Orlando Cabrera

The Red Sox faithful’s devotion to Nomar Garciaparra, cultivated through multiple All-Star seasons and batting titles, had seemingly reached its breaking point after a July 1, 2004, loss to the Yankees. While Garciaparra sat out the game due to his Achilles tendon injuries, his perennial rival Derek Jeter reached base twice and dove headfirst into the stands to snag pinch-hitter Trot Nixon’s pop fly that allowed the Yankees to escape a 12th-inning jam without allowing any runs.

After the game, rumors that Garciaparra refused manager Terry Francona’s request to pinch-hit in the late innings rubbed salt into the wound. Although a divorce seemed imminent, the July 31 trade to the Chicago Cubs shocked New England. Gone was the franchise shortstop and in his place was Orlando Cabrera, a less distinguished player who toiled in the relative obscurity of Montreal. Had this been a fantasy league swap, the commissioner might have fielded irate calls from players seeking to void such a lopsided transaction.1 But baseball is not played on paper and the Boston front office was convinced that Cabrera was a better fit. They would have two scant months to prove their point.

Orlando Luis Cabrera was born on November 2, 1974, in Cartagena de Indias, a city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. His father, Jolbert Sr., was a former Florida Marlins scout who instilled a strong competitive streak in his sons, Jolbert Jr. and Orlando: “I learned my passion for winning from my father,” Orlando once said. He hated to lose and so do I.”2 However, this was a dual baseball household, with his mother, Josefina, “a teacher for 44 years” who “would still find time to be at my baseball games and my brother Jolbert’s. She really knew her baseball.”3 Josefina preferred that her sons be supervised on the diamond rather than unmonitored on the streets.

Although baseball is a distant second sport to soccer in the hearts of Colombians, the country boasts deep baseball roots. The game entered Colombia in the late nineteenth century, brought by Cubans and Panamanians to Cabrera’s hometown. Baseball is king in Bolívar state, of which Cartagena is the capital; the country’s first league was founded here in 1916.4 The professional circuit (Liga Profesional de Béisbol Colombiano, or LPB), dates to 1948.5 Although the nation has not produced many big leaguers (31 as of the beginning of the 2023 season), it boasts the first major leaguer born in Latin America, Lou Castro.6

Cabrera began playing at 6 years old, often in the outfield. His slight build made teams wary of trusting him with a key defensive position, though Cabrera soon proved his mettle. When he moved into the infield, he modeled his game after Roberto Alomar and Barry Larkin, two future Hall of Famers against whom he would play in the big leagues. He soon moved from the sandlots to playing for an organized team,  named Barakat after its mattress-making sponsor.7 The brothers would often play together, and although Jolbert was seen as a better prospect – he signed with the Montreal Expos – Orlando worked hard to develop his skills: “I was 14 when my brother signed to play professional baseball. I thought if he could make it maybe I had a chance.”8 Although he would eventually reach 5-feet-99 and was listed at 195 pounds, his stature was still seen as an obstacle: “They signed my brother, but they didn’t sign me. There were a lot of high expectations for me in Colombia, even from my family, but I figured it wasn’t going to happen.”10

Despite his father’s connections, teams passed on Cabrera in no fewer than 15 tryouts, prompting him to enroll in college at his mother’s urging. He continued to excel in athletics while studying maritime engineering, but both his father and scout William Marrugo remained in contact with various franchises. Another Colombian scout, Arturo DeFreites, a friend of Jolbert Sr.’s, enticed Montreal to sign Cabrera sight unseen. He bypassed the size concern by inflating the shortstop’s height. Two months into the college semester, the Expos offered Cabrera a contract with a $7,000 signing bonus. He accepted it and was assigned to the Dominican Summer League.11 The franchise almost backed out of the deal when Cabrera stepped off the plane, but he proved his ability on the field.

In 1994 Cabrera played 22 games in the rookie Gulf Coast League and batted a solid .315 (23-for-73) with 6 stolen bases. Unlike many Latin players on their first foreign experience, he was not alone, as brother Jolbert was also an Expos farmhand: “That was a big help. He helped me settle in and he taught me how to order food.”12 The GCL Expos also boasted two of the organization’s top prospects: Vladimir Guerrero and Javier Vázquez, taking their first steps toward the big leagues.

