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After belting 44 home runs and snagging the American League Triple Crown, Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera was named Tiger of the Year on Thursday by the Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America, reported by James Schmehl of MLive.com.
Already awarded the Hank Aaron Award as the league's top offensive player, Cabrera's 2012 season may very well go down as one of the most impressive statistical campaigns since the steroid era ravaged the game. In addition to posting a career-high 205 hits and winning the AL batting crown for the second straight year, the 29-year-old Cabrera toppled the 160-game mark for the fourth time since coming to Detroit.
Nominated for the AL MVP Award on Wednesday, Cabrera and Detroit pitcher Justin Verlander are the only two players to win Tiger of the Year since 2008. Cabrera also joins former Tigers legends Alan Trammell and Cecil Fielder as the only three-time winners dating back to 1965.