It’s funny how a few personnel decisions can change a player’s future. Take Matt Joyce’s situation.
The former Erie SeaWolves outfielder was promoted to the Detroit Tigers on Monday and made his major league debut against the Boston Red Sox. He went 0-for-2 with a walk in Detroit’s 6-3 loss.
It was a well-deserved promotion for Joyce, a 23-year-old right fielder who often is described by Detroit’s minor league officials as one of those players with great “makeup.’’
His major league promotion came after an outstanding first month of the season at Triple-A Toledo in which Joyce hit .299 with five homers and 21 RBIs in 28 games.
But starting the season with the Mud Hens nearly didn’t come about.
Joyce had just finished a morning workout with the Erie SeaWolves a few days before the team was scheduled to break spring camp at their Lakeland, Fla., complex.
Joyce had been with the SeaWolves for the previous two weeks and was so certain he would start the season with the club, he joked how he had his winter coat ready to bring north with him to Erie.
A few hours later, the Tigers announced that center fielder Freddy Guzman, who had been competing all spring with the Tigers for an outfield job, had cleared waivers and been outrighted to the SeaWolves.
The following day, Joyce was back with Toledo in spring camp and happy about earning the Triple-A promotion he thought he deserved.
A year ago at this time, it looked as if Joyce’s future might be headed backward.
As a Double-A rookie with the SeaWolves last season, Joyce hit .257 with 17 homers and 70 RBIs. He struggled so badly at the plate the first two months of the season, there was talk he would be sent back to high Single-A Lakeland.
Joyce’s outstanding defensive skills, however, saved him from a demotion. The Tigers decided to leave him with Erie, believing his defensive ability outweighed his offensive shortcomings at that time.
Erie’s coaching staff said throughout the first two months of last season that Joyce’s hitting would come around, and they were right. He got it together at the plate and established himself as one of the Eastern League’s best defensive outfielders.