Detroit Tigers Should Option Anthony Gose to Make Room for Cameron Maybin
By Matt Pelc
When Cameron Maybin is ready to make his season debut, the Detroit Tigers would be wise to send Anthony Gose, and not Tyler Collins, to Toledo to make room.
The Detroit Tigers reunion with once prized prospect Cameron Maybin was put on hold early in Spring Training when he was struck in the wrist with a pitch and lost for the entire Grapefruit League slate.
While rehabbing in Toledo on Sunday, hard-luck Maybin was again struck by a pitch in the same spot, although per manager Brad Ausmus, it appears to not have setback his comeback effort.
With Maybin’s arrival on the horizon, it likely means the inevitable: Tyler Collins will once again be shipped back to Toledo where he were toil until another outfielder goes down, but why is this so automatic? The Tigers could take a more unconventional approach with their center field platoon by sending Anthony Gose to Toledo instead of Collins.
Crazy talk, you say? Maybe not.
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One name has been noticeably absent from the Tigers’ torrid offensive start to the 2016 season: Gose. Carrying a .219/.306/.313 slash line with seven hits (one extra base hit, which was a home run during the opening series in Miami) in 36 at-bats heading into Tuesday’s game in Kansas City, Gose has not been on base enough to do what he does best. He’s 0-for-1 in stolen base attempts thus far.
Perhaps it could be deemed “crazy” to send Gose down because he has been a regular player since his arrival from Toronto last spring, playing in 140 games in 2015, compiling a .254 average and OPS of .688 with 23 steals in 34 attempts. Much of that success in both categories, however, occurred in his hot start last year.
On May 31, 2015, Gose was sporting a .314 average, but it was all downhill from there, so he hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire the last 4 1/2 months of baseball.
Gose also has two minor league options left (while Collins has one), which gives the Tigers a bit of flexibility to send him to Toledo to work on things, allowing him to hopefully come back rejuvenated and ready to contribute.
The man who will likely go to make room for Maybin is Collins, who has been used very sparingly in the team’s 11 games. Since he has only eight plate appearances and 19 innings in the field, his .250/.375/.625 slash line really means nothing and cannot be fairly compared to Gose.
Collins has been on the Toledo express for the last three seasons, dating back to his major league debut on Opening Day 2014. While not exactly making the most of his limited opportunities, Collins hasn’t been terrible during his career in the big leagues, posting a .263 average, .720 OPS with five homers in 240 plate appearances. Also, you wouldn’t be losing your lefty-righty platoon by keeping Collins as both he and Gose bat left-handed while Maybin bats right.
Through much of the off season, it looked as if Collins would be a major contributor to the 2016 team when it appeared that general manager Al Avila was not going to make any more additions to the outfield. Then Mike Ilitch got nervous about his lineup and demanded a big move. That turned into the Justin Upton signing. So it is fair to say that he has been patient while waiting for his chance.
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Since it seems his time with the Tigers could be running out with limited option years, it is perhaps time the club sees what Collins can do in a semi-regular role. He may sink (and looking at his 2015 numbers after taking over much of the time following the departure of Yoenis Cespedes, that is entirely possible), but he might surprise and add a little more pop to an already potent lineup.
We know what we should be getting from Gose, and so far in 2016, we’re not getting it.