Cabrera played with the Vermont Expos of the short-season Class-A New York-Pennsylvania League in 1995 and hit well (.282/.323/.407) in 65 games. He appeared in three other contests with the advanced Class A West Palm Beach Expos and went 1-for-5. He was promoted to the Class-A Delmarva Shorebirds of the South Atlantic League for the 1996 season and led the club with 134 games played, 580 plate appearances, 86 runs, 14 home runs, and 51 stolen bases, and made the league all-star team.13

Cabrera progressed through three minor-league levels in 1997. In 69 games for West Palm Bach, he hit .276/.340/.412 and was promoted to the Harrisburg Senators of the Double-A Eastern League. He improved his offense to .308/.378/.549 and thus prompted the Expos to move him up to the Ottawa Lynx of the Triple-A International League. Cabrera played 31 games for the Lynx and batted .262/.306/.385. He was now regarded mostly as a shortstop, and his defense steadily improved as he climbed the ladder. After committing 20 errors in 64 games in West Palm Beach, he had only 8 miscues in 66 contests with the Senators and the Lynx.

Once rosters expanded, Cabrera reached the major leagues in September but at first was used only as a pinch-runner, pinch-hitter, and late inning defensive replacement. On September 22 he made his first start and collected two hits in five at-bats against Greg Maddux. Cabrera had watched Maddux “pitch on the super-station [TBS] and I knew he always pitched outside so I was ready.  I got two hits against a future Hall of Famer in my first game!”14 For the Expos he hit .222/.263/.222 in 20 plate appearances and was praised by skipper Felipe Alou, who envisioned him as a leadoff hitter, saying: “He has good speed, is a pure base stealer, and hits the fastball.”15

As the 1998 season began, rookies Brad Fullmer, José Vidró, and Cabrera were expected to join Grudzielanek in the infield. A 1-for-16 stretch in the Grapefruit League, punctuated by several defensive mistakes, led to a reprimand from skipper Alou.16 Despite being ranked as the 92nd prospect in Baseball America’s preseason rankings, Cabrera began the season in Triple A and hit only .232/.298.294 in 66 games with Ottawa. Still, he was recalled on June 24. He hit his first major-league round-tripper on July 21, an inside-the-park home run against Mark Portugal of the Phillies. Since Cabrera was cheaper, a few years younger, and “already … a better defensive shortstop than Grudzielanek,” the Expos traded the latter to the Dodgers.17 Cabrera performed admirably in 79 games in both middle infield positions (.280/.325/.414).

Cabrera played winter league baseball in Venezuela with the Tigres of Aragua. Although official statistics are incomplete, he was credited with a .285 batting average and a .391 slugging percentage in 39 regular-season games and a .239 average in 16 postseason contests.18

Montreal named Cabrera as its starting shortstop for the 1999 season. He was dependable and played in 104 of the team’s first 108 games before a severely sprained ankle in August forced him out of the lineup. After the season The Sporting News described him as “flashy and effective” though it added, “[O]ffensively, he had some good moments, but he neither hits for power nor average.”19 Like his teammates, he went 0-for-3 against David Cone on July 18; his third at-bat marked the final out of Cone’s perfect game.20

During the offseason, Cabrera played in the winter league in Colombia to rehabilitate his injury. He reported to spring training with “pain only when … hitting and pivot(ing) on the ankle.”21 However, off-the-field tragedy struck as Jolbert Sr. died unexpectedly in 2000 and Cabrera suffered through a tough season: .237/.279/.393.

Cabrera focused on his physical conditioning and plate discipline during the offseason, as new teammate Tim Raines preached about working the  count. Cabrera credited Raines with “making him more aware of the value of a walk” and showed “a better eye at the plate.”22 Often the cleanup hitter, Cabrera hit .267 in his first 43 games, made only two errors, and batted .324 with runners in scoring position.23 He won a Gold Glove “despite playing 81 games on a surface that resembled a parking lot with holes.”24 He registered two 34-game streaks without an error, played in all 162 games, compiled a 2.1 Defensive WAR (fifth in the NL), and led the league’s shortstops in fielding percentage.

