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
Albany229
July 2nd, 2010
2:51 pm
Hey have you ever heard of the saying “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”, just put that in consideration.
Pat H
July 2nd, 2010
5:52 pm
I kinda like the Carl Crawford idea. I think we could work something out with him if Chipper does in fact call it quits at the end of the year with an extension with the excess money the team has.
Shane
July 2nd, 2010
6:12 pm
All of a sudden I don’t like Brazil’s chances.
CTBRAVESFAN
July 2nd, 2010
11:58 pm
How about Tori Hunter
tlj
July 3rd, 2010
5:08 am
Matt kemp would be my choice, he plays CF (gold glove in 2009), bats right handed with power. His numbers across the board look good. He is signed for the next 2 years. He has the potential to be an all star for a number of years. Teaming him with Heyward creates a very good CF and RF for a number of years.
Unfortunately you can’t get a player of his caliber without trading someone of equal talent. LA is looking for pitching. Provided JJ is health and it appears he is the deal starts with him. What about JJ, Melky (or McLouth if they prefer him) and the left handed relief pitcher at Gwinnett (Dunn).
This would appear to be a win- win for both teams. Braves gain a good defensive right handed power hitting outfielder which is what we need. The dodgers gain a top of the order pitcher, replacement CF with major league experience and a good left handed relief pitcher.
I know some of you will say the price is too high but you can’t get someone of Kemps caliber without paying a high price. While I would hate to trade JJ, Medlen has done a good job filling in his place the past several weeks. KK comes out of the bullpen and back into the rotation. Resop takes his place as the long reliever and emergency starter. We also have pitchers in the minors that are almost ready (Minor, Redmond, etc). With Kemp we don’t need Melky and we already have 3 lefthanded relievers on the major league reoster.
What do ya’ll think???
Flo-Ri-Duh!
July 3rd, 2010
10:19 am
Braves have not had good luck with these types of under achievers. Don’t go after Upton.
Adam
July 3rd, 2010
2:19 pm
tlj are you INSANE? You would give up JJ, one of our major league outfielders AND a pitching prospect for Matt Kemp and his 13 HR’s and 43 RBI, not to mention his reputation as a TERRIBLE clubhouse guy with a bad attitude, who can’t get along with Joe Torre, the easiest manager to get along with in the majors. And you call that win-win for both teams. Are you a Dogers fan? They are practically begging for someone to take Kemp out of their clubhouse. I would give up a prospect, but you are NUTS to put JJ in a package.
The Braves need to go out and try to get Hart. He is a class act and is having a MONSTER year (.286, 18 and 60 so far) for a team that is DEFINITELY a seller.
And Mark Bradley must be smoking the same thing. To put BJ Upton in our clubhouse right now would be team suicide.
14 months of Corey Hart would be a difference maker both this year and next year. It would make the Braves THE team to beat this year and if we can’t sign him, he would be a VERY attractive trade piece at the deadline next year.
Eric C.
July 3rd, 2010
8:01 pm
Just a random thought…10 seasons ago, the Braves acquired “B.J.” Surhoff.
Joe
July 3rd, 2010
10:02 pm
Heck no to BJ Upton – the best thing this team has going for it is its chemistry. I haven’t seen a Braves team with this type of chemisty in a long, long time. You are wrong Mark. With Heyward coming back, they have enough to win the East, especially with the Phillies losing Utley. I fully expect the Phillies to fall further back win Glaus gets hot again and Heyward is back. The Mets won’t last. I don’t expect a big change to this line-up and would rather see Schafer than Upton.
Super g
July 3rd, 2010
10:32 pm
Guys, I just moved to Tampa from ATL. He is the most despised player on this team. He’s batting slightly over 200? You’re thinking of his brother….
BOB MASTERS
July 4th, 2010
3:33 am
TAMPA BAY RAYS FAN: TAKE UPTON—PLEASE!!!
BOB
July 4th, 2010
3:34 am
Enter your comments here
DiamondbackMac
July 4th, 2010
10:22 am
Mark
Why not upgrade with Upton?
Sounds like a campaign slogan from the 1800’s.
WB
July 4th, 2010
10:48 am
Clubhouse poison is always dangerous…pass.
Buzz
July 4th, 2010
1:15 pm
Hunter Pence is who I would pursue. Nice upside and competent center fielder. Use Blanco as defensive replacement.
The Astros would trade for prospects, surely.
Braves10
July 10th, 2010
8:22 pm
I think the braves should get B.J. upton i mean hes probably like jeff francoeur hes gotten into a bad hole with tampa he cant get out of so maybe a change in uniform and clubhouse would be good and Nate Mclouth aint done crap and Upton is to talented to pass up if the braves get the opportunity to get him
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July 19th, 2010
12:54 pm
[...] field is the greater need, and center fielders are hard to find. I suggested Upton a while back because he’s an underperforming major talent, but a team that just rid itself of Yunel [...]