Justin Verlander was one of the biggest Miguel Cabrera supporters this season as Miggy accomplished one of the rarest feats in baseball. Cabrera captured the coveted Triple Crown on Wednesday, becoming the first player in 45 years to lead the league in batting average, home runs and RBI. After the game, Verlander presented Cabrera with an engraved watch to congratulate him.
“It says, ‘Congratulations Miguel Cabrera, 2012 AL Triple Crown,’ on the back of it,” Verlander explained according to the Detroit Free Press. “I had the idea, and I asked a couple of guys whether it should be a team thing or from me personally. Prince (Fielder) said, ‘It might be special just from you.'”
Before we go any further, I have to ask — aren’t baseball players superstitious? It would have taken some unfortunate coincidences for Cabrera to not win the Triple Crown heading into Wednesday’s game, but I’m surprised Verlander had a watch engraved crowning him the Triple Crown winner before it actually happened. The again, this is the same guy who said it would be “a joke” if Miggy doesn’t win the AL MVP, so you know he is confident in his teammate’s abilities.
“We’ve been playing together for years now, and it’s kind of a special moment between two guys who are friends and teammates,” Verlander said. “I think we (Cabrera’s teammates) are all kind of in shock. It was an honor to be able to watch this entire season. I think some of us had to tell him how big of a deal it was. He’s the best player on the planet.”
Some would argue that Verlander is the best pitcher on the planet. And you know what the two best buddies would enjoy celebrating more than a Triple Crown or an AL MVP? Hint: it rhymes with curled theories.