Though Cabrera enjoyed playing with the Expos, the franchise’s struggles in Montreal played a heavy role in his looming free agency. New Expos hitting coach Bill Robinson suggested that Cabrera work on hitting to the opposite field in the 2002 season.25 Mixed results followed: Bothered by a bad back, Cabrera stole more bases and walked more, but his slugging percentage dropped by 48 points. He clashed with management early in the season, questioning their support when he was asked to bunt twice in a row in an extra-inning game. José Vidro, his double-play partner, had matured into a consistent .300 hitter, and Montreal boasted young prospect Brandon Phillips in the minor leagues, adding to the frustration. Perhaps the only highlight of the season was the June 21 game against Cleveland, which featured the Cabrera brothers as opponents for the first time in the major leagues.26

The Expos sought to sign Cabrera to a multiyear deal, but the parties could not agree to terms and the franchise started to explore trades. Cabrera’s last full season in Montreal (2003) was his finest wearing the Expos uniform. He appeared in every game and hit .297/.347/.460 (105+ OPS) as the Expos finished in fourth place (83-79) in the competitive NL East.

Montreal struggled early in the 2004 season and Cabrera seemed lost at the plate (.246/.298/.336), but his fielding was spectacular (seven errors in 101 games). As the franchise played out the string before its move to Washington, it traded some of its assets to contending clubs. Cabrera was as shocked as anyone once he learned about his trade to the Red Sox from Expos manager Frank Robinson: “I thought, oh, my gosh, I’m in trouble” upon realizing he would replace Garciaparra.27 He figured he would be dealt to a team without an established shortstop, not to one with an All-Star at the position.

Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy complained that “the club has some explaining to do because it didn’t get enough for [Garciaparra] in the trade,” bemoaning not necessarily Garciaparra’s departure, but rather what many Red Sox fans felt was an insufficient replacement.28 Cabrera paid little attention to the newspapers thanks to counsel he received from former Expos teammate  Pedro Martínez: “(He) gave me some good advice. He said, ‘Do the interviews but don’t ever read a paper here.’”29 Cabrera acknowledged that “the first days were very hard with the media. Fans don’t expect an idol to be replaced, but if he were, by someone from the same level … and I knew that I would not reach Nomar Garciaparra’s level. … He was an offensive powerhouse, but he was not the same defensive player I was … so I had to play to my strengths and make the team more fundamentally sound.”30

Despite the hostile press, Cabrera received the backing of the Red Sox pitching stars. Martínez noted, “I remember Cabrera as a young, good steady player at shortstop in Montreal, but he’s gotten even better over the years. He’s going to be a good player for us.”31 Curt Schilling agreed: “I know Cabrera from playing against him and he’s one of the best shortstops in the game. He can hit and he can play good defense for us. He is a game-changer in the field for me.”32 Manager Terry Francona also provided a vote of confidence: “I saw him play when he was with Montreal and thought he was an excellent player. Everyone in Boston found out right away how good he is defensively. (Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills) was with him in Montreal last year. He thought (Cabrera) could again become the hitter he was last year and would thrive in this type of environment. He was right.”33

Cabrera proved his worth from his very first at-bat. The Red Sox battled the Twins in Minnesota on August 1 and Cabrera, in Garciaparra’s old third spot in the batting order, hit a home run against Johan Santana in the first inning. He made an error in the eighth inning that allowed the go-ahead run to score in a 4-3 Boston loss. However, Cabrera’s value, as the front office anticipated, soon became apparent as the Red Sox defense improved. His sold hitting, though, was a bonus.

Ron Jackson, the team’s hitting coach, helped Cabrera take advantage of his new surroundings: “I was hitting about .230 and (Jackson) said, ‘Orlando, I want you to concentrate on pulling the ball. You’ve got that wall out here in left field, and if the ball is in the zone, I want you to pull it.’ It was like a light went off from there on.”34

Cabrera hit a robust .294 in the regular season for Boston, including a walk-off home run on September 22 against the Orioles. His ebullient personality fit in with the scrappy Red Sox but Cabrera knew when to be serious. After Manny Ramírez begged off playing a game because of a headache, Cabrera told he mercurial outfielder “There’s no way you’re coming out of the lineup. I’ve never been in the playoffs.”35 The statement convinced Ramírez, whose ill-timed requests were often the bane of management.

