LAKELAND, Fla. – Detroit first baseman Miguel Cabrera missed the
Tigers’ first day of full-squad practice Saturday.
Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said he didn’t know when
Cabrera would report, but said that the first baseman would see
doctors this week for an assessment. He was arrested late Wednesday
on suspicion of drunken driving in Fort Pierce, about 110 miles
southeast of Lakeland.
Manager Jim Leyland reiterated that Cabrera is his first baseman
and part of the team no matter what.
Cabrera batted .328 in 2010 with 38 home runs and led the
American League with 126 RBIs and a .420 on-base percentage.
Ichiro arrives, fit, ready
PEORIA – Ichiro Suzuki arrived at Seattle Mariners camp, looking
almost as youthful as has in his previous 10 seasons with the
team.
The 37-year-old outfielder played catch, practiced hitting the
cutoff man at second base with throws from right field and got in a
few swings in the batting cage, then talked about his long
career.
“You have to adapt to your body every year,” Suzuki, said
through translator Antony Suzuki.
“I don’t remember what happened last year, that’s how I
operate.”
Suzuki, who played nine years in Japan before coming to Seattle
in 2001, doesn’t seem to be thinking about retiring anytime
soon.
“It doesn’t feel like I’ve played too long yet,” he said. “It
feels like I’m being myself.
“Maybe I can say that I’ve come halfway there, to where I want
to be.”
Inside pitch
• Outfielder Hunter Pence won over the Astros in the final
salary arbitration case of the off-season, giving players victories
in two of three hearings this year. Pence will make $6.9 million
rather than the team’s offer of $5.15 million. He hit .282 with 25
homers and 91 RBIs last year, when he made $3.5 million. This
year’s three arbitration cases matched the low since the process
began in 1974.
