Tag: BJ Upton

Braves vs. Mets Video: Watch Ugly Collision Between Upton Brothers

The Upton brothers got a little too close for comfort on Tuesday night.

B.J. Upton and Justin Upton collided in left-centerfield on Tuesday night as the Atlanta Braves took on the New York Mets.

You can clearly see B.J. waving off his younger brother, but Justin didn’t hear him and the two collided right as B.J. makes the catch and hangs on.

The two were obviously just fine, as B.J. shoves his younger bro as the two walk off the field together, but I’m not sure Mrs. Upton will be so happy.

It’s one thing to see two players collide and joke about it, but how often do we see brothers do it?

Twitter had a bit of fun with the collision too:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s just hope that the two can learn how to share better in the future.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Why BJ Upton Is the Perfect Free Agent for Mets to Continue Rebuilding

BJ Upton would fit in well with the New York Mets as a center fielder for many seasons because of his hitting, fielding and speed.

The Mets are up in the air about bringing back 34-year-old center fielder Andres Torres, but they should not hesitate to sign Upton as soon as possible.

With the release of left fielder Jason Bay and possibly Torres, the Mets could lower the average age of their fielders from 28 to 26.2, including Upton, which would help New York for years to come.

During his time with Tampa Bay, Upton was a very consistent player. He had at least 125 hits and 50 RBI in six straight seasons. Torres had his best year with the 2010 San Francisco Giants. He had 16 home runs, 63 RBI and a .268 batting average, all career highs.

Upton is also a great fielder as he holds a .989 fielding percentage and 24 errors while playing in the outfield. He has also recorded 15 double plays, including four in 2012. Torres has a higher career fielding percentage at .993, but he only has eight double plays.

The Mets would also benefit from Upton’s speed on the bases. He tied for 14th in the league with 31 stolen bases in 2012. Upton has 232 career stolen bases, 22nd among all active players. He has five consecutive years of at least 30 stolen bases. Third baseman David Wright led the Mets with only 15 stolen bases; next was Torres with 13.

Three out of the four teams in the NL East have made contact with Upton, the Braves, Phillies and Nationals. Sandy Alderson and the Mets need to get involved in the Upton talks if they want to compete in 2013 and beyond.

According to CBS Sports, Upton is the third-ranked outfielder in this year’s free-agent class, behind Josh Hamilton and Michael Bourn. As a result, he has a high price according to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

However, Upton is well worth the money. He is only 28 years old and, despite is on-field past, would benefit from going to a big-market team like the Mets.

While many teams are looking at Hamilton or Bourn, the Mets can make a splash in the National League by signing Upton. He is younger than both players, cheaper and an all-around player. He can hit the ball for power and contact, play center field exceptionally well and when on base, he can get into scoring position on his own.

The NL East is getting more competitive year after year and the Mets are falling behind. Signing Upton would have many eyes on New York and not for the Yankees.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Philadelphia Phillies: Why They Should Pursue Angel Pagan over BJ Upton

While all of the talk in Philadelphia has been centered around how the Phillies can get BJ Upton into the outfield, the team might be better off looking at Angel Pagan at a more predictable, and consequently better, option for 2013.

It seems as if the San Francisco Giants want to bring Pagan back, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, so this might be a hard fight to win. He just won the World Series, and that is a difficult situation to leave.

However, Pagan himself has never come out on the record as far as I know as to his intentions for next season. Perhaps he wants to try somewhere different. If that is the case, the Philadelphia Phillies need to seriously consider adding Pagan to the lineup.

First, he will serve a purpose similar to what Shane Victorino did when he was in Philadelphia. He hit for a high average, got on base, was always a threat to steal second and had decent power. Of course, if you look at his stat line from last season, this is rather obvious.

He hit .288, led the National League with 15 triples, hit eight home runs, drove in 56 runs and stole 29 bases. He is the type of hitter that the Phillies could use at the top of their lineup to help set the table for the run producing bats of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley.

Beyond the obvious on-field benefits, it’s safe to assume that his contract will be less than BJ Upton. The Philadelphia Phillies have put far too much money into far too few contracts. Making another large investment in a high-risk player like Upton doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Normally, I am a huge advocate of taking on risks to reap huge potential rewards. Upton does provide that, but it is not the right time for the Phillies. If the risk for Upton doesn’t pay off, the Phillies will be saddled with yet another deal that costs a lot more than it is worth.

Except for the power, Pagan provides virtually every benefit that Upton does and he has been more consistent throughout his career. The Phillies need someone who they can count on to produce, and if he comes at a discount compared to Upton (which he absolutely should), the deal looks even better.

 

Whether you think I know everything or nothing about Major League Baseball, you should follow me on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook and keep in touch. I love hearing what you all have to say!


Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Philadelphia Phillies: B.J. Upton Is Not Worth the Cost of First-Round Pick

Now that the Tampa Bay Rays have extended a qualifying offer to B.J. Upton, is it any less likely the Philadelphia Phillies pursue him?

