The angular Cabell found his path to the big leagues blocked by Baltimore regulars Brooks Robinson and Boog Powell. A deal to Houston gave him his opportunity at third base, a change he took advantage of to become a solid everyday performer. Combining line drive hitting with speed, Cabell stole over 30 bases every year between 1976 and ’79, having his best year overall in 1977, when he hit .282 with career highs of 16 HR, 101 runs, and 42 stolen bases. This bad-ball hitter improved with age, hitting over .300 in 1983 with Detroit and again the following season in his second tour of duty with the Astros, this time as a first baseman.