Perhaps nervous in his first postseason series, Cabrera hit .154 in the Division Series against the Angels but a blistering .379 versus the Yankees in the AL Championship Series. To Cabrera, the Red Sox “organization launched (my) career.”36 The ALCS “was amazing. It’s something that will always live in my memory and my heart. It was one of the best-played series in my career, as a team to come back after that three-game deficit and win the next four, especially against the team that the Yankees had that year, it was special. After that, in the World Series, it was so much easier to win those four games, and it will always have a very big space in my mind.”37

Often overlooked in Colombia, Cabrera now became the topic of incessant media attention. “I was doing interviews to every single news outlet in Colombia. It was crazy. Nonstop. … (T)here was so much excitement – I couldn’t sleep. I was talking and talking and talking and thinking, ‘Wow, this is incredible.’”38 Cabrera hit .235 in the World Series, but the robust Red Sox offense did not need his bat. On the field, Cabrera’s glovework was flawless as he played every Red Sox defensive inning in the postseason. Cabrera recalled “the friendship and the trust … the chemistry of the team” that galvanized the roster toward Boston’s first World Series championship in 86 years.39

A first-time free agent, Cabrera was well-positioned to secure a lucrative contract. Boston chose to pursue Edgar Rentería instead of re-signing Cabrera. Though Rentería had been one of the few Cardinals whose bat was not silenced in the World Series, Cabrera had earned the pitching staff’s trust. Years later, Cabrera would have a falling out with his business partner, Rentería’s brother. The relationship between the two shortstops turned cold over a provocative ESPN Magazine article that planted the seeds of discord.

Cabrera was not the only playoff hero not to return in 2005. Mientkiewicz and Dave Roberts left for other teams, leaving the Red Sox without anything to show for the Garciaparra trade – except for the World Series trophy. A more nuanced look reveals other domino effects. The Red Sox received two draft picks from the Anaheim Angels as part of the compensatory draft; those extra slots yielded Jacoby Ellsbury and Jed Lowrie.40

The Angels signed Cabrera to a four-year deal worth $32 million, though Cabrera acknowledged that “it would have been nice to stay in Boston.”41 Indeed, the fans gave him a standing ovation when he returned as an opponent on June 3. “I will never forget that moment,” he said in 2014.42 Cabrera hit .257/.309/.365 in 141 games for the Angels in 2005 as they reached the ALCS but fell to the eventual World Series champion Chicago White Sox. Statistically he was arguably the AL’s best shortstop, with a 19.6 UZR, 7 errors, and a .988 fielding percentage in 140 games.43 However, Derek Jeter was the Gold Glove winner at shortstop.

Cabrera’s 2006 statistics (.282/.335/.404) demonstrated marked improvement. Cabrera reached base in 63 consecutive games, the sixth-longest streak in major-league history, surpassed only by Ted Williams (three times) and Joe DiMaggio (twice). Despite baseball’s sabermetric revolution, the accomplishment flew under the radar of many, including Cabrera himself: “It was a good run. With all the greatest players to have played the game, to even be on that list is crazy. It’s just crazy, me doing that kind of stuff. I’m a free-swinging hitter. Reaching base every day? It was hard to believe I was doing it.”44

Cabrera won his second Gold Glove in 2007 and finished 15th in the AL MVP voting with a career-high .301 batting average. His 11 sacrifice flies led the league for the second consecutive season. This was the last season Cabrera would enjoy with a permanent home. With one year remaining in his contract, the Angels traded him to the White Sox for pitcher Jon Garland.

Cabrera was durable for Chicago; he played 161 games and won the Defensive Player of the Year Award.45 He overcame an awful start (.215 in his first 27 games and challenged scoring decisions that assigned him errors) to finish at .281/.334/.371 and a 14.9 UZR on the field. Though he butted heads with Ozzie Guillén over perceived lack of managerial support, the feisty former White Sox skipper lauded Cabrera’s efforts: “He’s a winner and always has been. … He had a great career.”46

Cabrera became a free agent on November 1. He signed with the Oakland Athletics on March 6, 2009, and played in 101 games (.280/.318/.365) before the perennially cash-strapped club flipped him to Minnesota for Tyler Ladendorf. He helped the Twins in the stretch drive, providing veteran leadership and stability on the field while hitting .289, but hit only .154 in Minnesota’s Division Series loss to the Yankees.

