Justin Upton is afraid of the wall
by edbigghead on Jul 23, 2009 11:16 PM EDT
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My Dad brought this up to me today while we were lifting huge, giant sized weights and being buff in the gym. He told me he noticed lately that Upton will not go near the wall even with all of his size and speed. Rather, Upton will let the ball bounce off the wall, even though he clearly has a shot at catching it, then try and snag it on the bounce which never really goes well for the guy.
I saw it tonite vs Pits and last night too. What is it with him ? Anyone else notice this ? He has the speed and the range but just won't go for it and make that all star catch.
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I've noticed it, too
He does seem to want to play it off the bounce- and not necessarily well- rather than possibly crash into the wall to catch it. It’s a little disappointing at times.
"Wait, am I keeping it real or kicking it old school? I can never remember which one is cool now."
maybe
he’s been instructed not to sacrifice his franchise body on plays that are marginal. He’s 21 and has a ton of talent, it could be a directive from the folks on high to keep him intact and on the field.
I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused....
Or maybe
it’s a better learning experience, since he’s still figuring out how to play the OF, to let it bounce and play it off the hop? I mean, anyone can run into the wall and catch it, but it takes practice to learn where it’s going to go after it hits the wall.
"In the future, I want to be a fossil. Or, at least have my feces be fossilized"
-Pygalgia
Except
It seems like he misplays the hop a lot. Unless it’s a situation where I’m forgetting the good plays and the bad ones are just more noticeable- that’s a possibility.
"Wait, am I keeping it real or kicking it old school? I can never remember which one is cool now."
Wouldn't
you agree that he needs more practice, then?
"In the future, I want to be a fossil. Or, at least have my feces be fossilized"
-Pygalgia
more practice indeed
but let’s not just let the hitter get a double when he, Upton, has a good shot at getting the out.
If I see one more Eric Byrnes 'flip throw' I will shoot myself a whole bunch of times.
It angers me more than anything else right now
If I see one more Eric Byrnes 'flip throw' I will shoot myself a whole bunch of times.
wow....
really??? that’s numero uno? if we were in a pennant race i’d want him laying out there for us. this year… save the body, dude.
"Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America."
-- Bruce Catton
Upton was a shortstop until we drafted him and switched him to the outfield because we already had Stephen Drew. He’ll continue to improve in the outfield.
Upton in a way is like Mark Reynolds defensively. They both have exceptional range but make too many errors on routine plays. Once they improve on the routine plays they’re going to be exceptional fielders.
Go Diamondbacks!
And, because of his bat, was rushed to the bigs
so, he didn’t spend the 2-3 years in the minors learning the position.
For those closer to day to day, who is working with him to learn the position? Gibby? It takes time (insert old rant, but that time belongs in the minors), but if he is committed to it, he will become a plus defensive outfielder.
Lo Bundy, maybe?
I know when Lee Tinsley was our 1B coach, he doubled as the OF coach…
"In the future, I want to be a fossil. Or, at least have my feces be fossilized"
-Pygalgia
Part of the story
Upton was a shortstop until we drafted him and switched him to the outfield because we already had Stephen Drew.
While it’s true that Stephen Drew was ahead of him, and they moved him in part to get him to the bigs sooner, that’s not all of it. Up until the move was made, I remember one eval after another stating that Upton was defensively suspect, so a move to the outfield was necessary in order for him to play in the majors.
by azshadowwalker on Jul 25, 2009 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Reynolds is young too
and watch as he flys and crashes all over the park to catch a ball.
If I see one more Eric Byrnes 'flip throw' I will shoot myself a whole bunch of times.
Reynolds...
Shows NO fear either when it comes to leaping and throwing himself all voer to get the ball…J-Up won’t…that irks me!
"You trying to say Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?"--
Pitcher Eddie Harris in the movie "Major League"
by Rockkstarr12 on Jul 25, 2009 7:06 PM EDT up reply actions
but not everyone is the same
I’m not knocking Jup but not everyone has that kind of (brainless) courage.
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the darkness at Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.
reynolds was also moved from ss (hard to believe, huh?) to 3b
"Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America."
-- Bruce Catton
I think
Reynolds was moved from 2B, not SS.
"In the future, I want to be a fossil. Or, at least have my feces be fossilized"
-Pygalgia
sort of
i’m pretty sure he started as a ss, then moved briefly to 2b and then to 3b.
"Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America."
-- Bruce Catton
Nope, short stop
That’s what he played in college.
"Wait, am I keeping it real or kicking it old school? I can never remember which one is cool now."
What a wuss...
