.

• Mark Feinsand assesses who the best free agents at each position are.
• Jose Abreu is feeling right at home with the Astros, shares Brian McTaggart.
• Meanwhile Nick Selbe suggests that the Abreu addition has turned the Astros into an official “evil empire.”
• Jay Jaffe has begun his regular series looking at the contenders for Hall of Fame votes and whether or not he feels they merit induction. And in fairness, Jaffe literally wrote the book on this topic.
• Ken Rosenthal offers some insight into the rumblings he’s hearing around the hot stove. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Okay Bill.

And tomorrow will be a better day, Buster. Make it so.