Cabrera's season also ranks very high in Tigers history. According to the Baseball-Reference Play Index, the big first baseman has the third highest Tigers Batting Average since the 1930s behind Magglio Ordonex (.363 in 2007) and Norm Cash (.361 in 1961). Additionally, his .456 OBP is the highest since Hall-of-Fame second baseman Charlie Gehringer reached base at a .458 clip in 1937.
Adjusting Cabrera's OPS for ballpark and league average, we can say that he has an OPS+ of 185. Loosely interpreted that says that he has hit about 85% better than a league average hitter this year. Table 1 below shows that his season ranks 10th all time among Tigers.
Table 1: Tigers Top OPS+ Seasons
Player
|
Year
|
PA
|
OPS
|
OPS+
|
Ty Cobb
|
1917
|
672
|
1.014
|
209
|
Ty Cobb
|
1910
|
590
|
1.008
|
206
|
Norm Cash
|
1961
|
673
|
1.148
|
201
|
Ty Cobb
|
1912
|
609
|
1.040
|
200
|
Ty Cobb
|
1913
|
501
|
1.002
|
196
|
Ty Cobb
|
1911
|
654
|
1.088
|
196
|
Harry Heilmann
|
1923
|
627
|
1.113
|
194
|
Ty Cobb
|
1909
|
651
|
.947
|
193
|
Miguel Cabrera
|
2013
|
652
|
1.078
|
190
|
Miguel Cabrera
|
2015
|
423
|
1.035
|
186
|
Ty Cobb
|
1915
|
701
|
.973
|
185
|
Harry Heilmann
|
1927
|
596
|
1.091
|
180
|
Miguel Cabrera
|
2011
|
688
|
1.033
|
179
|
Ty Cobb
|
1916
|
637
|
.944
|
179
|
Miguel Cabrera
|
2010
|
648
|
1.042
|
178
|
Al Kaline
|
1967
|
550
|
.952
|
176
|
As expected eight of the seasons in the table belong to the legendary Ty Cobb, but the name Miguel Cabrera now appears more than any other Tiger with four of the top 15 seasons. So, while Cabrera might not be getting as much recognition as he got in pat years, the beat goes on for one of the two greatest hitters in team history.