Let's All Gather Around and Throw Rocks at B.J. Upton
by R.J. Anderson on Aug 11, 2009 12:04 PM EDT
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PrintCan we put an end to stupid articles like this?
Yes, B.J. looks awful, horrible, atrocious at the plate right now. Nobody can argue against that.
Yes, B.J. is fantastic, wonderful, amazing at defense. Nobody can argue against that.
Yes, B.J. has a track record of being one of the best players on this team over the last two years. Nobody can argue against that.
No, he didn't whine. Here is the quote in question:
"It's almost like a kick in the face," Upton said.
"To go from being a leadoff guy and last year hitting (No.) 2, 3, maybe 4 ... it's just like I'm back where I started (as a 19-year-old rookie). I was in the 9-hole, the 8-hole and kind of worked my way up," Upton said. "I know I'm not a 9-hitter. I know I'm not a bottom-of-the-order type of guy."
"I'm not going to let this go on for too much longer," he said. "I'm in here every day working on what I need to work on trying to get it right. It's just not working. When it starts working, you know what's going to happen. I'll work my way back up again
Maybe Upton should've used the term "wake-up call" rather than "kick in face", but holy smokes. We evaluate players - or we should at least - from what they do offensively and defensively. I know Shelton would be caught next to a burning orphanage with gasoline in hand rather than on a FanGraphs page, but Upton is worth 1.8 WAR right now. That's more than Carlos Pena and Pat Burrell. Yet when they get demoted in the lineup, nobody writes "PENA MAD ABOUT DEMOTION".
That's equal to the amount of WAR the Jason Bartlett had last year, and he won team MVP. But again, I know most of the media members in this town have no interest in WAR, because, you know, baseball is the one place you can claim ignorance of the newest evaluation tools and treat it like a badge. So it doesn't surprise me all too much that his defense goes without mention, except that he makes some ridiculous plays that mirror what Bartlett did last year.
The sensationalist journalism about B.J. in this town is a joke. He can't win. If he doesn't talk to them then he gets labeled egotistical, if he does, they run with his quotes out of context.
Upton might be the only murderer without a victim, but by heavens is the media doing its best job to change that. In fact, they'd probably let him use their hatchet.
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So, yea
basically what R.J. said.
www.draysbay.com
by Tommy Rancel on Aug 11, 2009 12:10 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
One of you needs to dress this up and send it to the Times as a rebuttal.
See if they’ll actually publish it.
So they can call us "various chatter" or "keyboard analysts"?
by R.J. Anderson on Aug 11, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions
"Certain basement dwellers"
Into the Wall : Sarcasm for the Soccer Guy
by ReasonableDoubt on Aug 11, 2009 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Actually
If you feel like expanding this article as a reasoned argument, and taking a quick moment to explain WAR to the common fan, I will see to it that the article is delivered directly to the managing editor, and should have a better than decent chance to be published.
The Times is run by a socialist/liberal think-tank.
They only publish what will make them look better. Thank God newspaper is a dying medium and POS writers like Shelton will have to face people who are actuall smarter than him online. Of course I would rather see him pump gas than write on the internet for a living.
Sign lady must die.
by EminenceFront on Aug 11, 2009 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't know I like my car the way it is
His incendiary tongue might turn the nozzle into a 30 ft flame thrower.
I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.
by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 11, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions
What I love is that Shelton admits that he was only "answering a question".
I want to know what this question was? Or are you going to leave it a mystery therefore taking it out of context against BJ.
Shelton is a cunt.
Sign lady must die.
by EminenceFront on Aug 11, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions
socialist/liberal think-tank
The girls left. According to one patron, Hamilton, piss-drunk by that point, asked the manager where he could buy blow. The manager didn't know. "Let's go to a strip club," Hamilton said. Someone drove Hamilton to Les Girls in Phoenix, Arizona.
by Top Gun Numba 1 on Aug 11, 2009 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Stated goals of the Pointer Family:
1) Make you stand in bread line for days
2) Turn your children gay
The girls left. According to one patron, Hamilton, piss-drunk by that point, asked the manager where he could buy blow. The manager didn't know. "Let's go to a strip club," Hamilton said. Someone drove Hamilton to Les Girls in Phoenix, Arizona.
by Top Gun Numba 1 on Aug 11, 2009 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Poynter*
And they most definitely do not have final say on what is printed in the paper.
