Tigers' Cabrera wants to drop 10 pounds

LAKELAND, Fla. – Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, looking both huskier and stronger than at this time last year, said Tuesday that he would like to drop 10 pounds before Opening Day.

Cabrera said he currently weighs 265 pounds. He would like to play at 255. The team's press guide lists him at 6-foot-4, 240 pounds.

Cabrera's conditioning has been an issue in the past, but the Tigers are confident that his overall health will improve now that he has begun treatment for alcoholism.

Cabrera was comfortable answering questions about his alcohol addiction on Tuesday, after hitting a double in his lone at-bat in Detroit's exhibition win against Florida Southern College. He entered a treatment program during the offseason after a night of binge drinking in September became a symbol of the Tigers' late-season collapse.

Despite a published report Monday that quoted Cabrera denying having an alcohol problem, the Tigers first baseman had a different tone in a Tuesday interview. Cabrera said he had been drinking as a way to handle stress, pressure and other problems.

"That's why I asked for help," he said. "Sometimes you've got problems, and they stay inside, stay inside. That's what happened to me. I was angry most of the time. Right now, it's easier to let it go."

He continued: "When I was young, (people) put a lot of pressure on me. I didn't know how to handle that. They said, 'You're going to be the man here.' But I (wasn't) prepared for that. Right now, I can say that I'm prepared for that. I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to be more responsible. So, let's do it."

In past years, Cabrera said, he shared his concerns with "nobody." Now, he said he's communicating much better with those close to him. And he said he hasn't consumed alcohol since September.

"I got it in my mind (before) that, some day, I would not drink," Cabrera said. "I got a chance to do it. So, for me, what I'm doing is good. I feel good. My body feels good. It's a good thing that I'm doing."

Cabrera also offered a prediction about Tigers outfielder Magglio Ordonez: He said Ordonez would finish with a batting average between .320 and .330, with 20 home runs and 100 RBIs. Ordonez hit for little power last year while his wife battled serious health issues.

"I see him more fresh right now," Cabrera said. "He worked hard in the offseason. He prepared for this season. He (dealt) with a lot of stuff last year. His mind right now is on baseball. I'm happy for him."

Cabrera said he believes Ordonez, 36, can play four or five more years in the big leagues. "He takes care of his body," Cabrera said. "He's smart. He knows how to play. Baseball needs players like that."