Cabrera returned to the National League in 2010 with the Cincinnati Reds and played in 123 games, his fewest since 1999. At age 35, his offense dipped to .263/.303/.354. A free agent again, he split the 2011 campaign with Cleveland (91 games, .244) and San Francisco (39 games, .222) after a July 30 deal for Thomas Neal.

After 15 years in “The Show,” Cabrera retired before the 2012 season. “It was time,” he said. “I love baseball too much to ever play at less than 100 percent.”47 His lifetime totals (1,985 games, 2,055 hits, 459 doubles, 985 runs scored, 123 home runs, 216 stolen bases, 21.33 WAR) are second among Colombian players, behind only Rentería. Though not a power hitter, his 459 career doubles surpass Hall of Famers Rod Carew, Jimmie Foxx, Roberto Clemente, Larkin, and Eddie Collins.

Cabrera hit .228 in 37 postseason contests, reaching the playoffs in six years (2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010) with five different teams. Post-Boston, Cabrera played in 1,023 games and obtained 1,111 hits (.275 average). With his glove, Cabrera is credited with a .977 fielding average, above Hall of Famers Jeter, Larkin, and Luis Aparicio.

Cabrera was successful against Joe Saunders (14-for-27), Jae Weong (Seo) 2-for-22), Matt Morris (8-for-21), Brandon Duckworth (13-for-34), Liván Hernández (16-for-37), Félix Hernández (16-for-36), Maddux (16-for-47), and Schilling (15-for-44) but could not figure out Antonio Alfonseca (0-for-12), Octavio Dotel (0-for-20), Joe Nathan (1-for-17), Rick Porcello (2-for-18), Kris Benson (2-for-24), Barry Zito (3-for-32), and John Smoltz (4-for-27).48

During his playing days, Cabrera started the Prospect Sport Foundation, which has helped young baseball talent in Colombia, especially from ages 12 to 16. (Sixteen-year-olds can be signed to professional contracts in the United States.) He consults (as of 2023) with GenTrust Wealth Management in Miami to help young players handle the sudden influx of money that often accompanies a professional contract.

Cabrera paid $200,000 to repave streets surrounding his foundation’s offices and a neighboring park, with plans for medical facilities. The foundation partnered with the US Embassy to conduct baseball clinics in 2019 taught by former major leaguers Yamid Haad, Sugar Ray Marimon, and Yhonathan Barrios.49 Cabrera stressed the importance of the effort by noting that “Cartagena will always be the cradle of baseball in Colombia; I am convinced of our young talent, and we must support them.”50 He stressed the criticality of playing in the winter leagues and noted “some scouts and people who have not played (in the winter leagues) don’t know the importance in the development of those youngsters. You find players who have competed in Triple-A, Double-A, the majors, the rookie leagues, and some who have not yet signed a contract.”51

Nevertheless, a 2008 attempt to join the governing body for the league was unsuccessful due to disputes about sponsorship and funding. After that Cabrera focused his efforts on player development. He wishes it were more focused on development, noting that as the number of Colombians in the minor and major leagues has grown, the number of franchises in the Colombian league has dwindled. He commented, “Big leaguers don’t play in Colombia because they weren’t given the opportunity growing up, and now that they have reached the majors, they are being asked to play. They resent that.”52

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he provided economic assistance to 77 coaches of the Bolívar State Baseball League.53 Cabrera said he “wanted to support those coaches … to lend a helping hand, let them know we have not forgotten about them, and that the Prospect Sport Foundation depends on them.”54 The lockdown prompted the Cabrera brothers to collaborate on a podcast, Colombianos MLB, hosted by Diego Martínez that covered topics such as superstitions, how to learn English, the role of the agent, and how to overcome slumps.55 The podcast is the top social media source for Colombian baseball.

Orlando joined Jolbert’s coaching staff prior to the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Colombia’s second appearance in the event. The entire Cabrera family cheered from the stands, led by their mother, Josefina. The team beat Mexico, 5-4, in its first game, but lost its next two contests, 7-5 to Great Britain and 5-0 to Canada. The team gave the United States a scare but lost 3-2 in a tight game that saw both nations struggle to hit. Six members of the roster were products of Cabrera’s Foundation, adding an extra layer of pride to the occasion. Rentería was also a coach, thus reuniting the country’s baseball triumvirate.

