As a Braves’ trade target, I’d hustle after B.J. Upton
B.J. Upton hustles on occasion. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
The Braves’ starting outfield for the first two games against Washington: Eric Hinske in left, Gregor Blanco in center, Melky Cabrera in right. Blanco began the season in the minor leagues, while Hinske was imported primarily as a pinch-hitter and Cabrera as a fourth outfielder.
The Braves’ outfield health: Lousy. Jason Heyward (bum thumb) just went on the disabled list. Matt Diaz (ditto) just exited the DL. Nate McLouth (sore head) is still there.
The good news: The Braves remain in first place.
The reality: They’ll need more outfielders to stay there.
The rumor: Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com reports that the Braves are seeking a right-handed outfield bat before the July 31st trade deadline. Morosi names three names: Josh Willingham of Washington, Corey Hart of Milwaukee and Jose Bautista of Toronto.
The caveat: All three will become free agents after the 2011 season, and we know how well the Braves do at keeping free agents. So any of the three would likely be a 14-month rental and would surely require the Braves to trade one of their minor-league pitching prospects. (Morosi mentions Mike Minor, the club’s No. 1 draftee in 2009.)
The better option (says me): B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay center fielder.
The story so far: Upton is one of the game’s biggest talents, but he’s also among its greatest mysteries. He’s hitting .226, and a guy this skilled should be able to bunt .300. He got into a dugout dust-up with teammate Evan Longoria over Upton’s disinclination to hustle after a ball Sunday, and Tampa manager Joe Maddon didn’t start Upton in Tuesday’s game. (Though not, Maddon said with a straight face, for disciplinary purposes. Just to rest the young man, who apparently wasn’t getting enough rest while playing center field.) But Upton was deployed as a sub, and he legged out an eighth-inning triple. So there.
The downside: Upton might not be manageable. He might continue to swing at everything. (He has more career strikeouts than hits.) He might play no better for the Braves than he has for the Rays.
The upside: He’s 25. He makes only $3 million (but is arbitration-eligible after this season). He’s right-handed. He plays center field. He is, as noted, a talent of the first rank, and we can’t really say that about any Braves outfielder other than Heyward. If/when Upton does figure things out, he’ll be a major star.
The obvious risk: The Braves’ clubhouse, never a boiling cauldron, is utterly harmonious at the moment. Upton could upset the equilibrium.
The potential gain: A first-place team would get a lot more talented in a hurry, and Upton won’t be eligible for free agency until after the 2012 season.
Loading ...The upside for Upton: A change of scenery, which can’t hurt if he’s getting into it with Longoria, who’s the main man in Tampa. And a different managerial voice in Bobby Cox, for whom everyone loves playing. And the promise of an even different managerial voice when Fredi Gonzalez takes over next season. (Wait. Am I getting ahead of things here?)
The potential snag: Fredi Gonzalez doesn’t like guys who don’t hustle. Ask Hanley Ramirez.
The worst-case scenario: Upton comes here and continues to hit .226, which would still be an upgrade over McLouth, who’s hitting .176. The Braves don’t win the division and then, disenchanted, don’t tender Upton over the winter. Which means he walks away and the whole thing is written off as a Teixeira-sized fizzle.
The best-case scenario: Upton gives the Braves their desired right-handed bat, plays the best center field the Braves have seen since Andruw Jones discovered carbohydrates and re-invents himself as the missing piece on a championship team.
The bottom line: Me, I’d do it. Upton is a far more dynamic player than any of the three mentioned by FoxSports. (Hart is the most intriguing of the three — he has 60 RBIs — but he’d also be a mighty expensive quick fix.) Unless you believe Jordan Schafer, who’s hitting .221 at Class AAA Gwinnett, is still the center fielder of the future, the Braves must move to upgrade that essential position at some point. Why not now, I say? Why not upgrade with Upton?
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417 comments Add your comment
Mark Bradley
June 30th, 2010
1:53 pm
Speed shouldn’t ever slump, DollarDawg43. Which makes it incomprehensible that Upton is hitting .226.
Skeezix
June 30th, 2010
1:53 pm
If Bobby Cox thinks he can manage Upton and get his head screwed on right–I’m okay with it. Bobby is a very gifted manager and motivator and he may have a very positive long term effect on this young man. We definitely need someone more talented in center. I would love adding Upton’s speed to this team.
