What's new with Cameron Maybin?

He's been lighting up the PCL over the last few weeks and there is an obvious need for an upgrade in Miami. Here's what Baseball Prospectus' Kevin Goldstein has to say:

Cameron Maybin, CF, Marlins (Triple-A New Orleans) I'm not sure what else this guy has to do to get another chance. Maybin went 7-for-13 over the weekend and is batting .345/.428/.500 overall, including a .393 mark in his last 30 games. In addition, the once-disturbingly high strikeout rate has become much more manageable, as the former first-round pick has whiffed 38 times in 200 at-bats, although the power is significantly down, as he's hit just three home runs. Like Reds outfielder Drew Stubbs, he's a different player than he once was, but he might be an overall better one because of it, and he deserves second shot.

He certainly deserves a shot, and no doubt the Marlins could use a shot in the arm these days but perhaps his pending contract status/arbitation is what could keep Cam down in NOLA for longer than he probably should be.

Just to remind you before starting, 172 Days of service time is 1 MLB season.

Cam Maybin’s Service Time

Entering 2009 - 58 Days
April 6 -May 10 2009 - 35 Days
Total - 93 Days (He was sent down May 11th, not sure if day of transaction counts, so everything may be off by 1 day, but you get the idea).

July 7th today through end of the season - 90 Days (183 Days for Maybin)
August 1st through end of the season - 65 Days (158 Days for Maybin)
September 1st through end of the season (Oct. 4th) - 35 Days (128 Days for Maybin)

So depending on when we call him up, we have a few scenarios

Calling him up before July 19th

Maybin will accrue 1 year of service time by the end of 2009. Assuming he is on the major league roster here on out at the next call up, his progression would look like:

2010 - Minimum Salary; End of the year Service Time over 2 seasons
2011 - Minimum Salary; End of the year Service Time over 3 seasons
2012 - Arbitration year 1; End of the year Service Time over 4 seasons
2013 - Arbitration year 2; End of the year Service Time over 5 seasons
2014 - Arbitration year 3; End of the year Service Time over 6 seasons, FREE AGENCY

Calling him up July 19th-August 12thish

First, August 12th puts him at 135 days of service. Historical Super 2 Deadline is 128 days, lately it’s been 140 days as teams are playing younger players. I’m splitting the difference.

2010 - Minimum Salary; End of the year Service Time around 1.135
2011 - Minimum Salary; End of the year Service Time around 2.135
2012 - Super 2 Arbitration; End of the year Service Time around 3.335
2013 - Arbitration year 2; End of the year Service Time around 4.135
2014 - Arbitration year 3; End of the year Service Time around 5.135
2015 - Arbitration year 4; Service Time over 6 years, FREE AGENCY

Calling him up August 13thish or later

2010 - Minimum Salary; End of the year Service Time around 1.134
2011 - Minimum Salary; End of the year Service Time around 2.134
2012 - Minimum Salary; End of the year Service Time around 3.134
2013 - Arbitration year 1; End of the year Service Time around 4.134
2014 - Arbitration year 2; End of the year Service Time around 5.134
2015 - Arbitration year 3; End of the year Service Time over 6 years, FREE AGENCY

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Basically, the Marlins have an entire year of control to gain by not calling him up until July 19th. It’s cutting it REALLY close, but following the service time progression, that’s how it is. At absolutely minimum, he's not coming up before July 19th. There is no way they risk an entire year of control for a few games.

The choice they have to make is, do they want to really try and nickel and dime it and wait till, let’s be really safe and say August 20th, to prevent Maybin from being a Super 2, or will they call him up end of July/Early August for the playoff push?

the above was courtesy of my boy lou... he's gonna be my arbitration guy someday when im running the nationals