Buzz: Teams expect Rays to trade OF BJ Upton
Yesterday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post said Omar Minaya might be planning to trade mid-level prospects for other team’s overpriced commodities.
In a post for NY Baseball Digest, Mike Silva explains why, “That should send a chill down the spine of every Mets fan.”
Instead, Silva suggests the Mets buy low on young players who may be out of favor, and expensive, to their current team, such as Rays OF B.J. Upton.
Buster Olney of ESPN.com recently said the Rays might listen to offers for Upton, who Bob Nightingale of USA Today said teams feel might eventually be traded.
The 25–year-old Upton hit .300 with 24 HR in 2007, but hit just .241 with 11 HR this season.
…his numbers are strange… he had between 45 and 50 extra base hits each of his first three seasons, however most of them were home runs in 2007, when batting mostly from the middle of the order, while he had less home runs but more doubles in 2009, when he hit most often from the leadoff position… in either case, he is striking out more and walking less, but stealing more and hitting more doubles and triples… like i said, strange…
…anyway, he’s clearly an exciting, impressive young player, with a ton of talent and raw skills… and, at 25 and still under contract for the next three seasons, he is a player i bet most every team will consider…
Upton will be eligible for arbitration for the first time this off season, and is not able to be a free agent until 2013.
Upton grew up in coastal Virginia and played baseball in the same community as David Wright, Mark Reynolds and Ryan Zimmerman, all of whom played together on the same summer travel team while in high school.
By the way, though he played only center field this season and last, Upton played 48 games at second base for the Rays in 2007.
