Maybin Needs More Time
October 13th, 2007 Posted in Cameron MaybinI was really excited when the Tigers called Cameron Maybin up to the big club in August. It was great that they were willing to let this guy come up. I just don’t think he’s at all ready yet. Maybin played well enough at Class A Lakeland to get a call up to Class AA Erie. In six games in Erie Maybin hit .400 with four home runs. Good stuff.
Maybin just turned 20 this spring, he’ll be 21 all of next season, a season where he will be best served tearing up (hopefully) Erie and AAA Toledo. The Tigers gave Maybin a few at bats in August when he was called up and he hit that impressive home run to dead center at Yanke
e Stadium off of Roger Clemens. After that he looked overwhelmed and spent the rest of the season serving as a pinch runner. I think this shows that the brass was willing to give it a shot but can admit he’s not ready.
Hopefully the Tigers in a position next year where they don’t need to rush Maybin along. Next year the outfield will still include Magglio, Sheffield, Thames, and Granderson. I’m sure the Tigers would love to pick up a lefty outfielder for next season to platoon out in left with Thames/Sheffield. If they can pick up a veteran bat there and wait the entire year for Maybin that would be ideal.
Despite his poor numbers in his brief stint in Detroit this year (.143 avg, 21 k’s in 49 ABs) the future is still very bright for Maybin. Baseball Prospectus states:
“Monster. Maybin’s numbers, impressive on their own, become even more remarkable in the context of the pitcher-friendly Midwest League and the obscure North Carolina high school program that he emerged from…His physical tools are supreme..Center fielders with true 30HR-30SB potential are fairly rare in today’s game, but Maybin both looks and plays a little big like Eric Davis.”
Maybin’s potential is undeniable huge and the Tigers are fortunate enough to be in a position where they can give him time to develop properly in the Minor League’s.
One Response to “Maybin Needs More Time”
By Cousin Rob on Oct 16, 2007
I got to see Maybin play a little while ago when I went to a Whitecaps game. It was unreal how he dominated those guys. He was a man amoung boys. He was something ridicouls like 4-4 with a couple of doubles.
He is a grea player but something that I was really suprised with was the way he tracke fly balls in teh games that I saw him with the Tigers. He looked really uncomfortable in the outfield. The commentators mad a reference about the fact that he was playing Left and he normally plays center. Sorry. I am not buying that. I will buy the fact that he is only 20 and he hasn’t had that much experience.
He will be a great player.