Asdrúbal José Cabrera (born November 13, 1985 in
Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela) is a switch hitting
infielder in the Cleveland Indians organization of
Major League Baseball. After coming up through the
Seattle Mariners organization, he was acquired by
the Indians on June 30, 2006 in exchange for Eduardo
Perez. Cabrera spent the remainder of the 2006
season at Cleveland's AAA minor league team the
Buffalo Bisons.
Cabrera was a non-roster invitee to the Indians 2007
Spring Training camp, but was reassigned to their
minor league camp March 16. He started 2007 at
double-A with the Akron Aeros and was named to the
Eastern League mid-season All-Star team. He was
promoted to the Indians' triple-A affiliate, Buffalo
Bisons July 30 and then to Cleveland August 7.
Cabrera made his major league debut the following
night against the White Sox, starting at second
base. He was hitless in three at bats and scored a
run after he was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning.
Four days later, Cabrera picked up his first Major
League hit, a double, against Mike Mussina of the
New York Yankees. Cabrera's first home run came
August 18, 2007 off Jason Hammel of the Tampa Bay
Devil Rays in a 8-1 victory for the Indians. Cabrera
eventually assumed Cleveland's everday second
baseman job despite being a natural shortstop,
taking over for an ineffective Josh Barfield.
In 2007, Cabrera helped power the Indians to a tie
for the best record in baseball (96-66 with the
Boston Red Sox) with his late inning heroics.
Cabrera batted .375 (21 for 56) in the 7th inning or
later. During the playoffs, Cabrera was seen wearing
a pearl necklace given to him by his wife. He wore
it during the playoffs as a lucky charm. In the 2007
postseason, he became the first baseball player
named Asdrubal to ever compete in the American
League Championship Series.
