Cameron Maybin May Be the LA Angels Everyday Left Fielder
The LA Angels have been without a consistent everyday left fielder for quite a while now. After being burnt by the signing of Josh Hamilton, the front office has had a platoon mindset for the space in the outfield. This past off-season though, the front office may have made some signings that may get rid of the platoon in left.
The year is 2011, not a particularly great year for the LA Angels. They finished second in the AL West and had gone 85-77. Mike Trout was a rookie, Mark Trumbo led the team in home runs with 29, and Vernon Wells was starting in left. 2011 was the last year an Angels player started more than 100 games in left field. J.B. Shuck came close with 97 starts in 2013, but after that, it seems they threw whatever they could in left trying to find something that worked.
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Last year the Angels had ten different players start in left, Rafael Ortega starting the most at 46 games. So the front office had to make a move towards a more consistent answer. In the offseason, the Angels signed Cameron Maybin and Ben Revere. It felt like they had hatched a plan that had the possibility to actually work out.
This season will be Maybin’s eleventh in the MLB. The Angels will be the fifth team that he has played for. He has posted a .259 batting average throughout his career, a .321 on base percentage, and a .372 slugging percentage. Last season was his best in almost every way though. Maybin posted a career high .315 batting average, a .383 OBP, and a .418 slugging percentage.
Next: Can the Angels compete in 2017?
Maybin has started in left field for the Angels for their first three games this season. So, it is looking like he is the most likely to be the everyday left fielder this season. While Maybin’s first game didn’t show many positives, his second showed more promise. If Maybin can have a season that even closely resembles his performance last season, then he very well may be the Angels everyday left fielder. He may even beat Vernon Wells at being the last Angel to start over 100 games in left.