Probably not. But it should be.

If there is a silver lining to the terrible season that was 2012, it is that the Phillies will once again draft outside the bottom of baseball.  With an 81-81 finish, their worst record in a decade, the Phillies qualified for the 16th pick in baseball’s annual draft next summer—the highest they’ve selected since 2001.  (Cole Hamels was the 17th pick in 2002.)

In the four drafts that proceeded their fall (or climb, depending on how you look at it) from the top half of the draft, the Phillies selected Gavin Floyd (’01, picked fourth), Chase Utley (’00, picked 15th), Brett Myers (’99, picked 12th) and Pat Burrell (’98, picked first overall).  Each of these players, outside of Floyd, were major components of the club that won the 2008 World Series.

No player the Phillies have drafted since Cole Hamels has had as much impact as Cole or the three of the four first-round picks preceding him (mentioned above). 

Could that be a direct correlation to where in the draft they are selecting, or is it simply luck of the draw?

Vance Worley was chosen with the 102nd overall selection in 2008, and while he has been a nice find, his future is anything but set in stone.  He could develop into the next Cole Hamels or simply be a flash in the pan.  Most likely, Worley will end up somewhere in between the two extremes.

 

The probability of finding impact talent outside the first round of the draft is too rare for the Phillies to pass up on their highest draft pick in a decade in order to sign a player with so many question marks.

I’m well versed on what the Phillies need going forward.  (While the team’s biggest fault in 2012 was the lack of a true eighth-inning shutdown reliever, it’s hard to believe it’s going to be an issue going forward.  Either the Phillies will sign a veteran setup reliever or one of their young arms, many of whom gained valuable experience in 2012, will step up and fill the void.)  They need a center fielder.  They need a right-handed power bat in the lineup.  And they need to get younger.

B.J. Upton fits all of those things and more: He can steal bases, plays good defense and despite his nearly seven full seasons in the major leagues, still has enormous upside.  I have no doubt that if the Phillies were to sign Upton, he would thrive in Philadelphia.  His power numbers would probably skyrocket playing in Citizens Bank Park, and until he gave them a reason not to, the fans would adore him.

But Upton is also a player who has struck out almost one out of every three at-bats in the major leagues, is a career .255 hitter and has never slugged over .500 in a season in which he’s gotten 500 at-bats.  

Is spending $75 million (which is what it will likely take to sign Upton) and losing a first-round draft pick worth the cost?  Upton has a career WAR (although it’s the stat I hate the most, because its premise is flawed and makes absolutely no sense) average of just 2.4 per season.

To me, it isn’t, and there are far better uses for both their money and draft pick.  The Phillies would be better served, both in 2013 and going forward, in bringing back Shane Victorino and signing a veteran right-handed bat like Torii Hunter to play right field. 

B.J. Upton would look great in center field next April.  However, the cost would be too great.  Paying the man is one thing, but doing so and giving up the opportunity to find the next Mike Trout is something else. 

Now that Tampa Bay has attached draft-pick compensation to B.J. Upton, please move on and find someone else.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Realistic Offseason Moves

With the 2012 World Series coming to an end, the offseason is now upon us. Ruben Amaro Jr. and his staff will begin the daunting task of trying to rebuild the Phillies into a championship team.

The Phillies have already cut ties with Placido Polanco, Ty Wigginton and Jose Contreras while picking up Carlos Ruiz’s 2013 option.

In order to compete for a title in 2013, the Phillies will have to fill most, if not all of their holes, which includes at least two outfield spots, third base, the bullpen and maybe even a back-of-the-rotation starter.

Here are five realistic offseason moves the Phillies should seriously consider. 

Begin Slideshow


5 MLB Teams That Will Be Active Buyers on the Free-Agent Market

Technically, open season on MLB free agents does not begin until the sixth day after the World Series concludes.

But you could forgive most fans for feeling like free agent season really began Friday night, with Josh Hamilton being booed off the field in his last two at-bats as the Texas Rangers bowed quietly to the Baltimore Orioles in the one-game playoff between the two American League wild cards.

When Hamilton said it “doesn’t matter if I play here or somewhere else,” you figure he meant he’ll be playing somewhere other than Texas in 2013.  

He won’t be the only one.

Other prominent players looking for huge dollars (and possibly new uniforms) include Michael Bourn, B.J. Upton and Zack Greinke.

These are just some of the players—who the likely active buyers this offseason—will be vying for.

Begin Slideshow


Tampa Bay Rays’: Three Forces Analysis for 2011

The most common phrase in professional sports (also the most overused phrase) that players and coaches use to describe a recent transaction is “it’s a business.” As a student of business, I can confidently confirm this brilliant diagnosis.

As a business, the Tampa Bay Rays must first outline their goal for the 2011 season. A successful season would entail making the playoffs, most likely as the American League wild card, and compete in the postseason. Check that off.

