Miguel Cabrera Faces DUI Charge

[Valid]

FORT PIERCE, Fla. -- Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera has been arrested on drunken driving charges in Florida.

The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office said the 27-year-old's car engine was smoking alongside a road late Wednesday when a deputy spotted the vehicle.

According to the arrest report, Cabrera smelled of alcohol, had slurred speech and took a swig from a bottle of Scotch in front of a deputy. Police say Cabrera repeatedly refused to cooperate, saying, "Do you know who I am, you don't know anything about my problems." In 2009, the All-Star first baseman got into a fight with his wife after a night of drinking, right before his team surrendered the American League Central Division title to the Minnesota Twins.

Cabrera posted $1,350 bond and was released Thursday.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2011/news/story?id=6131020

Looks like he isn't clean after all...

Sad.

[Swifty]

I mean, until it starts to adversely affect his on field production it's nothing more than "oh I feel bad for him, wish he could get it together" right? That's not to say this is insignificant, but it's kind of a non-story in that it's not a new revelation he has a drinking problem nor is it surprising a professional athlete makes a dumb decision about driving.

[marlins_virus.exe]

the only reason I think it's a big issue is that he had that problem with his wife due to alcohol and did a rehab type thing. now this is known to be a recurring problem and not a one time mistake and you don't want to pay a guy whose life could be over in a split second 20 million bucks

[Swifty]

I don't agree. You pay the guy to hit .330, not be a model citizen. The drinking problem didn't develop in 2009, it was a very real problem when Miggy was here, and it was a not so well kept secret in baseball circles. Detroit knew what they were getting in Miggy. This event doesn't make it a recurring problem, it already was that by the time he got to Detroit. There's still nothing to suggest it's going to impact his on the field performance because, generously, this is year 6 of "Miggy likes the fire-water". So really, I fail to see the controversy other than dude drove drunk, which is stupid.

I mean, you listen to Olney's tweets it sounds like if he were Dombrowski he'd give Miggy away to the first offer. I hope that's the case and we bring him back.

[marlins_virus.exe]

I'm not saying he's being paid to be a model citizen, but he is being paid long term while having an issue that can manifest itself in several different ways that ends his career - killing someone while driving, getting into a bar fight, fighting with his wife again, and so on. I'm not saying that no one else runs those risks but when you're paying a top 10 player in baseball you'd really like to minimize your risks. Say what you will about ARod or even Texieira or Howard being overpaid but their careers aren't in jeopardy as much as Cabrera's is. At least that's how I see it.

[MiamiHomer]

LeBatardShow Dan LeBatard Show
Re cabrera DUI drinking straight from scotch bottle: at 20, he showed up at espn the mag photo shoot so drunk he frightened everybody


LeBatard's tweet

[CrimsonCane]

I'm not saying he's being paid to be a model citizen, but he is being paid long term while having an issue that can manifest itself in several different ways that ends his career - killing someone while driving, getting into a bar fight, fighting with his wife again, and so on. I'm not saying that no one else runs those risks but when you're paying a top 10 player in baseball you'd really like to minimize your risks. Say what you will about ARod or even Texieira or Howard being overpaid but their careers aren't in jeopardy as much as Cabrera's is. At least that's how I see it.

This is where it's on the team to have a well-written contract with some morality clauses. They knew he had these issues when they signed him to a long-term deal.

[Ralph]

Atleast he looks happy...
http://nbchardballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/cabrera-mugshot.jpg?w=300&h=304

[Flum]

Best mugshot ever.

[Namaste]

I wonder if it was a single malt or a blend.

Taking a swig in front of the cops is mucho awesome.

[FishFF]

haha the swig is awesome....the mug is even awesomerrer

[Miamarlin21]

Miggy has been drinking for a while (from what I heard back when he was with the Marlins.) I'm not sure how much he drank, I just know he did. The thing is, it was 11pm. Who gets drunk before 11?

[FishFF]

Miggy has been drinking for a while (from what I heard back when he was with the Marlins.) I'm not sure how much he drank, I just know he did. The thing is, it was 11pm. Who gets drunk before 11?

that's pretty easy...

Could have started drinking at dinner, pregamed before going out and so on.

[Miamarlin21]

that's pretty easy...

Could have started drinking at dinner, pregamed before going out and so on.

Yea, never mind, you're right. Didn't think about that.

