Back on November 3, the Detroit Tigers traded away center fielder Cameron Maybin, for prospect Victor Alcantara. Back then it was part of the “let’s dump payroll” message coming from the Tigers front office. Since then, much less has been done to get leaner.
Now, after a few minor league signings, and the reunion with Alex Avila, who will back up James McCann, and numerous trade rumors that haven’t materialized, the Tigers are forced to sign a center fielder, that will be cheaper than Maybin, but most likely not as productive.
Here are the options, according to spotrac.com:
Now, the Tigers have guys like Jacoby Jones and Tyler Collins that could be in the mix, but do they provide with the bat and glove what Maybin did last year? Let’s answer that: we don’t know, it’s completely unknown what they’ll do on the big league level. Collins brings a slightly decent option from the left side, but defensively he’s not in the same ballpark as Cam. And let’s not forget outfield isn’t even Jones’s natural position.
The only name on that list that had the potential to match what Maybin did last year is a familiar face, Austin Jackson. However, Jackson made $5 million last year, ended his season with a torn meniscus, and has declining numbers since his time in Detroit.
What we gave up, assuming we signed Jackson for his last contract, is a ton of production and spark plug at the top of our lineup for a savings of $4 million. Last year Maybin hit .315, with a .383 OBP, and .418 slugging percentage. He contributed 15 stolen bases and brought a type of energy to the team that goes beyond stats.
Given the names on that list of available free agents, the idle hands of the front office, and spring training on the horizon, the Tigers are going to soon regret trading away Cameron Maybin.
