One of the biggest hesitations I had about Cabrera before the 2013 season was would he get on base enough to steal the same number of bags as 2012. In 2012 he had an .324 OBP despite having a strikeout rate of nearly 25 percent and a .336 BABIP; not the type of profile you want to use an early middle pick on. Last year he reduced his strikeout rate nine percentage points, maintained the same BABIP and increased his OBP to .355. Other than the lowered strikeout rate, the contact rate improved six and a half percentage points while the swing and miss rate decreased nearly seven percentage points, which are both dramatic improvements. The major questions every fantasy player is asking is, will he play a full year and is he more than a one category player? The table shows how many games he has played (in the minors and majors) since 2008. If you average out those five seasons he has only played in 106 games. In 2010 he was only able to play in 76 games because of a nagging a right hamstring strain and in 2011 he was bothered by a separated shoulder and was limited to only 60 games. It would have been nice if he had an opportunity to play a full year last year, but he didn’t. I believe he can play in 140-plus games this season because he’s been healthy for the past two seasons and is still only 27 years old.

There’s talk in the fantasy community about whether or not he’s nothing more than a one category player. I’m not buying that assessment. If he played 140 games he would have 80 runs, which is not that bad considering the Padres ballpark. Also, Chase Headley was really bad and if he performed like he normally did Cabrera’s run totals could have been higher. Is the .283 batting average legimate? Based on the contact rates, his improved plate discipline and his speed it certainly makes sense, but he’s never hit for a high average the past four seasons prior to 2013. I’m projecting to have a .270 batting average with room for more. I love Cabrera this year entering drafts. Even though his stolen base totals the past two years have been suppressed by a lack of playing time (which wasn’t due to injury), if he played in 155 games last year he was on pace for 60-61 stolen bases, which would have easily been the most in the majors.

If you are looking for his statistical projections please go here and download my latest projections.