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Blue Jays’ Melky Cabrera had tumor on lower back

By David Miniel

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Feb 21, 2014; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Melky Cabrera (53) waits to take batting practice as the Blue Jays work out at the Bobby Mattick Training Center. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 21, 2014; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Melky Cabrera (53) waits to take batting practice as the Blue Jays work out at the Bobby Mattick Training Center. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports /

The Toronto Blue Jays and outfielder Melky Cabrera are currently going through Spring Training workouts as they prepare themselves for the 2014 campaign.

It’s hard to believe that Opening Day is getting closer and closer. It feels like the World Series ended just last week, but I’m not complaining.

Now Cabrera’s name has been in the spotlight due to performance enhancing drugs over the last two seasons as he tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and having his name tied with that Biogenesis scandal. But now that’s behind him and the only thing he’s thinking about right now is the future.

There’s one thing I didn’t know about Melky, is that he was playing with a tumor on his lower back last season. According to the Toronto Sun, Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos thinks that Cabrera’s performance during the 2013 season was affected by that tumor.

Anthopoulous went on to say:

"“The doctors said they were surprised he was even playing. He hit .279 and he wasn’t able to get the slugging percentage up because he couldn’t get to second base. There were a bunch of times that there should have been extra-base hits for him just because his speed was so compromised. He felt it defensively as well. We did MRI’s on the quads and the hamstrings and the hips and couldn’t find anything but inflammation. Finally, when we found (the tumor) and it had been there for a long time it made sense.” Blue Jays’ Alex Anthopoulos via The Toronto Sun."

Cabrera was limited the 88 games last year, his lowest since his debut season with the Yankees when he only played six. He managed to hit three home runs, 30 RBI’s with a batting line of .279/.322/.360 and fielded .992 in left.

Now that the tumor is gone and Cabrera is getting ready for the season, he should be putting up some big numbers in 2014.

With Cabrera (hopefully he stays healthy) in left, Colby Rasmus in center and Jose Bautista in right field, the Toronto Blue Jays outfield corps. will display a whole bunch of power in 2014.

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