[Fish Tank Frenzy]

You guys realize he was picked up in Fort Pierce, FL. on the side of the road with his car engine smoking. There is no pre game drinking in Fort Pierce, the game is drinking. I could imagine what state of mind he was in. I mean I can guarantee you he is not vacationing in Ft. Pierce or St. Lucie County. IMO he got into a fight with someone close to him and decided to get in his car drunk as shit and drive to Lakeland, where the Tigers spring train and he probably hit something with his car or red lined his engine and was just stuck on the side of the road. Decided fuck it I'm gonna drink more. That's when the St. Lucie Sheriffs Department picked him up.

[Mainge]

You guys realize he was picked up in Fort Pierce, FL. on the side of the road with his car engine smoking. There is no pre game drinking in Fort Pierce, the game is drinking. I could imagine what state of mind he was in. I mean I can guarantee you he is not vacationing in Ft. Pierce or St. Lucie County. IMO he got into a fight with someone close to him and decided to get in his car drunk as shit and drive to Lakeland, where the Tigers spring train and he probably hit something with his car or red lined his engine and was just stuck on the side of the road. Decided fuck it I'm gonna drink more. That's when the St. Lucie Sheriffs Department picked him up.

The Drunk Whisperer

[Swifty]

I'm a fan of the term 'spring train' I think it has legs. How else could you describe what goes on down here for 7 weeks?

Also, how he got there is largely, if not entirely, irrelevant. The only issue is that he's still drinking, which to reiterate one more time, is neither surprising nor particularly news-worthy.

My only hope is that there's enough of a public outcry to force the Tigers to deal him and he ends up back with us.

[Miamarlin21]

Drinking is a part of the game. I'd say a least 75 percent of baseball players drink/go out on the weekends. I remember one-time Marlin Franklyn Gracesqui got "in trouble" with Toby Borland in Albuquerque because Gracesqui drank during a game after he was done throwing and Borland told him that you can't do that.

And I agree, let's get Miggy back!

[Mainge]

Jesus FM. Of course 98% of all the big leaguers party and drink. The difference between them and Miggy, is they don't beat their wife or drive around town when they drink.

I don't necessarily care what he does, but that's an important distinction.

[Miamarlin21]

Jesus FM. Of course 98% of all the big leaguers party and drink. The difference between them and Miggy, is they don't beat their wife or drive around town when they drink.

I don't necessarily care what he does, but that's an important distinction.

Very true.

[Ralph]

Yea I really would love this story if it was a public intox charge. Sucks he was driving drunk.

[Valid]

Jesus FM. Of course 98% of all the big leaguers party and drink. The difference between them and Miggy, is they don't get beaten by their wife or drive around town when they drink.

I don't necessarily care what he does, but that's an important distinction.
Fixed.

[Ramp]

seems like Cabs might be out of his mind too...

"I am going to [expletive] kill him," Cabrera is quoted as saying.

The deputy saw no one else in the vehicle or in the area. Cabrera, of Boca Raton, grabbed a bottle of James Buchanan's scotch and started drinking.

Text alerts: Get South Florida sports news on your phone

Cabrera, a native of Venezuela, played several years for the Florida Marlins before joining the Detroit Tigers, where sources have reported his salary is $20 million.

Cabrera, whose eyes were bloodshot and speech "heavily slurred," was handcuffed and walked toward a patrol vehicle before being told to get in the vehicle.

"Do you know who I am, you don't know anything about my problems," Cabrera is quoted as saying.

A deputy reported Cabrera was put in handcuffs after not following orders. Cabrera also "kept running out in the road with his hands up."

A deputy asked Cabrera to get into the patrol vehicle, and he said, "[Expletive] you."

Cabrera pushed off a vehicle into a deputy, who "delivered 3-4 knee spikes" into Cabrera's left thigh.

In addition to the DUI charge, Cabrera faces two misdemeanor counts of resisting an officer without violence. Sheriff's officials also issued Cabrera a citation for open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Cabrera refused to take a breath test.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/florida-marlins/fl-miguel-cabrera-dui-accused-20110217,0,7580256.story

[Miamarlin21]

Fuck

[Ramp]

Miggy has been drinking for a while (from what I heard back when he was with the Marlins.) I'm not sure how much he drank, I just know he did. The thing is, it was 11pm. Who gets drunk before 11?

just wanted to add that to anyone 25 or so and older, getting drunk before 11 is normal

this ain't college anymore

[Miamarlin21]

just wanted to add that to anyone 25 or so and older, getting drunk before 11 is normal

this ain't college anymore

Maybe that's why it sounds weird to me.

