Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (7) presents a gift to Detroit Tigers designated hitter Miguel Cabrera (24) before the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

A’s mocked over their retirement gift to Miguel Cabrera

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 9/22/23

The Oakland A’s are being mocked over the retirement gift they gave to Miguel Cabrera.

Cabrera plans to retire after the season, so teams have been giving the future Hall of Famer nice send-off gifts upon his last visit to their stadium.

The Detroit Tigers are in Oakland for a four-game series with the A’s in what will be Cabrera’s last time at the Oakland Coliseum. Prior to Thursday night’s game between the teams, the A’s presented Cabrera with a bottle of red wine.

Congratulations on a legendary career, Miggy! pic.twitter.com/OEZt8q5Vjq

— Oakland A's (@Athletics) September 22, 2023

Yes, that’s an $80 bottle of Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2020.

80 dollar bottle of wine from an entire MLB organization as a farewell gift, what an absolutely hilarious franchise this is https://t.co/oXLjH92ckc pic.twitter.com/ozbLNB6Qjt

— Addison (@YankeeWRLD) September 22, 2023

The Oakland A's gave Miguel Cabrera a $90 bottle of wine. https://t.co/lMnwcHdy1O pic.twitter.com/Efy2HNcXEI

— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) September 22, 2023

Teams often give thoughtful gifts to legends of the game who are retiring — ones that typically have tie-ins to the area where the team is from. The Los Angeles Dodgers gave Cabrera a “Hollywood star.” The Angels gave him a surfboard. The A’s, which are located not too far from the wine vineyards in Napa Valley, gave him wine.

As many others pointed out, not only was the gift cheap, uncreative and plain, but it also was thoughtless. Cabrera has battled alcohol issues and had a DUI arrest in 2011.

The Dodgers gave Miguel Cabrera a framed Hollywood Star, the Angels a surfboard, and the A’s, a $90 bottle of wine. Seeing as he’s battled alcoholism, this seemed…weird and inappropriate.

But then the A’s lost their 107th game of the season, so it’s pretty on brand. #MLB… pic.twitter.com/Dbs44UFiDs

— SportsGridTV (@SportsGridTV) September 22, 2023

The A’s can’t move out of Oakland soon enough. And they could really use a do-over on their gift to Cabrera.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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