Orlando and his family live in New Hampshire. Being in New England keeps him close to the Red Sox faithful, who “are the way any fan base should be. If you show support for your team, you deserve to have a good team. The fan base in New England is always with you, you should always do your job, and if you do this, you will always be loved here.”56 Reflecting on his career during a TV interview, Cabrera noted that he “wasn’t an All Star, but I had the privilege to walk among them. … My career, whatever I did, was always past my expectations.”57

Acknowledgments

Bill Nowlin for connecting the author to Katie Cabrera.

Katie Cabrera for connecting her husband, Orlando, to the author for an interview.

Sources

Unless otherwise specified, quotes stem from the author’s telephone interview with Orlando Cabrera on June 27, 2023.

Notes

1 The transaction, as complex as it was shocking, involved four franchises: Boston received Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz; the Twins obtained Justin Jones; the Expos received Francis Beltran, Álex González, Brendan Harris, BRENDAN HARRIS; and the Cubs obtained Garciaparra and Matt Murton.

2 Herb Crehan, “Orlando Cabrera Remembers the 2004 World Championship,” Boston Baseball History, November 7, 2014. https://bostonbaseballhistory.com/new-orlando-cabrera-remembers-the-2004-world-championship/.

3 Crehan.

4 Gustavo Adolfo Acuña Romero, “El béisbol también se juega en municipios del Caribe,” El Espectador, October 21, 2020. https://www.elespectador.com/deportes/mas-deportes/el-beisbol-tambien-se-juega-en-municipios-del-caribe-article/.

5 Mariano Panchano, “Colombia Making Its Mark in Baseball, One Step at a Time,” MLB.com, March 4, 2023. https://www.mlb.com/news/featured/colombia-making-its-mark-in-baseball-one-step-at-a-time.

6 Castro was born in Medellín, Colombia, in 1876 and played 42 games for the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League in 1902. Esteban (Steven) Bellán, a Cuban, played with the Troy Haymakers (1871-72) and New York Mutuals (1873) of National Association (NA), but the NA is no longer considered a major league.

7 “Orlando Cabrera y el legado de una leyenda del béisbol colombiano,” Infobae, November 3, 2022, https://www.infobae.com/america/colombia/2022/11/03/orlando-cabrera-y-el-legado-de-una-leyenda-del-beisbol-colombiano/.

8 Crehan.

9 Though often listed as 5-feeet-11, Cabrera is, by his own admission, 5-feet-9.

10 Art Davidson, “On Baseball: Cabrera Making It on His Own,” Milford (Massachusetts) Daily News, October 3, 2004. https://www.milforddailynews.com/story/sports/2004/10/03/on-baseball-cabrera-making-it/41182959007/.

11 Baseball Cube, Orlando Cabrera page. https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/player/993/prospects/.

12 Crehan.

13 Baseball Cube, Orlando Cabrera page. https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/player/993/awards/.

14 Crehan.

15 Jeff Blair, “First Order Is to Find a Lead-Off Man,” The Sporting News, September 8, 1997: 44.

16 Stephanie Myles “Baseball: Expos,” The Sporting News, March 16, 1998: 22.

17 Stephanie Myles “Baseball: Expos,” The Sporting News, July 13, 1998: 31.

18 Venezuelan League Statistics, Orlando Cabrera page. https://www.pelotabinaria.com.ve/beisbol/mostrar.php?ID=cabrorl001.

19 Stephanie Myles “Baseball: Expos,” The Sporting News, December 13, 1999: 68.

20 Expos at Yankees Box Score, July 18, 1999. https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA199907180.shtml.

21 Stephanie Myles, “Baseball: Expos,” The Sporting News, February 14, 2000: 60.

22 Stephanie Myles, “Baseball: Expos,” The Sporting News, May 7, 2001: 27.

23 Stephanie Myles, “Baseball: Expos,” The Sporting News, May 28, 2001: 47.

24 Stephanie Myles, “Baseball: Expos,” The Sporting News, November 19, 2001: 50.

25 Stephanie Myles, “N.L. East,” The Sporting News, December 24, 2001: 57.

26 Indians at Expos Box Score, June 21, 2022. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2002/B06210MON2002.htm.

