Cameron Maybin

AL West Notes: Cishek, Maybin, Meyer, Richards, Rangers

By Jeff Todd | March 6, 2017 at 7:00pm CDT

While Mariners righty Steve Cishek is progressing as hoped, he doesn’t appear to be on track to be ready by Opening Day, as Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports. While manager Scott Servais said he wouldn’t rule out that possibility entirely, he noted that “a lot of things would have to happen just right for that to happen.” We took a look recently at the M’s camp battles, with a particular focus on the pen — where there are many intriguing contenders who could step in while Cishek finishes his rehab.

Here’s the latest from the AL West:

Angels outfielder Cameron Maybin was scratched today with right shoulder fatigue, Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times tweets. That doesn’t mean much in and of itself, but Moura notes that the shoulder issue has also forced the 29-year-old to DH recently. It’s obviously far too soon for any alarm bells to ring, but the injury seems worth monitoring for Halos fans. A slowed-down Maybin could open the door to Ben Revere grabbing a larger share of the playing time to open the year; the two are the prime contenders for the team’s left field job.
Meanwhile, Angels righty Alex Meyer had a somewhat worrisome outing today, as Moura further tweets. The towering hurler surrendered four walks and two extra-base hits in the first inning, and wasn’t able to complete the frame. One spring outing is hardly something to get too worked up about, but the obvious lack of control lends a bit more concern to the situation. Meyer has long struggled to tamp down the free passes, particularly at the major league level.
Things went better yesterday for Angels ace Garrett Richards, as J.P. Hoornstra of the Orange County Register reports. The TJ-avoiding righty was working in the upper nineties in his spring debut, which represented the first time he had lined up against big leaguers in a game setting since he injured his elbow last May. Interestingly, as Hoornstra adds, Richards plans to ditch the change he had worked on in 2016 but will ramp up the usage of his curve.
The Rangers made their first round of camp cuts today, as Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News writes. Southpaw Andrew Faulkner opened the year on the MLB roster last year, but won’ repeat. As Grant explains, it’s somewhat surprising to see him apparently leave the roster competition this early. Other notable players heading to minor-league camp include prospects Yohander Mendez and Connor Sadzeck as well as veteran Adam Loewen.

Camp Battles: Los Angeles Angels

By Jason Martinez | February 16, 2017 at 5:40pm CDT

With limited resources at his disposal, Angels general manager Billy Eppler did well to plug holes throughout his team’s roster this offseason. The improved depth will not only help his team over the 162-game grind, it will result in some competition this spring.

Here are some notable position battles to keep an eye on.

LEFT FIELD
Cameron Maybin
Age: 30
Bats: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $9MM
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Ben Revere
Age: 29
Bats: L
Contract Status: 1 year, $4MM
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Dustin Ackley
Age: 29
Bats: L
Contract Status: MiLB deal; $2.25MM if he makes the MLB roster
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

On the surface, Maybin should have a strong edge in this battle. Despite missing a good part of the 2016 season due to an assortment of injuries, he slashed .315/.383/.418 with 15 stolen bases in 393 plate appearances for the Tigers. Revere is coming off of an abysmal season with the Nats (.217/260/.300 in 375 plate appearances) in which he deservedly lost his starting job.

However, both players have been around long enough that their track records, as well as spring performance, will play a part in determining who will get the bulk of playing time when the season begins. Maybin has a long history of injuries and subpar offensive seasons. Revere, up until 2016, had been able to compensate for a lack of power and plate discipline with a .303 batting average and 36 stolen bases per season from 2012-2015. It would be tough to keep him out of the lineup if he returns to that form. Defensively, Maybin and Revere each cover a ton of ground and should be well above-average in left field.

Ackley, who signed a Minor League deal this offseason after he was released by the Yankees, is probably the most intriguing player in camp who could conceivably do enough in Spring Training to make a push if both Maybin and Revere struggle terribly. The 2nd overall pick in the 2009 draft, Ackley had an impressive rookie season with the Mariners in 2011, but has been a disappointment since.

