11 Years Later, Maybin Making His Mark In Detroit
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
This Cameron Maybin, the one slapping the ball all over the field, the one whirling around the bases, the one tracking down fly balls with zeal, is who the Tigers drafted with the tenth overall pick in 2005.
It took time for him to arrive, but, man, it sure feels worth the wait.
Since making his season debut on May 16, the fleet-footed center fielder is hitting .419 with four stolen bases and 15 runs through 20 games. A table-setter by nature, he has combined with Ian Kinsler to form a dynamic 1-2 duo at the top of the Tigers lineup. These days, it seems, whenever the team's hefty middle hitters dig into the box, they're doing so with ducks on the pond.
"[Kinsler and I] talk about when the two of us get on base, good things happen, so it's definitely something we take pride in," said Maybin. "And as a competitor, putting together good at-bats and feeling like sparks in the lineup is something we take pride in too."
It would be a stretch to attribute the Tigers' recent turnaround entirely to Maybin's return. In the same time frame, Justin Verlander has rediscovered his Cy Young form, Michael Fulmer has become a flat-out stud and the offense has begun matching its vast potential. Still, the Tigers are 14-8 since Maybin was recalled from AAA Toledo, having pulled within 2.5 games of the division lead.
And that's hardly by coincidence.
"He's been extremely positive, not just on the field, but in the dugout he's got great energy," manager Brad Ausmus said of Maybin. "He's into the game, guys like him in the clubhouse, he's been great."
In a way, Maybin feels reborn, a piece of the past resurrected in the present. Nine years ago, he made his Major League debut in Yankee Stadium. The following day, on a sunny August afternoon in the Bronx, Maybin homered off Roger Clemens as part of a two-for-three day at the plate.
Then, it felt, the pause button was pressed on his career, leaving Maybin frozen in a moment as time moved forward.
That winter, he was packaged in the blockbuster deal that brought Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit. He bounced around the big leagues over the ensuing eight years, spending time with the Marlins, Padres and Braves. Through it all, Maybin never seemed to meet the expectations attached to him. The prospect never grew into the player.
Last November, the Tigers re-acquired Maybin through a trade with the Braves. He was coming off perhaps his strongest season in the Majors, and was eager to re-join a team with championship aspirations.
"I just kind of thought, 'Alright let's get ready to go help this team do something special. I'm always pretty even-keel about everything, but I was excited to go to a team that's trying to win now," Maybin recalled.
For Maybin, it wasn't an instant revival. He fractured his wrist in Spring Training, then injured his shoulder in an April rehab assignment, delaying his recovery by another week. And when he returned to action for Toledo, he hardly hit a lick, posting a .188 line through 23 games.
He was recalled to the big leagues on May 16, and has been punishing the ball ever since. As far as explanations go, just chalk it up to baseball.
To the delight of the Tigers' faithful, Maybin has been especially potent in Comerica Park. Playing in front of the fans who once harbored such high hopes for him, the prospect has finally delivered, hitting .500 (27/54) with a .557 OBP and a gaudy 1.131 OPS. He has looked, one might say, at home.
"I mean I love the energy, for one," Maybin said of playing at Comerica. "The fans have welcomed me with open arms since I've been back so whenever you have that type of support behind you I think it adds a little bit more fire to you, it definitely ups the focus, for sure. You're supposed to play well at home so I'm happy to be able to show well, and the biggest thing about baseball is bringing it every day, man, and I enjoy playing here and I enjoy playing in front of these fans. They make it fun."
No one is expecting Maybin to play this kind of flawless baseball for the rest of the season. His average will eventually dip below .400, he'll soon commit a miscue on the base paths and in time he'll misplay a ball in center field.
But make no mistake: Maybin has arrived. He is displaying, at once, all of the tools he's always seemed to possess, unleashing all of the skills that made scouts drool when he was younger. And the wait, though long and unexpected, has made his success that much more satisfying.
There he was, nine years ago, taking Roger Clemens deep in Yankee Stadium, and now here he is today, wreaking havoc on the league and sparking a Tigers' surge.
It's as if someone hit play again.
