Cabrera eyes Triple Crown

DETROIT (WALA) - It hasn't happened since 1967 or, as some would call it, the year of the Triple Crown.

Forty-five years ago, Carl Yastrzemski led the American League in all three qualifying categories and won the batting Triple Crown. 

Fast forward to today, you hear the name Tigers star Miguel Cabrera, and his quest for MVP honors.

Saturday, Cabrera made his voice a little louder against the Twins as he put himself atop the MVP list, clubbing a solo home run, his 42 ^nd, to left field in the fourth inning.

Cabrera’s performance also marked some historical relevance. With only 12 games remaining, he now leads the league in batting average (.332), home runs (42), and (131) RBIs.

According to STATS, LLC, no player has led either league in average, home runs and RBI this late in the season since Carl Yastrzemski — the last player to win the batting Triple Crown.

This rarity of the statistic sheds light on the difficulty of Cabrera’s achievements.

A player must possess a certain mental toughness, and embody the physical ability needed to hit well and hit with power. The player must also encompass the humility necessary to focus on the teams’ wins, and not their individual goals.

The Detroit Tigers will face the Minnesota Twins in a day-night doubleheader on Sunday.