Even if manager Mike Scioscia names one as his starter, it’s likely that he’ll look for platoon opportunities and/or go with the “hot hand” during the season, with Maybin and Revere both getting a chance to run away with the job.

Prediction: Maybin

CLOSER
Huston Street
Age: 33
Throws: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $10MM with 2018 club option ($10MM or $1MM buyout)
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Cam Bedrosian
Age: 25
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’21 season
Options remaining: Out of options

Andrew Bailey
Age: 33
Throws: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $1MM
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Considering that Street had been one of the most consistent and reliable relief pitchers in baseball for more than a decade prior to an injury-plagued and ineffective 2016 season, it’s fair to say that he deserves the benefit of the doubt and should remain in the closer role to start the 2017 season.

The emergence of Bedrosian, however, is the likeliest reason why Street will have a much shorter leash than he’s ever had during his career. If not for a blood clot that ended his season two days after taking over as the closer when Street landed on the disabled list in early August, Bedrosian might have already proven that he’s the best man for the job. It won’t be long, though, if he can pick up where he left off (1.56 ERA, 11.4 K/9 in 45 appearances).

Former A’s closer Andrew Bailey also earned his way into the competition by pitching well after the Angels signed him to a Minor League deal in August (11.1 IP, 3 ER, 9 H, 2 BB, 8 K). For Bailey to get serious consideration, though, he’d have to give the Angels every indication that he is healthy and back to the form that made him a Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Star very early in his career.

Prediction: Street on Opening Day. Bedrosian takes the job from him by June 1st.

STARTING ROTATION (TWO SPOTS)
Tyler Skaggs
Age: 25
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’20 season
Options remaining: 1

Jesse Chavez
Age: 33
Throws: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $5.75MM
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Nate Smith
Age: 25
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’23 season
Options remaining: 3

Alex Meyer
Age: 27
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 or ’23 season
Options remaining: 1

Bud Norris
Age: 32
Throws: R
Contract Status: MiLB deal; $1.75MM if he makes the MLB roster
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Yusmeiro Petit
Age: 32
Throws: R
Contract Status: MiLB deal; $2.25MM if he makes the MLB roster
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Other candidates: Daniel Wright, Manny Bañuelos, Brooks Pounders

Not only is there a rotation spot that is Skaggs’ to lose, he’s a strong candidate to break out in 2017. In his first season since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2014, Skaggs was eased back into action with 10 MLB starts after a late-July promotion. The Angels will still likely proceed with some caution since he only threw a total of 89 innings in 2016. He’ll need to prove in Spring Training that he’s ready to handle a full workload or else he could begin the season in Triple-A.

Chavez’s versatility is a big part of his value, but the Angels did not have the financial freedom to give nearly $6MM to a pitcher who wasn’t going to start or factor into the late-inning mix. He’ll be given every opportunity to win a rotation spot. In 26 starts with the A’s in 2015, he had a 4.37 ERA with 7.6 K/9 in 150.1 innings pitched. The Angels would be ecstatic if he can come close to that production.

Meyer, a former top prospect for the Twins, has battled injuries and control issues throughout his career. He does have an upper-90’s fastball, however, which is why he’s the most intriguing candidate on this list. The bullpen might be his ultimate destination, but the Angels probably aren’t ready to give up on him as a starter just yet. The 6’9″ right-hander only pitched 50.1 innings in 2016, but 12 of his 13 appearances, including all five at the MLB level, were starts.

Smith doesn’t have Meyer’s ceiling, but he has the potential to be a solid back-of-the-rotation starter and he might be ready to step in now. Both he and Meyer are on the 40-man roster, which is why they’ll get a long look this spring.

Like Chavez, Petit is valuable because of his ability to pitch as a swingman. In this case, he’ll be given an opportunity to win a rotation spot, although he’ll have an uphill battle to stand out. His ability to successfully bounce from the bullpen to emergency spot starter might even work against him since he’s an appealing candidate for the pen. Norris isn’t that far removed from being a very good MLB starter, but he’s had a rough go of it over the past two seasons (5.79 ERA in 196 IP between four teams). Regardless, Petit and Norris are veterans who are capable of contributing at some point, even if not right out of the gate.

