Orando Cabrera

Orlando Cabrera: Expos fans call him O-Cab

Chris Chartier

October 2015

In the last fifteen years it is hard not to think of strong and consistent shortstop

without mentioning Orlando Cabrera. Strong aggressive fielding and a bat you

could count on made him an asset on most of the teams he played for.

Orlando Cabrera, nicknamed O-Cab, started his career with the Montreal Expos

September 3, 1997. Instantly became a favourite with fans with his aggressive style

on the field and great hitting.

Orlando Cabrera’s career is impressive to look at even from a distance, .272 career

batting average, 123 homeruns, 854 Runs Batted in; and a career fielding percentage

of .977. Many teams would love to have a consistent player like O-Cab on their

team today. A career that started in 1997 with the Montreal Expos, and took him

all the way to 2011 ending with the San Francisco Giants.

In 2003, he finished second among the league shortstops with a .297 batting

average, a slugging percentage .415, 80 RBI’s, and stolen base percentage 24/26.

As well Orlando was one of four Montreal Expos players to have played all 162

games in a season, and the first to do it twice; his 17 home runs that season were

the most ever by a shortstop in Expos history.

In 2004 after being traded from the Expos to the Red Sox, Orlando won the

World Series with the Red Sox and Pedro Martinez. He is remembered well in Boston.

In Game 2 of the 2004 American League Division Series, he hit a double that cleared

the bases, and the Red Sox went on to sweep the Angels.

In 2005 Orlando joined the Angels and was reunited with Vladimir Guerrero, and other former Expos. His popularity grew quickly with the fans in Anaheim, even though he was replacing a fan-favourite David Eckstein. His style of play drew the fans to Orlando Cabrera rather quickly. So well liked, and appreciated for what he did in Boston. In 2005 when he returned to Boston, as an Angel; he received a standing ovation from the fans. He is generally not the player that gets a great deal of standing ovations so this was very special.

His solid aggressive playing on the field did not go unrewarded. In 2001 with the Expos, and 2007 with the Angels,

he was awarded with the Gold Glove award. His Gold Glove with the Expos is the only time an Expos’ shortstop

won a Gold Glove.

In 2007, Cabrera led American League shortstops with a .983 fielding percentage and 11 errors, earning him the

American League Gold Glove for shortstop, the first by an Angel shortstop since Jim Fregosi. In 2007, Cabrera led

American League shortstops with a .983 fielding percentage and a league-low 11 errors. Orlando Cabrera’s Gold Glove

was the first Angel shortstop to earn a Gold Glove since 1967.

Cabrera had a 63-game on-base streak in early-through-mid-2006, which was among the top five streaks of all time.

Ted Williams holds the Major League record with 84 straight games reaching base by a hit, walk, or hit-by-pitch.

Here is another interesting fact about Orlando Cabrera after being trade from the Expos he appeared in six of the

next seven post-seasons, an asset for any team he would be on. Orlando appeared in six of the next seven

post-seasons. Here are the six teams 2004 Boston, 2005 and 2007, Angels, White Sox (2008), Twins (2009), Reds (2010).

Orlando Cabrera was born in Columbia and is one of about a dozen players that have been born in Columbia.

That includes: Yhonathan Barrios, Jolbert Cabrera, Luis Castro, Ernesto Frieri, Emiliano Fruto, Jackie Gutierrez,

Yamid Haad, Dilson Herrera, Sugar Ray Marimon, Jose Quintana, Orlando Ramirez, Edgar Renteria,

Donovan Solano, Jhonatan Solano, Julio Teheran¸ Giovanny Urshela.

An impressive career that spanned 1997 to 2011, 15 years in the Majors; the Expos, Red Sox, White Sox and Angels are just some of the teams he played for. Solid playing, and at times some great aerobatics, a strong bat made him a fan favourite with some of the teams he played. When you mention Orlando to Cabrera to Fans in Boston and Chicago they remember him fondly even if he was there a short while. That was just the kind of

player he was, and the fans appreciated his style of play.