He’s definitely no JEFF SALAZAR! Sali, as we all found out, has NO fear when it coms to leaping walls and robbing people of a home run…why we let him go I am still pissed off about…I’d rather have J-Sal in my outfield, leaping the walls, instead of wimpy J-Up if that’s the case!
"You trying to say Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?"--
Pitcher Eddie Harris in the movie "Major League"
Probably connected
To him hitting .239 here with three home-runs in 128 games.
"Win, or die" -- Marquise de Merteuil
by Jim McLennan on Jul 25, 2009 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions
We will Rue the day
letting Sally go I say.
I mean the choice between watching a career minor leaguer or the chance to watch and grow with a budding super star…. oh, the inhumanity of it all!
sheesh, what is it with Arizona fans that we pick poor players to be our favorites and dog on and rip our superstars?
There is no debate: Upton is and will be a far better player than Salazar from now until the sun grows cold
"If there's nothing wrong with me, maybe there's something wrong with the universe!"
by unnamedDBacksfan on Jul 26, 2009 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Good point.
sheesh, what is it with Arizona fans that we pick poor players to be our favorites and dog on and rip our superstars?
Criticize Amare, love Amundson. Makes sense.
It's a question of expectations,
and it’s not just an Arizona thing. It’s a sports fan thing.
"In the future, I want to be a fossil. Or, at least have my feces be fossilized"
-Pygalgia
On every team, you will
find that one player who defies all logic and expectations to which us, the common folks, can latch onto. I get that, I really do.
but you read comments on azcentral, other message boards, hear the talk on the sports shows of our fans just ripping to shreds the legitimate stars of the game, that some would rather have these poor (but fan favorite) players on the team over the super stars, home grown or not. I just don’t really get that, at all.
Maybe it’s because we are a small market for our teams, we tend to hear those fans with more regularity than we would in NY, LA, or Chicago…. I dunno.
"If there's nothing wrong with me, maybe there's something wrong with the universe!"
by unnamedDBacksfan on Jul 26, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Upton continues
to commit many fundemental errors in his outfield position. Yeah he has an arm but cmon bro. Stop hot dogging it. And please once the ball is on the field and stopped dont try and pick it up with your glove. Put your throwing hand on it and take a few seconds away from the runner. Sometimes he acts like a chick picking up a dead roach with a wad of paper towels.
If I see one more Eric Byrnes 'flip throw' I will shoot myself a whole bunch of times.
to repeat
a point i made in an earlier post: upton is ranked the #2 RF in the NL (using UZR, one of the best defensive metrics out there) and #3 in all of baseball.
the fact that he has flaws in his defensive game speaks to how truly great he can be…. but we shouldn’t forget how good he is right now.
"Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America."
-- Bruce Catton
he was moved up too fast
I’m always wittering on about how he didn’t learn the fundamentals.Still,it’s too late now,we can only hope he keeps on improving,Reynolds certainly has.Of course,an infielder gets more “goes” at the ball.No,I’m hopeful he will pick up his game,mad wall crawlers are all very well,but an ordinary,solid outfielder would suit me.HOTO
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the darkness at Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.
Butterfingers
I’ve seen Upton time and time again try to pick up the ball with his bare hand and miss! Probably because he takes his eye off the ball. Drives me batty!
Yeah...
a lot of times it seems like Upton looks to where he’s going to throw the ball before he quite has it.
"In the future, I want to be a fossil. Or, at least have my feces be fossilized"
-Pygalgia
i smack whoever is next to me when that happens
If I see one more Eric Byrnes 'flip throw' I will shoot myself a whole bunch of times.
THAT was you?
I thought you were making a pass at me! phew! had me worried
"If there's nothing wrong with me, maybe there's something wrong with the universe!"
by unnamedDBacksfan on Jul 26, 2009 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions
stop complaining
he has been our best offensive player this year, yet we just find ways to rag on him. We should be appreciative of what we are getting to see right now
Nice
to see fans rip a 21 year-old player who scouts say will be the next superstar in baseball. The guy obviously cares if you rippers have ever seen him play. Which ones of his teammates were in the big leagues at 21?
What were you guys doing at 21? Nice.
Go Diamondbacks!
sayheyupton and jup
you two are all up on Justin’s man bag.
There is no doubt that Justin Upton is having a great offensive season. But he has not proven that he will be a huge star, imo, just yet. Everyone here knows and has watched him make stupid errors, throws and other mistakes in his outfield role. Sure, you can say shit like “oh he is 21 durrrrr what were you doing when you were 21 hurrrrrrrr” and all of that. But Ive been watching him play Major League baseball for 3 seasons now. It’s not like he just got brought up from AAA this season. He’s been around.