Prediction: Skaggs and Chavez win spots.

Cameron Maybin Changes Agents

By Jeff Todd | January 31, 2017 at 1:08pm CDT

Angels outfielder Cameron Maybin has decided to change his representation, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). He has hired Excel Sports Management as his new agency, per the report.

Maybin, 29, is wrapping up an extension signed earlier in his career, when he was a young Padres regular. He earned $24MM over the five guaranteed years of the deal, along with another $9MM. (His original guarantee was for $25MM, which included a $1MM buyout of the option.) Along the way, Maybin was dealt to the Braves, then to the Tigers, and then on to the Angels.

With one more season before his first foray onto the open market, Maybin has hired one of the sport’s most powerful agencies to guide him. Of course, the most important factor in his market will be his play on the field. Maybin is set to share the Halos’ left field role with Ben Revere, with the allocation of playing time likely dependent upon matchups and their respective performance.

Angels Acquire Cameron Maybin, Exercise His Option

By Steve Adams | November 3, 2016 at 11:00pm CDT

The Angels wasted no time in filling their left field need this winter, as they announced on the first afternoon of the offseason that they’ve acquired Cameron Maybin from the Tigers in exchange for minor league righty Victor Alcantara and exercised Maybin’s $9MM club option for the 2017 season.

After an aggressive 2015-16 offseason, the Tigers shifted course recently, with GM Al Avila saying the team was going to prioritize getting younger and would no longer “play above its means.” Moving Maybin allows the Tigers to trim some money off the 2017 ledger without losing the talented outfielder for nothing, and they’ll now not only save his $9MM salary but also the $1MM they’d have paid by simply buying the option out. It remains to be seen what the Tigers are receiving in exchange, though the Angels notoriously have one of the league’s worst farm systems (if not the worst). Nonetheless, the Tigers can still pick up a piece or two to add to the farm system and better position themselves for the future.

Maybin, 30 in April, was originally drafted by the Tigers in the first round back in 2005 but found himself traded to the Marlins as one of the centerpieces of the Miguel Cabrera blockbuster (Andrew Miller was the other headliner). After bouncing around the National League a bit for the next several years, Maybin ended up back with the Tigers last season in a trade that sent Ian Krol and Gabe Speier to the Braves. A fractured wrist and a sprained thumb cost Maybin nearly half the season, but in the 94 games that he was healthy, he was quite productive, batting .315/.383/.415 with four home runs and 15 stolen bases. Defensive metrics have been down on Maybin’s work in center field for the past couple of years, but a move to left field should yield more favorable ratings.

Maybin will line up in the Halos’ outfield alongside superstar Mike Trout in center field and the highly undervalued Kole Calhoun in right field to give the Angels a talented and athletic trio of outfielders. With left field taken care of on the first day of the offseason, the Angels can quickly shift their focus to other areas of need this winter, namely second base, catcher and the pitching staff. As for the Tigers, the subtraction of Maybin will leave the team looking for center field help, although they could also turn to young JaCoby Jones in center field.

The 23-year-old Alcantara spent this past season with the Angels’ Double-A affiliate and logged a 4.30 ERA with 6.4 K/9, 4.6 BB/9 and a 55.6 percent ground-ball rate in 111 innings (20 starts, nine relief appearances). MLB.com rates Alcantara as the Halos’ No. 8 prospect and gives him a plus fastball and above-average slider on the 20-80 scouting scale. He’s been a starter for most of his minor league tenure, though the MLB.com report on him notes that Alcantara may not have the command or third pitch required to be a starter in the Majors and could instead be a highly effective reliever. Baseball America pegged him fourth among Angels farmhands in their midseason update and noted that his fastball velocity has dipped as he’s developed a more controlled delivery that is easier to repeat.

