For the first time in several years, we had a dependable closer. Notice I didn't say a perfect closer. Detroit fans seem to have a short memory. A lot of them seem to have forgotten the angst caused by our slew of closers over the last few years. Rodriguez brought stability to a slot that really hasn't been good since Jose Valverde's 49-49 season. (Soria was pretty good too).
Cameron Maybin injected a spark to this lineup. This was especially important when we were without J.D. Martinez and Nick Castellanos for long periods of time. Maybin was a catalyst and things happened around him.
Both players were instrumental in the success of the 2016 Tigers. But when the offseason roles around, it's decision time. Who stays and who goes?
In a perfect world, we keep both. But in reality, keeping both guys means losing someone else; someone we potentially need more. So how do you choose?
What you're really comparing is pitching vs. hitting. (We are not going to discuss Maybin's defense for now). If 2015 taught us anything, it's how important pitching is. The 2016 season would have turned out much differently if it weren't for the young pitchers who really stepped up. Pitching is extremely important. But even if you have great starting pitching, you have a problem if you can't hold a lead. It's crazy to expect a lineup to have to constantly tack on more and more runs. Enter the bullpen.
A dependable closer is so, so valuable. We'll probably never know, but maybe the reason the Tigers never won the World Series in their four-year reign in the Central was due to the lack of a dependable closer (for the most part).
All this to say, I will miss Cameron Maybin and the energy he brought to the lineup, but I think the Tigers made the right decision. I am extremely grateful for everything Mabyin brought to the team and the way he played all out every day. I'd love to see him come back again one day (it's not that crazy a thought!).
K-Rod probably won't be around long. Bruce Rondon or even Joe Jimenez will most likely be taking over the closer roll in the near future. But bringing him back gives the Tigers a little more time to mold and shape Rondon. He seemed to benefit greatly from Rodriguez's wisdom and leadership this past year. Another year under the wing of K-Rod will only be good for Rondon. In keeping Rodriguez over Maybin, Al Avila is also planning for the future - even if that is only a pleasant consequence of the actual reasons.
Is it hard to lose Cameron Maybin? Yes. But in the end, trading him seems to be what is best for the team in the long run.
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