27 Crehan.

28 Dan Shaughnessy, “No Room for Neutrality,” Boston Globe, August 4, 2004. https://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2004/08/04/no_room_for_neutrality/.

29 Crehan.

30 “Orlando Cabrera en ‘el Magazine Deportivo’: Entrevista con el ex-MLB exclusiva de Caribe Sports,” originally streamed July 27, 2022, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlHZxQ7zp0Q.

31 Crehan.

32 Ben Shapiro, “Orlando Cabrera Retires: Looking Back on 3 Months That No Sox Fan Will Forget,” Bleacher Report, January 19, 2012. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1030622-orlando-cabrera-retires-looking-back-on-3-months-that-no-sox-fan-will-forget.

33 Davidson, “On Baseball: Cabrera Making It on His Own.”

34 Crehan.

35 Jorge Arangue Jr., “Now It’s Personal,” ESPN, April 21, 2008. https://www.espn.com/espnmag/story?id=3356524.

36 Michael Smithers, “2004 World Champion Orlando Cabrera Visits Polar Park April 13 for ‘Throwback Thursdays’ Debut.,” milb.com, April 18, 2023. https://www.milb.com/worcester/news/orlando-cabrera.

37 Smithers.

38 Ian Browne, Idiots Revisited: Catching up with the Red Sox Who Won the 2004 World Series (Thomaston, Maine: Tilbury House, 2014), 149.

39 Author’s telephone interview with Orlando Cabrera, June 27, 2023.

40 Baseballism Blog. http://baseballism.blogspot.com/2011/02/why-do-teams-keep-passing-on-orlando.html.

41 Crehan.

42 Crehan.

43 For Ultimate Zone Rating, see https://www.fangraphs.com/players/orlando-cabrera/766/stats#fielding.

44 Bill Shaikin, “‘A Good Run’ for Cabrera,” Los Angeles Times, July 9, 2005.

45 The DPOY award is now part of the Esurance MLB Awards and was voted by the fans. It is not connected to the Wilson Defensive Players of the Year Award (2012-present). For more information, consult Baseball Almanac, https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/defensive_player_of_the_year_award_plch.shtml.

46 Ozzie Guillén, “Rumbo a Chicago para una visita,” Ozzie Habla, January 19, 2012. http://ozziees.mlblogs.com/tag/orlando-cabrera/.

47 Crehan.

48 “Selected Batter-Pitcher Matchups for Orlando Cabrera,” Retrosheet. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/C/MUS0_cabro001.htm.

49 US Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, August 30, 2019, @USEmbassyBogota. https://twitter.com/USEmbassyBogota/status/1167602979270250496.

50 “Ex beisbolistas de grandes ligas desarrollan en Cartagena las Clínicas de Béisbol,” Noti Cartagena, date not published, https://noticartagena.com.co/ex-beisbolistas-clinicas-del-beisbol/.

51 “Orlando Cabrera en ‘el Magazine Deportivo’: Entrevista con el ex-MLB exclusiva de Caribe Sports.”

52 “Orlando Cabrera en ‘el Magazine Deportivo’: Entrevista con el ex-MLB exclusiva de Caribe Sports.”

53 Ernesto de la Hoz, “Cabrera entregó 77 mercados,” El Universal, April 24, 2020. https://www.eluniversal.com.co/deportes/cabrera-entrego-77-mercados-DY2717948.

54 Juan Manual Ulloque, “‘Hemos querido aportar un granito de arena en las necesidades de muchos afectados’: Orlando Cabreda,” Primer Tiempo, May 1, 2020. https://primertiempo.co/beisbol/hemos-querido-aportar-un-granito-de-arena-en-las-necesidades-de-muchos-afectados-orlando-cabrera/.

55 Orlando Cabrera and Diego Martínez, “El camino a las grandes ligas,” Spotify Podcasts. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/elcaminohacialasgl/episodes/El-slump-en-el-bisbol-eepsl7.

56 Smithers, “2004 World Champion Orlando Cabrera Visits Polar Park April 13 for ‘Throwback Thursdays’ Debut,” The016. https://the016.com/videos/25/29131/orlando-cabrera-interview-with-michael-smithers.

57 “Pillow Talk Show Episode 5: Orlando Cabrera,” NESN, August 11, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0valS3Vcbk.