Sometimes, Miguel Cabrera can feel his age creeping up on him, the lingering aches and pains that seem to linger a bit longer than in the past, especially for a day game after a night game.
"It's hard to recover," he said. "The next day, you are tired in the morning."
It's natural, if not inevitable.
Which brings up the natural if not inevitable question: How much longer can he keep playing?
When will he put down his bat and retire to the land of Miggy's Bitbits and candy bars?
After announcing his new venture into the candy business Friday afternoon at a news conference at Comerica Park, Cabrera said he wants to play at least another eight or nine years.
"The contract says 40 (years old)," said Cabrera, who turned 34 in April. "I want to play to 42, 43. If I drive in runs, I think I'm gonna have a job. If I can still hit the ball, when I'm 41 or 42, they can give me a chance."
But is it realistic? Can he play that long?
"He's going to be able to hit for many years," manager Brad Ausmus said. "At some point, he'll probably have to DH more."
Then again, it depends on how many of his Miggy's Bitbits he eats.
"As he gets older, the workouts are going to have to become more rigorous, to keep his weight in check, to keep his coordination, agility and strength," Ausmus said. "That applies to everybody."
