This season has not gone well for the 38-year old Mike Cameron. In just 33 games played with the Red Sox, he hit .149 with 3 home runs and 9 RBIs, getting less and less playing time as the weeks passed. His value with the club had continued to drop, because he struggled against lefties as a right-handed bat (.143 average), the one spot where he could have added value. Cameron was subsequently designated for assignment and then yesterday, was traded to the Florida Marlins for cash or a player to be named later. His departure from Boston made me think about his legacy in here after the year and a half he spent in a Red Sox uniform.
On December 16, 2009, the Mike Cameron tenure began in Boston. Cameron was signed to a 2-year deal worth $15 million as both an insurance policy 4th outfielder, and a veteran presence in the clubhouse and on the field. He instantly made himself a lovable character with Red Sox fans in Spring Training when he spent hours signing autographs and joking with fans. His infectious bright white smile lit-up Fort Myers and his attitude reminded me of a Kevin Millar-type character, comic relief and a fun attitude in the clubhouse. Unfortunately, Cameron’s season wouldn’t be all fun and games, even though he had an opportunity for extended playing time.
As we all know, 2010 was filled with injuries and Mike Cameron caught the bug. Other outfield injuries would give him the open door to play every day, but an abdominal strain forced him to the DL on April 20th and would force him to play in horrible pain until finally having season-ending surgery to repair the tear in late August. Cameron was not himself during the season, because instead of playing relaxed and loose like normal, he was playing through pain and struggling to be productive. He finished with a .259 average in 48 games with 4 home runs and 15 RBIs. Hardly the 1st season in Boston he was hoping for, but there was promise for 2011.
As mentioned above, 2011 just wasn’t Cameron’s year in Boston either. Through half a season he had struggled in the batter’s box and just didn’t appear to be comfortable with playing once a week. His exuberant personality was clouded by frustration, which finally resulted in his trade on Tuesday. He was traded for cash or a player to be named later, but the Red Sox will have to eat about $3 million of the remaining $3.3 million on his contract. Getting something in return for Cameron was the right move for the Red Sox, especially with Darnell McDonald and Josh Reddick getting more and more playing time and Cameron just filling a seat on the bench. It may have been the right decision, but it wasn’t an easy one for the Red Sox management and or Cameron.
“I need to sort some things out,” Cameron told the Boston Globe on July 1st after being designed for assignment. “But if all goes as planned, I’ll be back playing. I haven’t played much this year. Rest assured I’ll be back. People think Father Time has got me. But it wasn’t Father Time. It was not getting much of a chance to go out there and run around and play. It was a new experience [in Boston], but it’s all good.”
No matter what happens in the future for Cameron, he will always be known as a fun, likeable player. Jon Lester considers Cameron to be a “…great teammate, a great clubhouse guy. Probably one of the best teammates I’ve ever played with.’’ Sometimes measuring a person’s contributions can be misleading unless you factor in their clubhouse and off-the-field additions to the club. Cameron added value in those roles each day he was on the team and as a fan of his winning smile and positive attitude (something rarely see in today’s game) I wish Cameron the best of luck in Florida and with any future endeavors.
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