Paul Tash routinely bangs his shoe on the table in all meetings
All editions of the paper are printed on recycled bibles.
Most modern artists depict the St Pete Times as a giant octopus wrapping its tentacles around the globe.
Howard Troxler will be assassinated in Mexico City with a poison umbrella
The girls left. According to one patron, Hamilton, piss-drunk by that point, asked the manager where he could buy blow. The manager didn't know. "Let's go to a strip club," Hamilton said. Someone drove Hamilton to Les Girls in Phoenix, Arizona.
by Top Gun Numba 1 on Aug 11, 2009 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Your newsletter, I must subscribe to it.
Sign lady must die.
by EminenceFront on Aug 11, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions
The St Petersburg Times was orginally called The Kenyan Workers Journal/Sentinal
All internal communications at the Times refer to Central Ave as “The Iron Curtain”
The girls left. According to one patron, Hamilton, piss-drunk by that point, asked the manager where he could buy blow. The manager didn't know. "Let's go to a strip club," Hamilton said. Someone drove Hamilton to Les Girls in Phoenix, Arizona.
by Top Gun Numba 1 on Aug 11, 2009 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The "Letters to the Editor" page is know around the offices as Glasnost
The girls left. According to one patron, Hamilton, piss-drunk by that point, asked the manager where he could buy blow. The manager didn't know. "Let's go to a strip club," Hamilton said. Someone drove Hamilton to Les Girls in Phoenix, Arizona.
by Top Gun Numba 1 on Aug 11, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The spirit of the Times co-operation with Catch 47 could best be described as perestroika
The girls left. According to one patron, Hamilton, piss-drunk by that point, asked the manager where he could buy blow. The manager didn't know. "Let's go to a strip club," Hamilton said. Someone drove Hamilton to Les Girls in Phoenix, Arizona.
by Top Gun Numba 1 on Aug 11, 2009 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Maybe you should take a detente
I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.
by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 11, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Actually, that's what the Times refers to meetings with advertisers as
The girls left. According to one patron, Hamilton, piss-drunk by that point, asked the manager where he could buy blow. The manager didn't know. "Let's go to a strip club," Hamilton said. Someone drove Hamilton to Les Girls in Phoenix, Arizona.
by Top Gun Numba 1 on Aug 11, 2009 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Rick Baker to St Pete Times leadership:
MR TASH, TEAR DOWN THAT 2ND PARKING LOT ON 4TH
The girls left. According to one patron, Hamilton, piss-drunk by that point, asked the manager where he could buy blow. The manager didn't know. "Let's go to a strip club," Hamilton said. Someone drove Hamilton to Les Girls in Phoenix, Arizona.
by Top Gun Numba 1 on Aug 11, 2009 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
Bill Maxwell retired from the Times to pen the shocking depiction of life in the news room:
Gulag Inkapelago
The girls left. According to one patron, Hamilton, piss-drunk by that point, asked the manager where he could buy blow. The manager didn't know. "Let's go to a strip club," Hamilton said. Someone drove Hamilton to Les Girls in Phoenix, Arizona.
by Top Gun Numba 1 on Aug 11, 2009 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
One Day in the Life of Mark Topkin.
Sign lady must die.
by EminenceFront on Aug 11, 2009 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Several beat writers escaped opression at the Times to form Kibbutzim in Sarasota
The girls left. According to one patron, Hamilton, piss-drunk by that point, asked the manager where he could buy blow. The manager didn't know. "Let's go to a strip club," Hamilton said. Someone drove Hamilton to Les Girls in Phoenix, Arizona.
by Top Gun Numba 1 on Aug 11, 2009 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Gary Shelton's office is nicknamed the Kremlin.
