Judge holds hearing in Miguel Cabrera case

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) -- An attorney representing Miguel Cabrera is concerned the Detroit Tigers slugger will be unable to play in Canada if he is convicted of driving under the influence. Cabrera was arrested in central Florida in February and is charged with DUI, one misdemeanor count of resisting an officer without violence and a citation for open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Defense attorney Michael Kessler received permission last Friday to subpoena and take sworn statements from witnesses who reported seeing the first baseman before he was arrested. Under Florida law, depositions are not allowed in misdemeanor cases without a judge's approval, and then only in special cases. The judge asked during last Friday's hearing what made the case more important than any other DUI case and Kessler replied Cabrera "can't go into Canada with a DUI conviction without express permission from Canadian officials. And they're not going to give that permission to the Tigers' best ballplayer." Cabrera played in all four games when Detroit visited Toronto in May, but the Tigers don't have any more scheduled road games against the Blue Jays this season. The judge also scheduled a status hearing for Aug. 11. Published: Tue, Jul 12, 2011