MLB.com’s Jason Beck (Twitter link) first reported that the Tigers were exploring trades for Maybin, and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the Angels were acquiring him (Twitter link). Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reported that Alcantara would head back to the Tigers (Twitter link).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Avila: Tigers To Have “Wide Open Competition” In Center Field

By charliewilmoth | November 3, 2016 at 7:40pm CDT

Following the Tigers’ decisions to exercise closer Francisco Rodriguez’s option and to trade center fielder Cameron Maybin to the Angels for pitcher Victor Alcantara, the team issued a statement with quotes from GM Avila. In the wake of Maybin’s departure, the team will sort through various options at center field next season, Avila says.

“We will weigh our options as far as center field is concerned for next season,” says the GM. “There will be a wide open competition starting in the spring and we’ll see how it plays out.”

The team’s options at center field could include JaCoby Jones, Tyler Collins and Anthony Gose. All three, though, come with drawbacks. Jones mostly played infield in the minors, has limited experience above Double-A and batted just .243/.309/.356 while striking out in 29.9% of his plate appearances at Triple-A Toledo last year. Collins posted a .687 OPS for Detroit last season and fared even worse at Toledo. And Gose also failed to hit, batting .209/.287/.341 in the big leagues in 2016. In contrast, Maybin’s 2016 season was a highly successful one, and it appears the Tigers will miss his .383 OBP in particular. Avila’s comments don’t preclude the possibility that the Tigers could expand their search for a center fielder outside the organization, however.

Regarding Rodriguez, Avila says, “We liked the job K-Rod did last season and the numbers show he was a reliable closer for us. He stabilizes the back end of our bullpen and provides veteran leadership to our younger bullpen arms.” The 34-year-old K-Rod figures to close for the Tigers next season, unless the Tigers decide to put him on the trade market.

AL Notes: Holland, Uehara, Bedrosian, Maybin

By Jeff Todd | August 29, 2016 at 11:24pm CDT

Rangers lefty Derek Holland has a lot at stake in his final month of the season — and, likely, the postseason to follow — as Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News explains. Holland, 29, is not only battling for a spot in the club’s playoff rotation, but also will be auditioning as the team considers whether to pick up his $11MM option for 2017. He has exceeded his limited inning tallies of the prior two campaigns, but still owns only a 4.68 ERA across 84 2/3 frames on the year. But his two outings since returning from his latest DL stint have been quite good — Holland has allowed just two earned runs over 12 innings on eight total hits and one walk, against ten strikeouts — and a continuation of that could make the option desirable once again. As Grant notes, Texas will need to weigh the lack of likely alternatives in free agency. Plus, parting ways with the southpaw would mean paying a $1.5MM buyout for 2017 while also passing on the rights to a $11.5MM option for the 2018 season (while coughing up another $1MM buyout).

Here’s more from the American League:

The Red Sox could welcome Koji Uehara back to their bullpen as soon as next Monday, as Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports. At one point, it seemed that the veteran righty could miss the rest of the season with a pectoral strain, but he’ll instead look to provide a boost to the Sox relief corps down the stretch. While there’s now optimism, Uehara says he won’t push too hard. “It makes no sense to rush at this point in time so I’ll try to be ready when I’m ready,” he said. “The biggest hurdle is getting over the injury mentally. I think I feel pretty good with where I am physically.” It hasn’t quite been a typical campaign for the 41-year-old, who sports an uncharacteristic 4.50 ERA, but he’s still carrying 12.8 K/9 against just 2.3 BB/9 and will be an interesting factor in the free agent market — particularly if he can show that he’s healthy in the final month of the season.
Angels righty Cam Bedrosian is still assessing whether to undergo surgery to address a blood clot in his pitching arm, as Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times writes. The procedure would end his season, but the alternative — rest and medication — likely will as well at this point. Either way, it doesn’t appear to be a significant long-term concern, and doesn’t take much away from a breakout season from the 24-year-old. After posting ugly earned run totals in his first two efforts to conquer the big leagues, Bedrosian has tallied 40 1/3 frames of 1.12 ERA ball in 2016 with a strong 11.4 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9 and a 49.5% groundball rate.
The Tigers are holding their breath yet again with regard to outfielder Cameron Maybin, who left tonight’s action with another thumb injury. As Evan Woodberry of MLive.com tweets, X-rays on his left thumb were negative, but an MRI has been scheduled for a closer look tomorrow. The 29-year-old has been a key cog for Detroit, slashing .328/.398/.415 with 14 steals over 286 plate appearances, but has already spent two stints on the DL — including one for an injury to the same digit that is causing the new trouble. Regardless of the prognosis, it seems fairly likely that the Tigers will end up seeing value in exercising a $9MM option to retain Maybin for 2017 rather than paying him a $1MM buyout.