Ted M
June 30th, 2010
1:53 pm
Upton won’t change because of Heyward, that’s crazy. He will only change for a fat contract then likely once the contract is secured he’ll revert to his normal malcontent self.
a
June 30th, 2010
1:54 pm
mark, whoever we end up trading for (and i’m certain we will), how likely do you think it is that escobar is part of the deal? omar is playing too well to ignore, and he will always do it for less (with a better attitude, on top of it all)
Chip Shot
June 30th, 2010
1:54 pm
what the freak makes upton so talented???????????? one good year????? hmmmm NO THANKS Francoeur 2.0
Downton
June 30th, 2010
1:55 pm
TB trades talented guys for hot young prospects, because they generally can’t afford to sign their stars when they hit free agency. So, this trade could possibly happen. However, the Braves aren’t the Yankees– they have to do the same thing as TB does, if perhaps to a bit lesser extent. So, for the Braves to give up a talented young prospect, the return had better be solid.
I’m not convinced with Upton– a previous blogger mentioned Francouer Part Deaux, and I think that’s a pretty apt comparison, given the stats– but surely something has to be done about the McLouth hole. And I don’t think Blanco is the answer, do you all?
JDA
June 30th, 2010
1:56 pm
Hole in One Chip Shot
Ted M
June 30th, 2010
1:56 pm
Mark what is your guess as to what the Braves would have to give up to get Upton?
JP Swain
June 30th, 2010
1:56 pm
Josh Willingham would be absolutely ideal, but apparently the Nationals have had multiple offers for him in the last year and they said no to all of them. So our best chance for him would be to try and get him as a free agent for next year.
We can’t go after BJ Upton- he doesn’t hustle and he isn’t hitting. Forget how good his talent is, you can’t play on talent alone, you gotta have some application.
Jose Bautista might hit for plenty of power, but that’s all he does, he doesn’t hit for any average.
I’d take David DeJesus or Scott Podsednik- I saw both of them play recently and they look in very good nick- sure they’re both left handed, but they can go get it in the outfield and are hitting for average, which is fine with me. Or if we’re dead set on a Royal. We might be able to pry Alex Gordon out of the Royals even though he’s a minor leaguer- he’s hitting a ton in Omaha and learning to play the outfield.
Alright, how about taking a flyer on Andruw Jones? I know that sounds crazy, he isn’t hitting for average, but he is fielding real well when he plays, he’s hitting for power and I think if he got more regular abs, his average would come up.
Basically I don’t want us giving up a ransom for anybody- Mark Teiziera, JD Drew- how did those work out? Wouldn’t you like to have Chris Carpenter or Neftali Feliz back?
Ted M
June 30th, 2010
1:57 pm
If Melky and some mid level pitching prospect. Do it.
DollarDawg43
June 30th, 2010
1:57 pm
Mike S wrote:
Basically he free-lanced every play and did what he wanted. He got away with it because his talent level allowed him to dominate AA players, but it was clear back then he was nothing but trouble.
Mike, that is the problem with a lot of major leaguers these days. You don’t see an abundance of sound, fundamental baseball any more. This is because so many have been able to “free-lance” it (and get away with it) at lower levels because of talent and/or enjoying the luxury of knowing the big bonus invested in them won’t be discarded quickly, if at all.
It drives me nuts to see major leaguers make silly mental errors when they of all people should know better. It eventually catches up with them, though, just as it appears to have with Upton. He reminds me of a phrase my Grandfather (a semi pro catcher in the rough and tumble days) used to describe a pitcher with a ton of talent and no common sense: A million dollar arm and a ten cent head.
nique
June 30th, 2010
1:58 pm
they already have an underperforming centerfielder, why trade for another. if they make a trade it is to win now, right?
Mark Bradley
June 30th, 2010
1:59 pm
Maybe Julian Teheran or Arodys Vizcaino, Ted M. Which would make it tough to do, I’ll admit.
Horner's Corner
June 30th, 2010
2:00 pm
Bravomasochist -
I was at the same Gwinnett game and witnessed the Schafer meltdown. He’s got the ML attitude & swagger down pat, but the rest of his game has a lot of holes. In fact, his offensive approach reminds me a lot of McLouth’s. Both guys need to take a page from Blanco’s book and realize that they’re not 30 HR guys and learn to better utilize their above average speed and knowledge of the strike zone.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 30th, 2010
2:00 pm
If they can trade Nate McLouth for him straight up, go for it. Otherwise, no.
thickfreakness
June 30th, 2010
2:01 pm
I don’t know, in the one full season Blanco was allowed to play in 2008 he hit .251 with a .366 obp while driving in 38 runs and scoring 52. This year, he has an OBP of .444. Is he a worse option than Nate or Melky?
Ted M
June 30th, 2010
2:01 pm
oops – If its Melky and some mid level pitching prospect. Do it.
JDA
June 30th, 2010
2:01 pm
I’m telling ya…Schaffer = Brad Komminsk…except Komminsk didn’t have an attitude.
