B. J. Upton looking to capitalise on free time by improving swing
B. J. Upton is regarded as one of the top players in the Tampa Bay Rays side. It goes without saying that the power hitter was one of the defining reasons why the clubhouse triumphed in the 2008 World Series. However, Upton’s potential just seems to grow.
Although his performances come with certain deviations, the centre fielder is regarded as one of the rising stars in Major League Baseball (MLB). While critics tend to have different opinions about the player, they do agree on one fact; Upton’s uncapped talents.
The Tampa Bay Rays will be without Carlos Pena, Jason Bartlett, Carl Crawford, Matt Garza and Shaun Marcum in 2011. All the players moved out of the club in the winter break, and that puts a lot of responsibility on a player like B. J. Upton, and the outfielder
will be looking to make an impact with his swings when the new season arrives.
The critics however will point out his strikeouts to walks ratio. The player cumulated 67 walks and 164 strikeouts last season. In addition to that, his on base percentage topped at .322 while his batting average was as low as .237.
However, the upside about Upton is his fielding. The player spots the shallowest positions in centre field, while his batting performance presented various benefits to the club. B. J. Upton carried forth 60 extra base hits and 42 base steals during the season.
This shows his athleticism on the field. Manager Joe Maddon commented on the player’s game and talked about his ‘swings’.
"His problems are rooted more mechanically. ... He does what he does. He's busy, he swings. When he learns what he's doing better, and he's able to eradicate these things and get more concise, (he'll improve at the plate). Physically, you're going to see
better production. He's been a better base runner, a better outfielder (and making) better decisions running the bases. His arm's fine. All this other part of his game has gone much better. The batting, the average and the home runs, etc., that's going to
come."
Upton was up to the task of commenting on his performance last season. He reiterated his stance on improving his mechanics during the off-season period. Tweaking his ability on the field will enable him to do more for the club.
"It's tough to make adjustments during the season," Upton said. "Obviously, the average and the strikeouts weren't where I want them to be. I just have to live with that right now. That's done with. I've got to move on and feel like I'm moving in the right
direction."
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