Atlanta Braves Expand For September to Help Determine Future
One of the few bright spots on the 2015 has been the much talked about play of Cameron Maybin. His play was so good, in fact, that he reportedly drew a bit of interest at the trade deadline, just months after being used as nothing more than a physical pile of cash to balance the scales on the Craig Kimbrel/Melvin Upton Jr. trade.
Defensive metrics have been uncharacteristically drastically negative on his play in center field, but the 28-year-old has already set personal bests in home runs (10) and RBI’s (52), and could finish with his strongest batting average and on base percentage/walk rate of his career.
A dreadful 47 plate appearances in March and a mediocre June has made his lines look a bit more average than his actual play has been overall, but it’s going to be September that might seal his future in Atlanta. As Hart did with several players over the offseason, I think he’ll want to sell high on Cameron this winter. I don’t necessarily agree that he should, but a strong September finish could build some significant value to the still relatively young and controllable Maybin (he’ll earn $8MM in 2016 with a $9MM option/$1MM buyout for 2017). With speedy Mallex Smith (who won International League Player of the Month for August) knocking on the door sometime within the next calendar year, and Michael Bourn under contract for next season, Cameron could become a hot commodity for an outfield starved team who doesn’t want to spend big on free agents.
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