Last season, Orlando Cabrera batted .238 with the Indians and Giants, posting a 61 OPS+. The season before that, he posted a 76 OPS+. The season before that, he posted an 85 OPS+. Orlando Cabrera has been declining, and just turned 37 years old. As a free agent, Cabrera didn't drum up much interest, which I'm guessing is why he's intending to hang 'em up. Enrique Rojas:
Orlando Cabrera To Retire From Baseball
Veteran shortstop Orlando Cabrera is hanging them up after a 15-year career that saw him win a World Series, and also do other things.
Orlando Cabrera to retire from baseball, he said in Colombia radio station. Thanks for memories!
Cabrera had a long career that'll be difficult to forget. He debuted with the Expos in 1997, and remained there until the giant Nomar Garciaparra three-way trade in 2004. That year, with the Red Sox, Cabrera won a World Series. He wound up with the Angels, earning the unfortunate nickname "The Wizard of O.C.", and then he wound up with the White Sox, and the A's, and the Twins, and the Reds, and the Indians, and the Giants ... He remained a shortstop to the end, and collected 2,055 hits. He will always be remembered as a pest. An absolute pest.
A few years ago I was hanging out in a bar in downtown Montreal, near the Centre Bell. I paid a trip to the restroom, as one is wont to do in such a setting, and paused in front of this picture in the hallway:
Orlando Cabrera, as an Expo. Mark Kotsay, as a Marlin, elbowing Expo Orlando Cabrera in the nads. I included this picture in this post because I figured I could use it to go somewhere profound. I'm struggling to go somewhere profound. Orlando Cabrera is retiring. He played a lot of years. He hit a lot of hits. One time Mark Kotsay elbowed him in the junk. Orlando Cabrera had a full career.
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