Puddy Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Quite the buildup for the young man. On April 6, 1987, opening day of the Detroit Tigers’ 87th season, the New York Yankees defeated Detroit 2-1 at Tiger Stadium, kicking off a 9-12 losing month of April. Who then believed that a season begun with such mediocrity would end with a 98-64 record and an Eastern Division championship? A scant 48 hours before that game, another seemingly innocent event occurred … its impact on the Tigers even now yet to be fully understood. On April 4, 1987, in Arden, NC, Cameron Maybin was born. Some 19 years and one World Series appearance later, Detroit is closely guarding its 2005 top draft pick (10th overall), having refused to include Cameron in any of last season’s mid-year trade proposals, including one that would have given superstar Alfonso Soriano to the offensively challenged Tigers. That’s heady stuff, even for someone who was named by Baseball America as the nation’s 2004 Youth Player of the Year and who made everyone’s 1st team High School All-American list in 2005. With the burden of his on-field reputation preceding him into his first year of pro ball (not to mention his $2.65 million signing bonus), Cameron moved comfortably from high school ball into the role of everyday centerfielder for the Class-A West Michigan Whitecaps. He played in 101 games and logged 385 official at-bats, hitting a solid .304 with 35 extra-base hits, including 6 triples and nine homers, plus 69 RBI and 27 stolen bases in 34 attempts. Cameron made just one error in 217 attempts and had six assists. In an organization whose player development news has been dominated in the Dave Dombrowski era by up-and-coming flame throwers, Cameron is arguably the most exciting position player to come through the Tigers chain since Kirk Gibson was signed off the Michigan State University campus after Detroit made him its 1st round selection in the June 1978 amateur draft Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 Almost as amusing as putting amuzing in the title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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