Francisco Cabrera
Encyclopedia
Francisco Cabrera is a former Major League Baseball
catcher
/first baseman
who played five seasons with two different teams, the Toronto Blue Jays
and the Atlanta Braves
, from to . He also played in Japan with the Orix Blue Wave in .
Cabrera started his career with the Blue Jays, playing three games with them before being traded to the Braves for Jim Acker
in the middle of the 1989 season. Cabrera was a reserve for most of his career and had his best season in in which he played sixty-three games and had 137 at-bats, getting 38 hits, with seven home run
s.
. On Wednesday, August 21, 1991, the Braves played the Reds and entered the ninth inning trailing, 9-6. Reds ace reliever Rob Dibble
was on the mound with two outs. Cabrera had started the game to give Braves starter Greg Olson a much-needed rest. With two outs, David Justice
doubled, and Brian Hunter walked to bring Cabrera to the plate with the tying run. He responded with a three-run homer off Dibble to tie a game the Braves eventually won in 13 innings. The game kept them 2.5 games behind the Dodgers in a race they eventually won by one game. The Braves went 29-12 after Cabrera's homer and eventually reached the World Series
before losing to the Twins
in seven games.
in the 9th inning of the 7th and deciding game
of the 1992 National League Championship Series
that put the Braves
into the World Series
. Cabrera hit a line drive over shortstop Jay Bell
on a 2-1 pitch to left field that scored David Justice
and a slow footed Sid Bream
, who beat a left-field throw from Barry Bonds
to win the pennant for the Braves. Amazingly, before this pinch hit, Cabrera had batted only ten times during the 1992 season. This marked the end of the three-year divisional championship run of the Pittsburgh Pirates
, who after the 1992 season lost Bonds and Doug Drabek
, and continued to quickly lose players from those championship teams. In addition, the Pirates have not had a winning season (much less a playoff berth) ever since.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
/first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
who played five seasons with two different teams, the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
and the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, from to . He also played in Japan with the Orix Blue Wave in .
Cabrera started his career with the Blue Jays, playing three games with them before being traded to the Braves for Jim Acker
Jim Acker
James Justin Acker is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from to . He played college baseball at the University of Texas....
in the middle of the 1989 season. Cabrera was a reserve for most of his career and had his best season in in which he played sixty-three games and had 137 at-bats, getting 38 hits, with seven home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s.
August 21, 1991
Cabrera is credited with hitting the home run that marked the turning point in the history of the Atlanta BravesAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. On Wednesday, August 21, 1991, the Braves played the Reds and entered the ninth inning trailing, 9-6. Reds ace reliever Rob Dibble
Rob Dibble
Robert Keith Dibble is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and television analyst.-Personal life:Dibble is a graduate of Southington High School in Southington, Connecticut...
was on the mound with two outs. Cabrera had started the game to give Braves starter Greg Olson a much-needed rest. With two outs, David Justice
David Justice
David Christopher Justice is a former outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , and Oakland Athletics .-Early life:David was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Robert and Nettie Justice...
doubled, and Brian Hunter walked to bring Cabrera to the plate with the tying run. He responded with a three-run homer off Dibble to tie a game the Braves eventually won in 13 innings. The game kept them 2.5 games behind the Dodgers in a race they eventually won by one game. The Braves went 29-12 after Cabrera's homer and eventually reached the World Series
1991 World Series
The 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....
before losing to the Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
in seven games.
1992 National League Championship Series
Cabrera is best known for his two out game-winning pinch hit off of Stan BelindaStan Belinda
Stanley Peter Belinda is a former Major League Baseball player. A right-handed relief pitcher who batted from the right side, Belinda is 6'3" tall and weighs 187 pounds. He pitched from a three-quarters arm slot and threw both a regular low-90's fastball and a split-fingered fastball...
in the 9th inning of the 7th and deciding game
Francisco Cabrera game
The 1992 National League Championship Series Game 7, played on October 14, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, was the last game of the 1992 National League Championship Series between the Atlanta Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates. Atlanta's dramatic three-run rally in the bottom of the...
of the 1992 National League Championship Series
1992 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 6, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaA rather uneventful opening to what would prove to be a memorable series, Game 1 was an easy win for the Braves. Atlanta scored four early runs, highlighted by Jeff Blauser's fifth-inning homer, and coasted to...
that put the Braves
1992 Atlanta Braves season
The 1992 Atlanta Braves season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Braves finishing first in the National League West with a record of 98 wins and 64 losses, clinching their second straight division title....
into the World Series
1992 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 17, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaBraves fans had plenty to worry about in regard to both starting pitchers. Tom Glavine's post-season career had been less than stellar, including giving up eight runs in the second inning of Game 6 of the NLCS...
. Cabrera hit a line drive over shortstop Jay Bell
Jay Bell
Jay Stuart Bell is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and second baseman who played for the Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , Kansas City Royals , Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets .He played his high school baseball at J.M...
on a 2-1 pitch to left field that scored David Justice
David Justice
David Christopher Justice is a former outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , and Oakland Athletics .-Early life:David was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Robert and Nettie Justice...
and a slow footed Sid Bream
Sid Bream
Sidney Eugene "Sid" Bream is an American former Major League Baseball player. He played his entire 11-year career in the National League...
, who beat a left-field throw from Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
to win the pennant for the Braves. Amazingly, before this pinch hit, Cabrera had batted only ten times during the 1992 season. This marked the end of the three-year divisional championship run of the Pittsburgh Pirates
1992 Pittsburgh Pirates season
The 1992 Pittsburgh Pirates season saw the Pirates finish first in the National League East with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses. It was the third consecutive division title for the team. The Pirates once again fell short in the postseason, losing a riveting seven-game National League...
, who after the 1992 season lost Bonds and Doug Drabek
Doug Drabek
Douglas Dean Drabek is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. Known for his fluid pitching motion and sound mechanics, he won the National League Cy Young Award in 1990.-Early life:...
, and continued to quickly lose players from those championship teams. In addition, the Pirates have not had a winning season (much less a playoff berth) ever since.