In 2003 the Expos were in a Wildcard chase. On August on August 28 they were in a multi-team tie for that coveted wildcard spot. At the time the Montreal Expos had no owner, MLB owned the team. The ownership decided not to get bring any new players to help the team out in the home stretch. While other teams called up from their minor league teams, the Expos did not.

“Mostly I remember the back and forth to Puerto Rico it was horrible, it was just ridiculous. It seemed like we were just making money for somebody (someone else) We Felt used most of time.” Orlando Cabrera commented. In 2003 The Montreal Expos played 22 “home games” in Puerto Rico. It was a difficult time for fans and especially the Players.

It is quite well known that Orlando Cabrera was unhappy with the whole situation that happened in 2003. On July 31, 2004, he was traded from the Montreal Expos, in a multi-team deal, that saw O-Cab go to the Boston Red Sox. An Expo from 1997-2003 and will always be a big part of Nos Amours.

“We were in first place (*first wildcard spot), everyone got help, and we (Expos) can’t get help. We could not get help when someone got hurt, we could not get someone to replace them. The problem was, it wasn’t about money. You cannot get these players, because they do not have the money? It cost them nothing (or very little). It was more than that. It hurts, on that point what they did.” Orlando Cabrera on the 2003 season.

The Expos faded away quickly after August 28, and finished the season far off that August pace. The Expos ended eight games behind the wildcard winning Marlins, and eventual World Series champs. No fresh legs and a gruelling schedule playing home games in Puerto Rico caught up with the team.

Speaking of Montreal, again, currently Orlando Cabrera

is part owner of Bench (Clothing store in Montreal), and he is in

Montreal every so often. Orlando Still has great roots in Montreal,

fond memories of the city and its fans.

In April for the Toronto Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds exhibition games

Orlando held a wonderful autograph session at Bench with

Vladimir Guerrero making Expos fans in Montreal very happy.

The line-up to see two of Nos Amours’ greats was long, as hundreds

waited to see Vladdy and O-Cab. At the same games Orlando and Vlad

appeared in a wonderful opening ceremony that honoured them,

the Expos and the fans.

“It was not the first time I have been back there in the last three years,

it was good to see all the people in there, it was nice. It brought lot

memories of opening days that was the only time we got that crowd

when I was playing there. People are enthusiastic about getting

another team.”

Seeing the line-up at the autograph session, and having an

attendance of over 95,000 at the Jays and Reds exhibition games;

it is not hard to see and feel that baseball is back on people’s

minds in Montreal. I think RDS said it best... in the last 2 ½-3 years

there has not been a month that has not gone by when baseball’s

return was not discussed in Montreal.

What does Orlando Cabrera think about the return of baseball

to Montreal?

“We have all the ingredients for a franchise to come over here; we

just need it all to come together. Maybe someone, maybe one

of those wealthy people will step up, because you have to be

a (baseball) fan. If you guys get that, you got everything.

You have to be a fan to be in baseball. You are going to

spend a lot of money.”

With so many great years in baseball is there a moment or game that

stands out for O-Cab, especially one with the Expos?

“I remember one game in Montreal that was 2003, it was a good game.

We went back and forth against Atlanta (Braves) they were trying to

win the division. It went back and forth the entire game. Three or four

times they were leading then we tied, and then leading, it was good

game. I have it on tape. That was one of the most memorable.”

Thanks to the Vermont Lake Monsters and Orlando Cabrera for

making this interview possible

*(Note: On August 26 August 26, 2003 - The Expos came back from being

down 8-0 and then 10-3 to come back in a great 14-10 win against the

Philadelphia Phillies and now two games out of the National League

Wild Card. It was the second biggest comeback in Expos history. The

Expos players were trying to make a great run. August 28, 2003 Expos

were tied for the wildcard spot with multiple teams)