Miggy won't apologize for high salary: 'I don't see any teams losing money'
No matter what his future in baseball holds, Detroit Tigers superstar Miguel Cabrera will be among the game's highest-paid players until he retires.
Some observers have criticized the 36-year-old for his hefty salary, especially as he's coming off two subpar and injury-plagued seasons for the rebuilding Tigers. Cabrera had some harsh words for those mad at him - and other star players - for supposedly not being worth the number on their paychecks.
"I don't know why people get mad at us," the future Hall of Famer told Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY. "They don't like it when we get money. Why weren't people mad the first five years when I wasn't getting paid?
"People can say I'm not worth this contract. They can say whatever they want, really. But they're not going to hurt my feelings. I'm not going to apologize.
"Why should anyone be sorry? I don't see any teams losing money. They all have it."
One of the finest hitters of his generation, Cabrera signed an eight-year, $248-million extension with the Tigers in 2014 that kicked in two years later. At the time, it was the largest by average annual value in baseball history. He's guaranteed another $162 million over the next five years, and the Tigers hold a pair of $30-million club options for 2024 and '25.
Despite his prolific production and his place in Tigers history, some now view the deal as a poor investment given his advancing age and recent injuries - not unlike other oft-criticized megadeals, including those signed by Albert Pujols and Robinson Cano.
Cabrera's locked in as the Tigers' first baseman and/or DH during their ongoing rebuild that's likely to last for the rest of his career, and he still wants to retire as a Tiger. The team is not only on board with that plan, but they're expecting him to produce at a level that's at least resembles his storied prime.
"Obviously, he needs to perform on the field," general manager Al Avila said. "Nobody expects him to perform like when he was 28 years old, but if he's healthy, he'll put up numbers. That's why we gave him the contract we did.
"Believe me, I don't spend a minute thinking about him, how I could get rid of this money. That's not going to help us. You plan with what's in front of you. He's going to be here a long time."