When the Braves got Cameron Maybin from San Diego as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Craig Kimbrel to the Padres the day before the season opener, Maybin was excited he’d be returning to the South and playing at Turner Field, where he always hit well as a visiting player.
Playing less than three hours from his hometown of Asheville, N.C., has been everything he hoped it would be, and hitting at Turner Field has continued to be fruitful.
Maybin was 18-for-53 (.340) with five extra-base hits, 10 RBIs and three stolen bases in his past 18 games before Thursday, when he started in center field for the 16th time in the Braves’ past 17 games.
Batting .256 overall with four homers and a .350 on-base percentage in 32 games, he’s been significantly more productive at Turner Field, where he led the Braves with a .333 average (12-for-36) in 14 games before Thursday and had three homers, eight RBIs, eight walks and a .467 on-base percentage and .611 slugging percentage.
Maybin had a .289 career average (24-for-98) in 27 games before Thursday, with five homers, a .375 on-base percentage and an .857 OPS that was his third-highest at any of 28 ballparks where he’s played, and his second-highest at any where he played more than one game.
Most nights at Turner Field, he’ll see or hear from some fans from Asheville or elsewhere in western North Carolina.
“People I know, and people I don’t,” said Maybin, 28. “The coolest thing are all the people who are from my hometown who don’t know, they’re yelling out stuff like, Reynolds High School! Our area is is really close and if you’re from that area, we all consider Western Carolina one big area, so as far I’m concerned I represent one big area. So it’s kind of cool when they come down and acknowledge that or they’re just like, ‘Hey, man, we’re here to see you.’
“It’s been awesome, man. I saw some kids from my high school that I’m clearly older than, but they came down here. That stuff’s cool, man. I’ve enjoyed that. The hometown love has definitely been felt, for sure. It’s been pretty cool.”
The Braves began the season with a center-field platoon of Maybin and Eric Young Jr., but Maybin has stepped up and seized the position. He’s done it by meeting or surpassing any expectations the Braves had for him when they made the Kimbrel trade, which was done mostly to dump B.J. Upton’s contract on the Padres while also acquiring pitching prospect Matt Wisler.
Maybin is making $7 million this season and is under contract for $8 million in 2016, with a $9 million option for 2017 that has a $1 million buyout.
“He keeps himself in a routine, he’s getting some hits here, hitting the ball to the (opposite) field,” said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, who had Maybin on his Marlins team early in the player’s career, when he was skinny and slowed by injuries. “He’s healthy this year, knock on wood. And I think (hitting coach Kevin) Seitzer has been good for him.”
Maybin said he’s gotten a lot out of working with Seitzer during the 6 ½ weeks since being traded to the Braves.
“I’m competing, man. Working my tail off every day with Seitz, trusting all the work we’re putting in. I think just the quality of the at-bats, the consistency and quality of the at-bats, I couldn’t be happier with the direction we’re going.”