Mark Bradley
June 30th, 2010
2:01 pm
I don’t think the Braves could get B.J. Armstrong for Nate McLouth, Najeh. And Armstrong didn’t even play baseball.
balismith aguy
June 30th, 2010
2:03 pm
you must still be on vacation ,,upton s not gonna play for the braves and freddie s dead as far as being the braves manager..
Ted M
June 30th, 2010
2:03 pm
I wouldn’t give up those guys either. I do think dollar signs are going to make Upton work a lot harder though.
TROTTINGHOME
June 30th, 2010
2:03 pm
noway u trade milkey…he is the camel that gets us over the hump and into the playoffs
datominator
June 30th, 2010
2:04 pm
So, taking a long shot at a player who isn’t hitting, has a bad attitude and doesn’t hustle, and hoping he enjoys the change of scenery, while giving up a top-rated pitching prospect is a trade we should make?? Wow. Just… wow.
tony austin
June 30th, 2010
2:04 pm
I’m convinced that Andruw turned into the player he turned into because BC pulled him in the middle of an inning. Maybe BC could do the same with Upton, who knows, but I am still on the “no way, not in a million years” side of the fence.
Tami
June 30th, 2010
2:04 pm
Well, TampaDawg just talked me out of this one. Do NOT even suggest trading Minor. I’m with everyone else. Let’s keep one of our great pitching prospects for ourselves this time! Geesh. I was livid when Wainwright was traded away. And, it seems the Braves have become a minor league pipeline for the dang Rangers. Enough of rental players! Texeira was probably the most expensive, next to Hampton (wow…I had to think a minute to remember his name…LOL). Why don’t the Braves try Schafer for a little bit until Heyward comes back off the DL? There are some players that do much better at the big league club (…uhhh, Prado comes to mind) than in the minors anyway. Braves Mgmt. can then form a plan of what to do with still plenty of July left to work with. Just a thought.
Creighton
June 30th, 2010
2:05 pm
Mark – What I’ve read elsewhere is that all three of the guys the Braves are considering will be free agents after 2011, not after this season. So…would that change your opinion?
puppydawg
June 30th, 2010
2:05 pm
I would rather stand pat than add a headcase like Upton.
Pat
June 30th, 2010
2:06 pm
C’mon Mark! You’re better than that! Aren’t you? Upton makes 0 sense.
John Kruk is My Daddy
June 30th, 2010
2:06 pm
I think instead of a trade, we should just focus on the outstanding organ music at Turner Field: http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wabe/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1666137/Atlanta/Twittering.a.New.Baseball.Tradition
thickfreakness
June 30th, 2010
2:07 pm
Come on Mark – just do a re-write.
Downton
June 30th, 2010
2:07 pm
No way the Braves should trade either Teheran or Vizcaino for a guy hitting in the low .200s with ‘tude. That would be extremely, extremely foolhardy, especially give that the team’s still in first place.
I think Nate should be sent back to the minors (hopefully with his consent) to learn how to hit again. Or maybe Wren could do a get-rid-of-spare-parts trade like he did last year in the Francoeur for Church trade. (Why didn’t the Braves keep Church by the way? Seems like an extra outfielder would be awfully handy right now). Either way, he does not need to be in there giving us holes in the lineup at 8 and 9.
Start Blanco until something better comes along. At least we kind of know what we’ll get out of him. And who knows? Maybe he’ll go all Prado on us.
myra
June 30th, 2010
2:08 pm
uuugh. No thanks on that one Mark. I’d have to pass.
JDA
June 30th, 2010
2:09 pm
Speaking of outstanding organs, Claudelle Washington…. oh organ music…sorry.
Downton
June 30th, 2010
2:09 pm
Actually, Church is hitting .175 right now. NEVER MIND.
Jeff
June 30th, 2010
2:09 pm
Once again people: DON’T GIVE UP PITCHING PROSPECTS!!!!!
Atlanta’s success throughout the 90s was built on pitching. Remember what happened when we had some injuries hit our pitching staff in 2008 and 2009? We couldn’t win. A strong, deep, talented pitching staff is VITAL to winning these days.
Hitters are a dime a dozen… and especially outfielders. Wait until closer to the trade deadline… some team may be GIVING away a decent guy for salary reasons, and they will take almost nothing in return. Don’t rush and throw out names too early… play it close to the vest.
I think Blanco will do perfectly fine in a regular role — he’s definitely better than McLouth OR Schafer.
My theory has always been that re-tooling goes on in the offseason — too many moving parts once the season begins. This current Braves roster has gotten us to this point so far — what’s wrong with dancing with the ones who brung ya? We’re what, 13 or 14 games over .500? Who’s to say that we don’t hit a hot streak again, win 7 of 8 or 8 of 10, and suddenly we’re 20 games over .500, unbeatable at home, 4 games clear of 2nd place and the team with the best record in the NL?
