Cabrera made headlines on Sunday by going 5-for-5 with two homers and five RBIs against the Reds. That performance was impressive, but has it been the most impressive individual performance of the 2011 season so far?
Colorado's Jason Giambi had a pretty decent showing at the dish just three days earlier, when he went 3-for-5 with three homers and seven RBIs in Philadelphia. A week earlier, Carlos Beltran (remember him?) went 3-for-5 with three taters and six RBIs in a 9-5 win over Giambi's Rockies. Another guy with New York ties, Lance Berkman, put up four hits (two longballs) and five RBIs in five at-bats against the Astros back on April 28.
Tampa Bay's Ben Zobrist also had a big day on April 28, when he drove in eight RBIs, the most by any player this season. Jose Bautista, arguably the league's MVP so far, had a three-homer game against the Twins back on May 15.
As for pitching performances, Detroit's Justin Verlander's no-hitter has been just the tip of the iceberg this season. Verlander's May 7 no-no against the Blue Jays included a walk and four strikeouts, and he needed just 108 pitches to complete the feat. James Shields spun a three-hit beauty on May 22, the same day Cabrera busted out his whoopin' stick. Shields struck out 13 Marlins and walked just one in the complete-game shutout.
Cliff Lee hasn't had the spring most Phillies fans were hoping for, but the lefty has looked brilliant at times, including his three-hit, 12-strikeout performance on April 14 against the Nationals, where he needed just 99 pitches for the complete-game shutout. Atlanta's Tim Hudson, Anaheim's Dan Haren and Florida's Anibal Sanchez have each tossed one-hitters this season (as has Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka, in eight innings).
What has been the best individual performance of the season so far?
What has been the best individual performance of the MLB season so far?online survey