Sign lady must die.
by EminenceFront on Aug 11, 2009 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions
The Bigger Question here is...
Where do Jon BRett and Socialism coincide?
by BigBadBossman on Aug 11, 2009 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions
"All editions of the paper are printed on recycled bibles."
One of the funniest things I’ve read in awhile. Nice.
Delmon Young is a big fan of Delmon Young. - Jonny Gomes
That sounds like an amazing agenda.
Sign lady must die.
by EminenceFront on Aug 11, 2009 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah Scandinavia sucks
What with their long lives, low poverty/crime, and high productivity.
I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.
by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 11, 2009 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Name me one war Scandinavia has won in the last, I don't know, existence.
Didn’t think so.
So long, Sweet Lime!
by PlayOnWords on Aug 11, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah that sucks
Being invaded by jealous aggressors who should steal their political structure instead of their land.
I don’t think you’d fuck with these guys:
I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.
by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 11, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Suomossalmi?
"In the future, I want to be a fossil. Or, at least have my feces be fossilized"
-Pygalgia
The Great Northern War? Gustavus Adolphus?
"In the future, I want to be a fossil. Or, at least have my feces be fossilized"
-Pygalgia
Our own coup began roughly 8 months ago under the guise of an ecomomic crisis
We’ll be there sooner rather than later.
I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.
by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 11, 2009 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions
We should legalize marijuana to ease the transition.
So long, Sweet Lime!
by PlayOnWords on Aug 11, 2009 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Just turn the black market cost increase into a tax increase and the price should not fluctuate
and our nation can fill our coffers while kicking back to Marley’s and being overrun by outside forces. I’m cool with this until the Others arrive.
I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.
by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 11, 2009 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions
The author takes a more reserved/rational view later in the article, but why bust out the hyperbole and fact-bending in the first place?
Beyond the Boxscore Not a member? Sign up.
Because the first paragraph determines whether or not someone will read the article.
The only people who still read the newspaper these days are rednecks and other assorted idiots.
Into the Wall : Sarcasm for the Soccer Guy
by ReasonableDoubt on Aug 11, 2009 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions
He covered that with assorted idiots
I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.
by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 11, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions
i have no problem with what RJ said, and have no problem with what Shelton said, they are both opinion,
the only thing i take umbrage with is the double standard applied to CC that RJ seems to be completely blind to, don’t make excuses for Upton’s verbiage but hold CC to his.
When Maddon has to resort to playing Delmon Young in CF because of Upton's verbiage, let me know.
by R.J. Anderson on Aug 11, 2009 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions
He's a dying medium.
Sign lady must die.
by EminenceFront on Aug 11, 2009 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Director's cut is better.
So long, Sweet Lime!
by PlayOnWords on Aug 11, 2009 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions
In the words of Reggie Jackson
“People don’t boo nobodies”
So he isnt having the greatest offensive season…get off his back.
If R.J. was ever on his back I doubt he would get off
Swav or Die (>'-')> <('-')> <('-'<)
For the lulz
Truth be told if someone isn't upset with the way BJs is hitting then they'd never be upset at anything in baseball
He is entering Navarroville
Can David Ortiz please send Dioner Navarro some of his PED's? K? Thanks
My only thing is defense is easy to find and real cheap...
Right now Upton is an all defense, no offense type player. Couldn’t Perez and Jennings do the exact same thing? Perhaps with more offense?
This is why I’m opposed to paying players due to their defense. It is so easy to find.
Although i think Upton will eventually turn it around. He has tons of talent. It is just a matter of getting his mechanics right. Most people (Sileo, Shelton, Duemig) think its a mental thing. I don’t. I think BJs mental game is very strong. The problem is his mechanics. His swing is totally out of whack. He needs to visit BenZo’s guy.
Can David Ortiz please send Dioner Navarro some of his PED's? K? Thanks
BJ is real cheap too...
moving Deezy up three levels in one year doesn’t seem the greatest idea.