[Ecpot]

Hopefully it's just like Hamilton's relapse.

[Swifty]

Is he wearing hospital scrubs in that mug shot?

[Ramp]

certainly looks like it

[Metes]

Sad to hear he was drinking blended scotch

[Beef]

The thing is, it was 11pm. Who gets drunk before 11?

:-o

[Miamarlin21]

On a side note, the best drunkenness is probably when Messenger passed out in front of a school during ST and slept there the entire night through the morning and came to ST half sunburned from sleeping on his side.

[¿NICK?]

Awesome.

[Chewford]

Like a boss.

[PitchingWinsGames]

Fort Pierce... yup... only fitting

[Namaste]

Sad to hear he was drinking blended scotch


Unreal. $20 million a year and he's drinking a blend. :|


At least he didn't give a breath sample. And from the sounds of it, it doesn't seem like he did the Field Sobriety Excercises either. His attorney will be very happy if that's the case.

[Swifty]

Can we add John Heyman to the list of dumb sports personalities?

"He's as down as he can be. He feels terrible,'' Dombrowski said.
Assuming that's true, that's a good sign. Reports about the arrest suggest he didn't get it (he sported a goofy grin in his mug shot), didn't get the seriousness of the situation or the impact it might have on his family, friends and teammates.


Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jon_heyman/02/19/tigers.cabrera/index.html#ixzz1ETMjTU00

[MiamiHomer]

Heyman is also one of those reporters that likes to say there is a 50% chance player X gets dealth when they are in trade rumors. He isn't the only one obviously, but he does it a lot, most recently with Michael Young.

[Swifty]

I just hate people that take stuff like that so seriously. I know I say it a lot, but I don't give a crap what athletes do off the field so long as it doesn't affect their play on the field. It may make me like some players less, or more, but to say that it makes him a bad teammate or player or that he doesn't understand the severity of the situation is just all kinds of dumb.

[Bobbob1313]

Well, driving drunk can have an adverse affect on your on field performance.

See: Josh Hancock.

[jay576]

Well, driving drunk can have an adverse affect on your on field performance.

See: Josh Hancock.

Pitching hungover can result in excellent performance.

See: David Wells.

[The Hanram]

Pitching hungover can result in excellent performance.

See: David Wells.

Pitching while tripping can result in all-time great performances.

See: Dock Ellis.

[Ramp]

Pitching in the rain can result in horrible numbers.

See: Unoh Hoo

[Valid]

The Florida state attorney's office released on Wednesday a 41-page report dealing with the incident that saw an intoxicated Miguel Cabrera arrested for driving under the influence and resisting an offer on Feb. 16. Also released was a 911 call along with video, with thesmokinggun.com providing the police report.

Previously, all that was known was Cabrera was discovered on the side of the road next to his disabled Range Rover and was belligerent with officers, requiring handcuffs and several "knee strikes" to get the Tigers slugger to comply.

Wednesday, however, it was revealed that the 27-year-old had an incident prior to his arrest, when he turned up at Cowboys Bar-B-Q & Steak Co. in Ft. Pierce around 10:15 p.m. as the restaurant was being closed. The manager, Fletcher Nail was speaking with an off-duty wildlife officer named Kyle Patterson when Cabrera walked in, reeking of alcohol. Nail and Patterson allege that Cabrera pointed to his shoulder bag while saying "I know all of you, and I will kill all of you and blow this place up."

Why he was unhappy exactly is unclear, but when you're as drunk as Cabrera was, anything can set you off, including the news that a restaurant is closing for the night.

Nail finally convinced Cabrera to leave, but not before the first baseman said you don't know me," leaned near his face and said "I will kill you," patting his shoulder bag again.

Then came the altercation with officers on the side of the road, where Cabrera told police to shoot him and drank in front of the officers. "F---ing shoot me. Kill me," Cabrera is reported to have said, before continuing on. "Do you know who I am?" he asked the officers. "I'm Miguel Cabrera. I play for the Detroit Tigers. You don't know my family."

Just sad news all around to hear more of Cabrera's unfortunate night. He is currently undergoing treatment, and a contrite Cabrera addressed the incident days later. He previously had an incident at the end of the 2009 season when he blew a .26 BAC and got in a fight with his wife, necessitating a 911 call. He later apologized for his actions and by all accounts had successfully managed his alcohol problem... until the fateful night of Feb. 16.

http://eye-on-baseball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22297882/27826677

[Metes]

"I know all of you, and I will kill all of you and blow this place up."

Ehe