Next, they must begin basic preparation. This is primarily training employees and allowing managers to learn the strengths and weaknesses of their people, i.e. Spring Training. Check that off, too.

Finally, the club has to analyze its environment for the 2011 season. The most common tool to assess a given business at any time is with a Five Forces Analysis.

The Five Forces are: supplier power, buyer power, substitutes, rivalry, and competition, but for the sake of relevance, buyer power and substitutes have been omitted. Ticket sales and the NFL and NBA don’t seem to have much say in the success of the 2011 Rays.

If baseball teams truly are businesses, grading and understanding the Three Forces will lead to accomplishing the 2011 Rays’ playoff goal.

Begin Slideshow


Tampa Bay Rays: 11 Bold Predictions For the Team’s 2011 Season

The Tampa Bay Rays enter the 2011 season with lower expectations than the last few years, and for good reason. This past offseason saw the Rays lose some of their most valuable players.

While the losses of players like Carl Crawford, Rafael Soriano, Matt Garza and Carlos Pena will hurt, all is not lost for this team.

Here are eleven bold predictions, both good and bad, for the Tampa Bay Rays this season.

Begin Slideshow


MLB Power Rankings: Rating the Speed of All 30 Major League Teams

This article will rank the teams based on how much speed each team possesses beginning with the slowest team.  I will take a look at last years overall team ranking in terms of the stolen base and compare it to how I believe they will rank this year.  I will also take a look at who lead the team last year in stolen bases and look at the other base stealers on the team as well.  

Then, I will predict who will lead their respective teams in stolen bases and will also identify the other players who can potentially contribute in terms of speed, in 2011.

So, without further ado, let us start!

Begin Slideshow


Tampa Bay Rays: Will B.J. Upton Finally Deliver in 2011?

Hello, my name is George Fitopoulos, and I’m a B.J. Upton apologist.

They say the first step to recovery is acceptance.

There is a popular term among the fantasy universe, “fantasy kryptonite,” which refers to a player who burns you year after year. Well, Upton is that guy for me.

For years, Bossman Junior has faced expectations as ridiculous as that nickname, and he just keeps disappointing. But, with the subtractions of Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena, the Tampa Bay Rays need Upton to step up this year more than ever.

The biggest knock on Upton is his batting average. As of now, his career mark stands at .260, but it has been in a steep decline since he hit .300 in his rookie season.

Now, let’s get something straight—Upton isn’t a .300 hitter, unless he can repeat his .396 BABIP from 2007.

That’s not happening, but a .270 average isn’t out of reach.

Trying to make sense of Upton’s batting average woes will make your head spin. Among qualifying hitters who posted a BABIP over .300 in 2009, Upton had the second-lowest batting average (.241). The same held true last year, except his .237 average ranked last.

That’s a product of his free-swinging style, but at some point his luck has to change.

Right? Right?!

Last year was Upton’s attempt at the perfect storm of bad plate discipline. Take a look at his plate discipline numbers taken from his FanGraphs player page.

To summarize the table, Upton faced fewer pitches in the strike zone (48.9 Zone percent), swung at more pitches outside of the strike zone (25.3 O-Swing percent) and made contact on fewer balls outside of the strike zone (55.2 O-Contact percent). This all led to his career-high 12 percent swinging strikes and a 30.6 strikeout percentage.

I’m considering 2010 his rock-bottom as a hitter.

What I see in Upton is a player who is just about to enter his power-prime and is coming off a season where he hit 18 home runs, despite all the negatives in his approach. In the final two months of last year, Upton slugged 10 home runs and stole 14 bases with a .255 batting average.

I don’t have to remind you that players who end the season strong can carry it over into the next season (i.e. Jose Bautista).

Upton has hit 20 home runs in a season and stolen 40+ bases in three consecutive seasons. Upton’s power is trending in the right direction as he has dramatically cut down on the ground balls the last three seasons (from 50.5 percent to 39.7 percent) and his HR/FB rate increased to 11 percent last season.

Color me optimistic, but I see a 20/40 season in Upton’s near future.

So yes, I am accepting that I am a B.J. Upton apologist, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop anytime soon.

2011 Fantasy Projection

.254 | 92 R | 21 HR | 63 RBI | 45 SB

 

Make Baseball Professor, the most personable fantasy baseball outlet on the web, part of your daily fantasy baseball routine for updated fantasy news and analysis. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated throughout the season. 

For more fantasy baseball content, check out our 2011 fantasy rankings:

Top 30 Catchers

Top 30 First Basemen

Top 30 Second Basemen

Top 30 Third Basemen

Top 30 Shortstops 

Top 60 Outfielders

Top 60 Starting Pitchers

Top 30 Relief Pitchers

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Copyright © 1996-2010 Kuzul. All rights reserved.
iDream theme by Templates Next | Powered by WordPress