Padres get rare in-person look at Miggy

SAN DIEGO -- Attracting attention this weekend in San Diego is a rare Miguel Cabrera appearance. Though he has played 17 games in Petco Park (.246/.306/.308, one home run, three RBIs), it's not as if he comes around every summer.

Though San Diego fans were eager to see him, the Padres, of course, are viewing things from a different perspective.

"It's interesting, because those kind of thoughts really do go out the window when you're competing against somebody," outfielder Will Venable said. "Everything is stripped down to, 'We've got to get this guy out, we've got to catch the ball, we've got to make this pitch.'"

Having said that, Venable acknowledged that it was a completely different story when he happened to see the Tigers on television. Then, Venable said, you bet he stops what he's doing to lock in on Cabrera's plate appearances.

"I'm watching his approach, his at-bats, what it is he's doing," Venable said. "He's the best. He's fun to watch. For everybody, he's fun to watch, but especially for a baseball player who understands how hard it is to hit.

"You've got to stop and check him out."