Tigers Activate Cameron Maybin; Latest On Nick Castellanos

By Connor Byrne | August 21, 2016 at 11:14am CDT

The Tigers have activated center fielder Cameron Maybin from the 15-day disabled list and optioned shortstop Dixon Machado to Triple-A Toledo, reports Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. Maybin, who went on the DL on Aug. 10 (retroactive to Aug. 6) with a sprained left thumb, will rejoin the Tigers’ lineup Sunday and bat second against the Red Sox.

Maybin has endured two DL stints this season, but the 29-year-old has posted strong numbers in between. In 261 plate appearances, Maybin has slashed .325/.394/.398, also adding 13 stolen bases on 17 attempts. A difficult-to-maintain BABIP of .382 has helped fuel Maybin’s output at the dish, but the former Marlin, Padre and Brave has made legitimate gains this year in terms of plate discipline. Both Maybin’s 14.9 percent strikeout rate and 10 percent walk rate are career bests, and his BB/K ratio of .67 ranks well above the league-average mark of .39.

Maybin’s return is a welcome one for 64-59 Detroit, which has lost two in a row to fall 3 1/2 games behind Baltimore for the American League’s second wild-card spot. In addition to Maybin, the Tigers’ lineup has been without third baseman Nick Castellanos for most of August. Castellanos, who suffered a fractured left hand on an Aug. 6 hit by pitch, is nowhere near ready to swing a bat or return to game action, according to Jason Beck of MLB.com. As a result, the Tigers have increased the timeline of his recovery from the originally announced four weeks.

“Four [weeks] is probably too short,” general manager Avila said, “and we’re hoping seven [weeks] is too much.”

Seven weeks would point to a mid-September return for Castellanos. In the meantime, barring an outside acquisition, Casey McGehee is likely to continue filling in for Castellanos. The 33-year-old McGehee has hit just .264/.278/.283 with one extra-base hit and one walk in 54 plate appearances this season.

AL Central Notes: Maybin, Twins, Royals

By Steve Adams | August 10, 2016 at 2:25pm CDT

The Tigers announced yesterday that outfielder Cameron Maybin has been placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a Grade 2 sprain of his left thumb. Maybin will join third baseman Nick Castellanos and right-handers Jordan Zimmermann and Mike Pelfrey on the disabled list (as can be seen on their depth chart), adding to a growing contingent of injured Tigers as Detroit tries to chase down Cleveland for the American League Central Division lead. The loss is a tough one for Detroit, as Maybin’s on-base percentage this season checks in just under .400, and his overall .325/.394/.398 slash is highly impressive even if some regression is inevitable (.382 BABIP). Maybin’s 14.9 percent strikeout rate and 10 percent walk rate are both career-bests, however, so some of the gains are legitimate. The Tigers will announce a corresponding move later today.