Boom. Outta Here.
by Ryan Gilliss on Aug 11, 2009 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions
I never get the mental thing arguement.
People love to bring it up about Kaz or Upton, but you can’t prove it one way or another it’s just a load of horseshit.
I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.
by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 11, 2009 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions
tell that to every sports psychiatrist out there
also tell it to matt fucking garza, i’m sure he’ll agree the mental arguement is jsut a load of horseshit. please…
Yeah, he's really stayed under control this year.
Oh, wait, no, he still freaks out every time he fucks up.
Garza I can understand and he is obvious about it
Saying bs like that about Kaz when he’s cool as a cuke out there is garbage. I hear this in actual conversation from mouth-breathers all the time.
I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.
by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 11, 2009 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Saying someone has a weak mental game is pretty dumb
How do they know? If they are implying that a person doesn’t have a solid grasp of the fundamentals then say that. If they are implying that the person is half-retarded then say that. Don’t cut it down the middle with some all-encompassing statement that says nothing and offends all. He’s a journalist making loot for crying out loud, do your due diligence.
I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.
by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 11, 2009 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions
you are right that it can mean a plethora of things, but that hardly takes away from it's accuracy
saying garza has a problem with the controlling his anger aspect of the mental side of the game is accurate. some players lose confidence, some players over-think, etc… you ever hear a player talk about how they can’t think about their mechanics while they’re at the plate, it just has to be second nature? well that’s big part of the mental side of the game, over-thinking, and it’s what a lot of players reference when they get into a slump and a reason they also reference as to while they’re still in a slump. regardless of whether you are able to 100% pinpoint which aspect of the mental game is in play in any particular incident, it is still there and still very much in huge part of the game.
I read that article this morning
and began to spit nails I was so mad. And my reason was exactly what you said; the entire quotation was taken out of context so as to mean the very opposite of what Upton actually said.
We should be praising Upton for taking full responsibility and vowing to EARN back his spot higher in the lineup. We should be thrilled that he retains his confidence in his ability and is not depressed or moody. Instead, Shelton (and he is not alone. I have responded to a number of comments on other sites) completely misrepresents what Upton said and then builds a column around it.
As you know, I ordinarily defend the local columnists. I think they do a terrific job and in the cases of Topkin and Romano have shown some respect for advanced thinking even if they have not really adopted it. I think they could maintain their traditional approach and still do more to educate their readers without losing that audience. But given their starting point, I admire their work. This, however, is just plain bad-and dishonest.
Where the heck have you been?
These guys have an agenda, always have and always will. This isn’t the first time there has been dishonesty, and shame on you for not seeing it much sooner. You of all should have seen this coming.
Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!
How does BJ go from hitting .324 in June to below .200 in July/August anyway?
Obviously it’s not his shoulder screwing with his mechanics because he wouldn’t start miraculously driving the ball and then go back to sucking again if that were the case. It has to be entirely mental.
if he re injured his shoulder than it is entirely possible
It doesn’t take a genius to see that he his swing is focused to much in his hands and forearms and not enough in his shoulders right now so he isn’t driving the ball. Now, I obviously have absolutely no idea that he did in fact re-injure his shoulder, but I would not be surprised.
I'm w/ you BJ
just traded for him today in fantasy land without giving much, worth a shot if he gets hot.
I think Jennings will be the eventual answer
How many more seasons can we put up with BJ? We all know he is a talent and has great speed and defense, but has he done enough for us to spend millions on a player with a bad swing? I doubt it. I am not sure how patient we can continue with this when his arbitration comes up.
Playoffs
today on the radio they were talking about BJ and all i kept hearing is what he did for us in the playoffs. and that was great and all, but i would rather have a player play for 162 games to get us to the playoffs then just show up for them. i say give him a week off. i think his should is still bothering him, so let him rest up and maybe bring up joyce to fill in some in the outfield.
yeah
he got hot in the playoffs and we hit a lot of HRs then, but that BJ is nowhere to be seen this year. I think he needs to sit for a few days to clear his head.
by sofladude77 on Aug 12, 2009 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions
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