Cabrera gets one last shot at home run record

Tuffy Rhodes has been there, done that. Well, almost.

That's why the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes outfielder has been keeping a close eye on Alex Cabrera's quest to break Japan's single-season home run record.

Last year's home run king Tuffy Rhodes (right) is hoping Alex Cabrera can hit his record-breaking 56th homer in the Seibu Lions' final game of the season.

Last year, Rhodes tied Sadaharu Oh's record by hitting his 55th home run in Kintetsu's 135th game of the season -- then went without a single clout in his remaining five games.

Fast forward one year. Cabrera also tied the record in 135 games but he has seen few pitches anywhere near the strike zone the last two weeks.

Cabrera will get one more chance today to hit No. 56 when his Seibu Lions play their final game of the season, an afternoon contest against the Lotte Marines in Chiba.

In contrast to Oh -- who needed 140 games to establish the record in 1964 and has spent the rest of his baseball career trying to prevent anybody from breaking it -- Rhodes has become Cabrera's most vocal supporter.

"I just wish they would give him a chance to break the record, not change anything, just pitch to him the way they've been pitching all year," Rhodes said.

"I really want to see him break the record because it'll be good for baseball."

As manager of the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, Oh sat in the dugout and watched his pitchers throw Rhodes nothing but junkballs last year -- and do the same to Cabrera earlier this month.

Tuffy, on the other hand, has gone out of his way to make sure Cabrera gets a legitimate shot at the record.

Before the Buffaloes' final game against the Lions on Oct. 2, Rhodes had a talk with Kintetsu's pitching staff.

"I told them, 'Be fair to him (Cabrera). I hit my (55th) home run off Seibu last year, so it's only fair that we pitch to him, ' " Rhodes recalled.

"The fans aren't coming out here to see walks, they want to see home runs."

That conversation evidently did the trick because later that night Cabrera slammed an offering from Kintetsu reliever Akira Okamoto 115 meters into the left-field bleachers to tie the record.

But three days later, Cabrera drew two walks and was hit by a pitch against the Hawks. The following day -- with Nippon Ham first baseman Michihiro Ogasawara competing with Cabrera for the league batting title -- the Fighters also played it safe, giving the Venezuelan slugger little to hit.

Meanwhile, Tuffy has been working the phones, giving Cabrera pep talks every night since last month. His advice?

"All he can do is relax," Rhodes said. "I know it's easier said than done, but that's the most important thing. If you go out there trying to hit a home run, it's very hard to do."

It's even more difficult when your own team cuts you off at the knees.

In last Wednesday's game against the Orix BlueWave, Seibu manager Haruki Ihara issued a bunt sign to Katsuhiko Miyaji in order to move the runner from first base to second.

Unfortunately, Cabrera was in the on-deck circle and Ihara's decision guaranteed Orix would walk the slugger and deny him a chance of breaking the record.

"I couldn't believe he would give the bunt sign in that situation," Rhodes said, shaking his head. "They were up 4-1, it was the ninth inning, there was no reason to bunt. What was he thinking?"

If the past is any guide, however, Rhodes believes Cabrera will get a fair shake from the Marines.

"Lotte was the fairest of all the teams I faced last year," Rhodes said.

"They threw the ball right down the strike zone and gave me a lot of fastballs. I had a chance to break the record against them but I just didn't do it. I hope he (Cabrera) gets the same chance, too."