The Tigers optioned Mike Rabelo and Brent Clevlen to AAA Toledo. There was some question (at least in my mind) whether they would have Clevlen repeat AA given his struggles last year. I wonder if this is any indication that they may be moving Cameron Maybin to Erie to start the year.
The Tigers assigned Craig Dingman, Dennis Tankersley, Joey Eischen, Brent Dlugach, Mike Hessman, Kevin Hooper, Cameron Maybin and Brandon Watson to minor league camp.
Don’t read too much into Maybin. He wasn’t going to make the team, and it’s about getting him more playing time at this point.
That gives the Hens a pretty crowded outfield when you consider the guys they have right now. Even if nobody else who played at Erie gets promoted, which they probably won’t, the likely Hens are Timo Perez, Brandon Watson, David Espinosa, Ryan Raburn and now Clevlen. If they decide to dump somebody so they can play every day somewhere, my hope is it’s Timo Perez, but Watson wouldn’t be a great loss either.
With Maybin’s hot bat this spring, when exactly will he get his shot at the Majors? When Maggs retires?
He looks as ready as ever to me.
Having seen Maybin struggle to hit curveballs at West Michigan a couple of times last year, I think it’s a pretty sure bet that he’s not ready for the Show yet. By the way, his CF defense, arm, and baserunning looked pretty great.
I seem to remember somewhere that there was already a comment on Maybin starting at Double A. Why else would they move Walbeck up?
Also, it’s nice to be drinking the Maybin Kool-Aid, but be realistic. The kid had 21 spring training ABs, most of which were not against the likes of Halladay or Smoltz. Tack on only one year in the minors at low A West Michigan…I don’t know how anyone can think he’s ready to go right now.
This is off topic, but is there any explanation about Inge batting .158 in spring training. Is he injured? Is anyone concerned?
.158, I’d say he’s right about mid-season form!
Not concerned at all, its ST, if he hits .158 in April I might feel alittle different.
Mauer is hitting .226, Iguchi is hitting .156 Heck Guillen is hitting .222 and Shef .219, while they might not all start out well out of the gate each one is a professional hitter and ST is just practice and a warm up.
Sheffield has a .422 OBP though, he is delivering.
If Inge is going to slump, I’d just assume it be now when things don’t matter. If he’s still hit a buck-fifty come May then I’ll be concerned. No amount of defense can make up for that.
As for Maybin, I know we’re all anxious to see him, but isn’t it nice for a change to not have to see him? If this were 2003 or 2004 he’d be a starter. Instead he gets to do all his learning at the minor league level, where his service clock doesn’t start ticking until the Tigers actually need him.
Any bets on who (if anyone) gets traded before opening day? Neifi’s trade value will only go down once the regular season starts.
If anyone gets traded it unfortunatly would be Marcus.
IF I were in Dombrowski’s shoes I would look for any way possible to trade Monroe and/or Ordonez.
I know it won’t happen, but we have alot of outfield depth and those two are just hogging up those spots for younger guys.
Even though Monroe was clutch last year (yanks, white sox, 7th inn. or l8r etc.) outfielders like him are a dime a dozon. Maybe pawn him off on the Nats for 2 good prospects, and dump Maggs off with the Angels for Sean Rodriguez and Maicer Izturis , we need MI badly.
Again I know it won’t happen due to the contract, everyones love for those 2, wanting to win now (although I think that Thames and Clevlen wouldn’t be that bad)…
I’d like to see ’em dump Neifi Perez…in my mind, he’s less than worthless. I watched the Tigers play the Jays last Saturday – Maybin’s bat looked pretty good (I remember a HR and a 3B), but his arm looked pretty weak out there – he was in CF….man on first….base hit to center….runner EASILY beats his throw to third. Both Maggs and Raburn have much better arms than him.
I just don’t see Clevlen as viable depth at this point. Sure he had 39 at-bats with some success (and 15 K’s) with the Tigers, but that doesn’t negate the other 395 ABs he had where he slugged 357 in a hitters park. He struck out in about one out of every 3 at-bats last year. Even considering defense I don’t see anything to suggest he could produce as well as Monroe or Ordonez.
No, I agree with you, he probably would not produce as well as Monroe or Ordonez in ’07, but I think he will eventually produce better. Plus his arm is fantastic and his range is better than both of theirs. We could put platoon Infante and Shef or do a variety of things.
My main points are:
1) We have a good # of outfield prospects
2) We have a lack of infield prospects (mainly SS, 2nd and catcher) that need to be adressed.
3) Both Maggs and Monroe in my mind were so-so to bad fielders.
4) Monroe seemed to “give up” after he fell behind and would strikeout, his power has not changed much in the last 3 years, and his average has dropped the last 2 years.
Also on somewhat of a side note I think to be competitive we need someone fast, I would trade those 2 for Carl Crawford and a so-so prospect in a heartbeat. We need to play more small ball for our team to be more consistantly sucessful with getting runs on the board.
Although we had streches last year where we would score 4+ runs, the year before and the year before that etc. we would tend to be very inconsistant offensively. I’m afraid of returning to that, and I think the only way to avoid that is to have a guy at the top who can get on base, steal second and put himself in scoring position every other AB which should guarantee about 2 runs/game.
Although Monroe stole 50 bases when he was 21 and 40 when he was 22 (he hit .242 and .260 at Charlotte), he doesn’t steal hardly any anymore. I forget but I think he has some sort of problem (knee?) or something…
Also Maggs transformed from somewhat of a better all-around player (31 hrs, 25 SB) almost a 30-30 guy which was nuts, to a guy who hit 34 hrs and stole just one base in just under 900 ab (898) while wearing the Old English D on his chest.
Personally I hope and think that he will be more pull-happy this year which will make me happy, and hopefully he can steal 10 bags. Please MAGGS steal some Baggs!!!
Still I think that people who just started following the Tigers overestimate their value, there are many heavy-hitting outfielders, the speed and defense seperate the average from the good or good from great…
Rant ended!
I doubt anyone would be willing to accept Maggs’ contract. By Leyland’s admission Maybin is a few years away. Shelton is the ace in the hole at first base. I think one of the relievers might get shipped. Chad Durbin might be on his way to Pittsburgh or Tampa or any other marginal to bad team in desperate need of another starter.