Miggy welcomed back to Miami for final time: 'Here is where I started'?

MIAMI -- Marlins fans are getting Miggy with it all weekend long at loanDepot park.

With Miguel Cabrera retiring at the end of the 2023 season, the Tigers’ visit to South Florida marks the final time he will square off against the organization he began his professional career with in 1999.

“Yes, I believe,” Cabrera said pregame regarding whether he can believe it’s been 20 years since his MLB debut in 2003. “I feel it, too, in my body.

“It's a great moment to be here, to be back here. … Here is where I started. It's going to be my last year to play at least two, [even] one game here is going to be awesome for me and my family. And hopefully I can do good and hopefully we can win."

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Cabrera, who signed a $1.8 million bonus with the Marlins as a 16-year-old out of Maracay, Venezuela, would go on to become one of the best right-handed hitters of his generation. He spent the first five of his 21 MLB seasons with the Marlins from 2003-07, earning All-Star recognition four times and winning the Silver Slugger Award twice.

“For me, I played with Albert Pujols, and Miggy and Albert were the two best right-handed hitters that I've ever played against or with in my career as a coach or a player,” said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker, who first competed against Cabrera at the Double-A level. “He probably is a little underrated, which is insane for 3,000 hits and 500 home runs or whatever he has now. He's a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Grateful that I got to play against him for so many years. Hopefully there's going to be a lot of fans that are here for his last time in Miami.”

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During Friday's pregame festivities, the Marlins presented Cabrera with two special items: A custom-designed and hand-etched humidor and cigar box, created and customized by Rodriguez Cigar Company, and Cabrera's favorite Santa Teresa Bicentenario Ultra A?ejo Rum from the personal limited reserves of the Vollmer family.

The package features a one-of-a-kind customized bottle hand painted by Procanela, an American artist and illustrator born in Caracas, Venezuela, and now residing in Fort Lauderdale, highlighting Florida Marlins teal and the 2003 championship season.

On hand were Marlins alumni and fellow Venezuelans Aníbal Sánchez, Martín Prado, Omar Infante and Alex Gonzalez, who, along with Wes Helms and Jeff Conine, were members of the 2003 World Series ballclub.

“You get goosebumps,” said Conine, who was teammates with Cabrera from 2003-05. “You see Miggy come walking up and you remember him as the little kid that came up as a 20-year-old, and you watch the highlights and you get all chills inside, because we were part of it. We were part of a first-ballot Hall of Fame career.”

Miami also planned to play "Pa’Que Retozen" by Tego Calderón, which was Cabrera's walk-up song for his MLB debut on June 20, 2003, for his first and second at-bats on Friday and Saturday.

The festivities will continue on Saturday with the Venezuelan Heritage Celebration. Dave Concepcion, Omar Vizquel, Carlos González, Edgardo Alfonso, Marco Scutaro, Gregor Blanco and Gonzalez will take part in an on-field ceremony with Cabrera. It’s fitting, given that Concepcion was Cabrera’s favorite player growing up.

“Because my family when I was growing up, they always talk about [him],” Cabrera said, “always talked about his game. They always talked about the way he played, like how smart he was when he played shortstop and hitting. So I was going to be like him. Whenever we played positions, I was going to be shortstop. And I played a couple innings [laughing], but I didn't play enough.”

During introductions, there will be a live performance of “La Tierra de Donde Vengo” by Miguelito Díaz. Concepcion will throw out the ceremonial first pitch, and the Venezuelan and United States national anthems will be performed.

“Yes [it’s a different feeling coming to Miami], but I always talk to myself and say, you know, 'Enjoy this moment, enjoy every second, every minute I'm going to [be here],'” Cabrera said. “And after that, I'm going to prepare for the game and try to play my best game.”