AL Central Notes: Maybin, Buxton, Royals, Tribe

By Mark Polishuk | May 15, 2016 at 10:13pm CDT

Here’s some news from around the AL Central…

The Tigers will activate Cameron Maybin from the disabled list tomorrow, with Anthony Gose going to Triple-A in a corresponding move. Maybin suffered a hairline fracture in his left hand during Spring Training and is hitting .194/.313/.367 over 115 minor league plate appearances. Detroit acquired Maybin from the Braves last November, and the outfielder will join Steven Moya and Andrew Romine in the outfield mix alongside regulars Justin Upton and J.D. Martinez. A Maybin/Gose center field platoon seemed to be the initial plan over the winter, though Gose’s struggles earned him a demotion.
Byron Buxton is hitting well at Triple-A, though as La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes, the Twins aren’t likely to call Buxton back up to the Show until he shows consistent production and solid development as a hitter. The star prospect has just a .195/.239/.316 slash line over 187 PA in the bigs and often looked over-matched at the plate against Major League arms. Buxton only played 13 Triple-A games before his initial promotion in 2015, so he may simply need more seasoning (despite how much he’s crushing pitching at lower level) before he returns to the Twins.
The Royals may not have the prospect capital to make a splash at the trade deadline, Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star writes. The acquisitions of Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist before last summer’s deadline helped win the Royals a championship but those deals also left the club thin on expendable minor league talent. For better or worse, Mellinger opines, K.C. will have to rely on its current roster to step up if the Royals hope to make another postseason appearance.
Stephen Strasburg’s big extension with the Nationals is just the latest case of a star pitcher receiving a huge salary, and Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes that the Indians have positioned themselves well by amassing one of the game’s better rotations at a relative bargain price. With a number of promising young arms in the farm system, the Tribe seem likely to use starting pitching as a trade chip to address other roster issues.

AL Central Notes: Mauer, Maybin, Indians

By Connor Byrne | April 23, 2016 at 11:37am CDT

A quick spin around the AL Central…

After two uncharacteristically weak offensive seasons, Twins first baseman Joe Mauer is turning back the clock to his MVP-contending days so far this year. Mauer is hitting a tremendous .333/.461/.467 in 76 plate appearances with 14 walks against only five strikeouts, and he’s swinging at a far lower rate of pitches outside the strike zone than he did last season (18.2 percent versus 27.6 percent in 2015). Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press details one potential reason for Mauer’s 180 in performance: strobe glasses. Nike sent the glasses to Mauer in the offseason, and he now uses them in the indoor batting cage before each game. “It makes it a lot tougher visually for you to see the ball because you only get pictures of it,” Mauer said. “The strobes can go faster or slower. We only do it off the tee or flips — short toss. When you take them off, it seems to slow it down actually so you can focus in on the ball.” Twins hitting coach Tom Brunansky tried the glasses and quickly bought into their usefulness, per Berardino. “It makes you keep your head still and keep your head back,” he stated.
The Tigers announced that outfielder Cameron Maybin – on the shelf since early March with a fractured hand – will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo on Saturday. Maybin will likely play three to five games before re-evaluation, manager Brad Ausmus said (Twitter link via Jason Beck of MLB.com). Detroit acquired Maybin over the offseason with the hope that he’d serve as part of the solution in center field, which has mostly belonged to Anthony Gose in his absence. Gose has been a non-factor offensively so far this season, hitting .200/.289/.275 in 45 PAs. As a member of the Braves last season, Maybin compiled a much better .267/.327/.370 line in 555 PAs, also chipping in 10 home runs and 23 steals on 29 attempts.
Indians right-hander Cody Anderson could be pitching to retain his spot in the rotation in his next start, according to Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Anderson beat out Trevor Bauer for a rotation job during Spring Training and has opened the season with a 7.53 ERA/7.51 FIP/4.89 xFIP in three starts (14 1/3 innings). Anderson’s next scheduled start is Tuesday in Minnesota, and if he doesn’t significantly improve on his last two outings – during which he allowed 10 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings – he could end up in Triple-A and Bauer would replace him in the rotation. Despite Bauer’s 10 strikeouts in eight innings out of the Indians’ bullpen, he hasn’t been overly effective this season. The 25-year-old has yielded four earned runs, nine hits and four walks thus far.

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