Keep what we’ve got …. we’ve won so far, and I think this team will KEEP winning because they are hungry, have a good attitude and work hard. Go Braves!!!
Hawk n the Ham
June 30th, 2010
2:10 pm
Mark, just like Upton, struckout with this article.
frontofficedorks wake up.
June 30th, 2010
2:11 pm
No way to upton!Does anyone remember kenny lofton? Same qualities in both, very fast centerfielders whose attitudes were poison to the team. I would much rather have a power hitting outfielder like willingham. Just don’t think the nats will deal him…Back to Upton,No flippin’ way. just say no. I would rather have slow,chubby cabrera than another problem head case.
ozzie
June 30th, 2010
2:12 pm
Wrong Upton. The guy you want is his brother Justin in AZ.
AZ is a train wreck and for all the posturing their GM is doing (re: holding onto Justin) he knows there is no way to fix that abysmal pitching staff (quickly) w/o trading him.
If you are going to move guys like Minor, Viz or Terheran (sp) it should be for a player like Justin Upton or Braun not BJ Upton.
Justin has more power than BJ and is less of a head case.
It may take JJ ++ or a package of prospects but he is worth it.
I would take a flier on BJ but not for any of out top 4 pitching prospects never mind JJ.
Bruce Mac
June 30th, 2010
2:13 pm
Mark, your jinx is already taking effect. Please write a negative article soon.
Mark Bradley
June 30th, 2010
2:15 pm
The three named targets — Willingham, Bautista and Hart — are indeed free agents at the end of the 2011 season, Creighton. But that wouldn’t change my opinion. Upton, by way of contrast, is under contract through 2012.
BravesFan
June 30th, 2010
2:17 pm
good one hawk
athdog
June 30th, 2010
2:17 pm
Not much chance the Nats trade a good player to a division rival, Upton would be hard to understand since his average is horrible. Sounds like a ‘might be good if’ type of trade. Hart is the obvious choice, IMO. Recently watched Schafer in Gwinnett. He is most definitely NOT the future. Maybe the lack of performance enhancers has taken his ‘talent’.
Sonny Clusters
June 30th, 2010
2:18 pm
Clusters could play some outfield but we was also very agreeable to be around. If Upton was to come here he would need to be careful about not hustling around Bobby and he would never want to get into it with somebody in the dugout.
papadawg
June 30th, 2010
2:18 pm
I don’t want to waste a young talent on a maybe like maybe he’ll hit better, maybe he’ll hustle better or maybe he’ll grow up and behave. NAW too many maybes so maybe we should leave him in Tampa
Andy
June 30th, 2010
2:18 pm
I like Willingham the best. That would be a great move.
Horner's Corner
June 30th, 2010
2:18 pm
What are some thoughts about resigning Glaus and returning him to 3B next year?
Braves could sign him for more than 1 year (he’ll probably be looking for a multi-year deal if his current success continues). It will open 1B for Freeman. It will allow an established veteran to handle the pressure of replacing the face of the franchise. And since the Braves already have a SS that’s familiar with covering an inordinate amount of ground to his right, Glaus’s lack of range may not be that much of a liability. Just some thoughts.
adam
June 30th, 2010
2:18 pm
mcclouth for upton straight up but thats it. for the exception of the 08 playoffs upton has been a flop. plus he seems to have a bad rep. sorry mark but half to disagree with u. heck mcclouth has an upside, but he has not shown it in atl.
NEW CARS
June 30th, 2010
2:19 pm
Jeff,
The last time I checked, hitters weren’t a dime a dozen, especially RH hitters under contract with some upside..It’s the amazing chat world we live in…Half of the posters on here don’t want to trade for Corey Hart because that would trading on his highest potential..The other half doesn’t want Upton or Matt Kemp (my choice) because they are both underperforming…I gues we should just trade for Ichiro or Pujols because they put up the same numbers all of the time.
Jeff
June 30th, 2010
2:19 pm
Mark, what does it MATTER when a guy’s contract runs out???
Baseball today, sadly, is in the era of “win now”. Teams cannot think about this implication or that contract scenario in the middle of a pennant race. You try to win IN THE MOMENT, win THIS YEAR’S World Series, and deal with the consequences in November.
That being said, I will say again: The Braves SHOULD NOT mortgage their future pitching success for a guy like Upton, who does NOT live up to his talent. It’s not worth it and it never will be worth it.
I say again: the Braves have done just fine as constructed…. so what’s wrong with “Dancing with the ones who brung ya?” Let the year play out… I think you’ll be surprised at the resiliance of this team.
Bruce Mac
June 30th, 2010
2:19 pm
As long as we are giving away the pitcher that leads the International league in stikeouts for an average outfielder, why not throw in Jay Hey for an average infielder?