Brilliant numbers are not necessarily typical numbers for Tigers stud first baseman Miguel Cabrera. He's batting .309 with 16 home runs, 81 RBI and .895 OPS. But he is scuffling in comparison to the stats he compiled before being slowed by abdominal issues in the second half of last season that required surgery.
Brad Ausmus recognizes that. "He's scuffling a little bit right now," he told the Detroit News. "I think he's been a little frustrated all year. Post-surgery - everything's not in sync. I think surgery is the root cause of it. It can take time. I think there are side effects from all of that."
Cabrera is hitless in his last nine at-bats and has just 16 home runs this season after slugging 44 in each of his last two years. His .531 slugging percentage is more than 100 points off what he compiled in 2013.