Melky Cabrera (Melky Cabrera) was born on August 11, 1984 in Santo Domingo, Distrito Nacional (Dominican Republic). He made his Major League debut on July 7, 2005 for the New York Yankees. In 2006, his rookie year, he hit .280 with 7 home runs and 50 RBI. Cabrera played for the New York Yankees for his entire 2 year career.
Scouting Report[]
Statistics[]
Batting Stats[]
Year
Team
G
AB
R
H
HR
RBI
AVG
OBP
SLG
2B
3B
BB
SO
HBP
SH
SB
IBB
GDP
2005
NYY
A
6
19
1
4
0
0
.211
.211
.211
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
2006
NYY
A
130
460
75
129
7
50
.280
.360
.391
26
2
56
59
2
5
12
3
9
2007
NYY
A
150
545
66
149
8
73
.273
.327
.391
24
8
43
68
5
10
13
0
14
Total
286
1024
142
282
15
123
.275
.340
.388
50
10
99
129
7
15
25
3
23
Fielding Stats[]
Year
Team
POS
G
GS
INN
PO
A
ERR
DP
TP
PB
SB
CS
PkO
AVG
2005
NY
A
OF
6
6
49
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
2005
NY
A
CF
6
6
49
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
2006
NY
A
OF
127
121
1091.1
245
12
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
.992
2006
NY
A
CF
4
1
23
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
2006
NY
A
LF
116
112
998.2
217
12
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
.996
2006
NY
A
RF
8
8
69.2
20
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
.952
2007
NY
A
OF
147
137
1249.2
385
16
4
1
0
0
0
0
0
.990
2007
NY
A
CF
131
117
1072.2
346
14
4
1
0
0
0
0
0
.989
2007
NY
A
LF
18
16
142
34
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
2007
NY
A
RF
5
4
35
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
Total
OF
280
264
2390
639
28
6
2
0
0
0
0
0
.991
Total
CF
141
124
1144.2
363
14
4
1
0
0
0
0
0
.990
Total
RF
13
12
104.2
25
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
.962
Total
LF
134
128
1140.2
251
14
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
.996
Transactions[]
Signed as a non-drafted free agent by New York Yankees (November 13, 2001).
Trivia[]
Chris Berman, known for giving nicknames to players, has given Cabrera the nickname "Melky Way" Cabrera. (He debated between that and "Skim Melky"); Yankees broadcaster John Sterling also uses this nickname, though it is unclear whether Sterling or Berman came up with the nickname first. Sterling also uses the phrase, "the Melk Man always knocks twice" when referring to Cabrera, usually after Cabrera hits a home run. Sterling also came up with the phrase "The Melk Man delivers." This was after Melky's walk-off home run against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium in the bottom of the 11th inning.
Melky's nickname around the Yankee clubhouse is "Leche", which is Spanish for "milk."
Melky is the second youngest Yankee to hit a walk-off home run; the youngest Yankee to do so was Mickey Mantle.
When Melky records an RBI or makes a flashy defensive play the Yankee Stadium baseline scoreboards will flash "Tiene Leche?" ("Got Milk?")
Melky's best friend on the team is second baseman Robinson Cano. The two live in the same apartment complex in New Jersey and Cano drives Cabrera to the Yankees home games. Cano is credited with being a big part of Melky's acclimation to the team and the States. He also serves as Melky's unofficial translator.
On July 7, 2007, Cabrera tied a Yankees record by striking out 5 times in a single 13-inning game, a feat known as the platinum sombrero.
On August 3, 2007, Cabrera hit a bizarre ground rule double that didn't even get past the infield. On the play, which took place in the bottom of the sixth in a game against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium, Cabrera hit a line drive up the middle that struck the leg of Royals pitcher Ryan Braun. The ball deflected off Braun's leg with such force that it turned at a right angle, elevated, bounced on the Yankee dugout and into the stands on the first base side. Cabrera was awarded a ground rule double, and the Yankees went on to win the game, 7-1. Braun was not hurt on the play.
A popular Yankee T-shirt slogan reads "Got Melky?", a wordplay on the popular Got Milk? slogan.
Melky Cabrera made a cameo appearance in Hector El Father's music video, "Pa La Tumba", with Robinson Cano.
On June 6, in the 8th inning of a 2-1 game against the Boston Red Sox, Melky made an outstanding catch in left-center, (which became known as "The Melky Catch") leaping over the wall to steal a home run from Boston's Manny Ramírez. After the catch, Johnny Damon cheered and danced in the outfield. This play earned Melky a "This Year In Baseball" Award (voted on by the fans) for the most outstanding play of the 2006 season.