If I see one more Eric Byrnes 'flip throw' I will shoot myself a whole bunch of times.
I do not hate Justin Upton.
I like his offense this season. Season. Not seasons.
If I see one more Eric Byrnes 'flip throw' I will shoot myself a whole bunch of times.
or masturbate
"In the future, I want to be a fossil. Or, at least have my feces be fossilized"
-Pygalgia
perspective, man… the constant “he’s 21 drum beat” isn’t just background noise. look through the anals of baseball history and try to find an offensive season that matches upton’s at age 21. you’re going to find fewer than a dozen. of course there is no guarantee that he’s going to be a huge star. there is never a guarantee. but in terms of not merely potential, but production, the guy has elevated himself into the highest of classes (in our era, the only real comparison is a-rod)… and there are no two ways around that.
"Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America."
-- Bruce Catton
misspelled “annals” again. what an idiot am i…
"Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America."
-- Bruce Catton
Yeah.....
you’re gonna have to give me at LEAST one latex glove before I look through the anals of baseball history.
"In the future, I want to be a fossil. Or, at least have my feces be fossilized"
-Pygalgia
by DbacksSkins on Jul 28, 2009 12:31 AM EDT up reply actions
No way, dude.
I’m mildly OCD-ish.
"In the future, I want to be a fossil. Or, at least have my feces be fossilized"
-Pygalgia
I am so sick
of people bashing upton. this guy could be the next ken griffey jr….. he’s one of the best right fielders in the game, offensively and defensively, and he’s still a work in progress! how about we focus our attention on players that actually suck, like augie ojeda, or yusmeiro petit?
"When fascism comes to this country, it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross" - Upton Sinclair
by C. Wesley Baier on Jul 30, 2009 12:29 PM EDT reply actions
Could.
He has potential. But he has to develop. And part of his development has to be fundementals.
No one is bashing him, at least I am not. I think this season he has really picked up on his hitting etc. But dood cmon, youve seen him out their in the field and sometimes he just looks like he has no idea what he is doing.
And guys like Ojeda and Petit dont have threads like these because no one is holding them up to such high standards.
Upton has been around now. He isnt a rookie. You have to stop using that excuse. Either someone on the coaching staff isnt teaching it to him or he isnt listening.
I laugh until my head comes off.
Well, I suppose
the question is whether, if Upton never improved his fielding, you would want him playing RF for you.
I say, abso****inglutely, but then again, I’m a Dbacks fan, and I’m sick of watching my offense lose games, and Upton is generally slated to be one of the best hitters in the game over the next decade or so.
He’s also got a howitzer of an arm, so even when he screws up in taking a bad angle or missing a catch, he’s one of the guys who can (almost) compensate for it. But he has also got the best range on the team. I almost think that works against him a bit — in that, he can get to a ton of balls that other RFs can’t, and he may screw up once he gets there….. but nobody is going to forgive him when that happens.
Honestly, between the arm and the range, I can see Upton being a Gold Glove candidate over the next few years.
"In the future, I want to be a fossil. Or, at least have my feces be fossilized"
-Pygalgia
C'mon.
That WAS kinda funny.
"In the future, I want to be a fossil. Or, at least have my feces be fossilized"
-Pygalgia
LOL
"If there's nothing wrong with me, maybe there's something wrong with the universe!"
by unnamedDBacksfan on Jul 31, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions
+1000
Petit gets criticized here, but Augie doesn’t. (Probably because he’s like 4 feet tall)
"In the future, I want to be a fossil. Or, at least have my feces be fossilized"
-Pygalgia
Come on, Phil.
You know that if Augie’s 4 ft tall, that makes you 3’ and some change? :-)
by emilylovesthedbacks on Aug 3, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions
this is Arizona
to hell with talent and budding superstars! We’ll take a scrappy minor leaguer any day!
"If there's nothing wrong with me, maybe there's something wrong with the universe!"
by unnamedDBacksfan on Jul 31, 2009 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Augie
Hey, I will admit first and foremost that my guy is sucking. I am wondering what’s wrong with him but have also noticed a couple things when watching him takie batting practice. If I were Jack Howell, I would make suggestions to him and help him out, but since I am not Jack, I can’t suggest anything to him!
Now I am not trying to bag on J-Up, because he has done well. But yes, he DOES need to correct his mental mistakes. He does look as if the wall will crash on him when a ball gets hit out there. He does look rather timid. He has some improvements to make…ALL the players on the team do!
"AUGIE AUGIE AUGIE...OY OY OY!"
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