Tigers announce minor league player and pitcher of the year

[Dannomyte]

Cameron Maybin and Burke Badenhop

COMSTOCK PARK, MI — The Detroit Tigers announced today that Whitecaps centerfielder Cameron Maybin was named the Tigers Minor League Player of the Year and pitcher Burke Badenhop has been named the Tigers Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

Maybin finished his first professional season with .304 average, 59 runs scored, 20 doubles, six triples, nine home runs, 69 RBI and 27 stolen bases. He played in 101 games for the Whitecaps and missed nearly a month of the season with an injury to his finger. He finished fifth in the league in batting and hit .343 in the playoffs as he helped lead the Whitecaps to the team’s fourth Midwest League Championship.

Badenhop started 27 games for the Whitecaps and compiled a 14-3 record with a 2.84 ERA. His 14 wins tied for the league lead and he placed ninth in ERA. Badenhop pitched three complete games, which tied for the league lead, and he finished second in the league with 171.0 innings pitched. Badenhop started two games for the Whitecaps in the playoffs and was 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA.

This is the second time the Whitecaps have won both the player and pitcher of the year. Juan Tejeda (first base) and John Birtwell took the awards in 2002. Maybin is just the second Whitecaps to win player of the year while Badenhop is the seventh Whitecaps to win pitcher of the year. The previous pitching winners are Francisco Cordero (’97), Alan Webb (’98), Calvin Chipperfield and Andy Van Hekken (’00), John Birtwell (’02) and Jon Connolly (’03).

http://www.whitecaps-baseball.com/BLOGS/?p=233

[mcqfesijiba]

I'm not overly excited about Badenhop, but he's doing about as much as we can possibly expect of him. Had the Tigers not challenged Jurjenns at AA or had Sanchez held up for more of the season, I think this award may have turned out differently. Badenhop did had an outstanding season and I hope he can ultimately contribute at the big league level.

I think we all know that Maybin guy is pretty good. I don't think there was any doubt he would get this honor. I wouldn't be surprised if he won it again next year.

[moochman]

I think we all know that Maybin guy is pretty good.

Here's to hoping this becomes a huge understatement. A position player who is said to have great talent, then actually puts up numbers to that could back those claims. Man we haven't had any of that around here in a very long time. Maybin fires me up.

Brook, well we all know if the Tigers have any good pitching they bring it up to the show right away, ala Miller