Justin Upton - Steve Blass Disease?

by tribescribe on Mar 10, 2005 5:13 PM EST

From Peter Gammons' ESPN column regarding Ankiel and Steve Blass Disease:

"It drove one very smart, personable and talented pitcher to the National Football League and has sent perhaps the best prospect in this year's draft from shortstop to the outfield."

The first reference is apparently to Chad Hutchinson, but is the second to Justin Upton? I heard he had struggled defensively at SS like his brother, but had not heard about a move to the OF. Perhaps Gammons meant someone else?

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Justin Upton

Must be, first I've heard of that so definitively. With Drew (likely) and Santos in the organization and a need for a long term answer in CF, this would fit for the Dbacks anyway.

by lambtwo on Mar 10, 2005 5:25 PM EST reply actions

BJ Upton

BJ certainly has defeinsive problems and the Rays have considered the move, I wonder if Gammons just got his Uptons or years mixed up (I hear that happens when you get old).

by IBCCommish on Mar 10, 2005 5:39 PM EST reply actions

The younger Upton

I've heard numerous reports that Justin is every bit as bad defensively (good range - poor reliability) as is B.J. I've also heard, in the same reports, that Justin had enough athleticism and hitting ability to be #1 overall as an OF.

-peter

by PeterF on Mar 10, 2005 6:44 PM EST reply actions

upton

This fits in with the reports I have heard...Justin, like B.J., is an unreliable fielder, but a terrific all-around athlete and an excellent hitter.

by John Sickels on Mar 10, 2005 7:13 PM EST reply actions

i'm confused

justin upton hasn't been moved to the outfield yet, so the comment can't possibly be about him.

maybe gammons was talking about cameron maybin?

by jpahk on Mar 10, 2005 7:34 PM EST reply actions

Justin has been moved

...to the OF - though not 100% of time on his HS team. Presumably, they have a pitcher/part-time-SS and Justin plays OF when he's at short...

-peter

by PeterF on Mar 14, 2005 5:33 PM EST up reply actions

I think

I think it's Upton. Gammons always knows things we don't, and perhaps Upton made an unofficial decision to move to the outfield because of this disease. I don't think Cameron Maybin was ever a shortstop.

by ohad @ Minor League Ball on Mar 11, 2005 5:35 AM EST reply actions

Except...

...that it's not really Steve Blass Disease. Or at least I always thought that saying someone has Steve Blass Disease implies that they actually had control at one point. Upton never had good control, he just has bad control. Plus, when it's a fielder and not a pitcher, usually it's called Steve Sax disease, not Steve Blass disease...

by Brickhaus on Mar 11, 2005 8:15 AM EST reply actions

Hmm

I wanna know what Upton's SKILLS are like. He sounds like hes the second coming as an athlete, but I wonder if the guy is half the hitter his brother is.

by SenorGato88 on Mar 11, 2005 6:44 PM EST reply actions

Upton vs Maybin

From what I have heard, Justin is stronger and faster than BJ, but is not as polished defensively. The fact that people are talking about him as a CFer already is telling. People didn't start seriously questioning BJ until he was further along, I think.

I have to wonder if Justin Upton isn't a little overhyped at this point. Clearly, he has been under the microscope more than most highshool players, with a lot of that early attention the result of the attention his brother recieved. As a SS, Upton would be an asset offensively, but moving him to CF would have to weaken his status a bit.

If they are both OF prospects, I have to wonder if Maybin isn't just as good. Maybin is also a gifted athlete, and has a lot more power potential. Maybin will be getting a lot of attention from scouts this year, and a good showing could help him narrow the gap with Upton in the draft. People say that Maybin isn't as polished as Upton, or other highschool hitters like Delmon Young. However, Maybin still has one year to show what he can do in highschool, and I am not sure that Upton is a better player. Maybine seems like he has the edge as far as makeup, and if his power potential might be the deciding factor. A little more time with a wood bat in front of scouts will also help.

Obviously, the draft order could be influenced a lot by salary demands. I haven't heard anything about who these guys might be represented by, but if Boras gets involved with either it could really effect which teams these guys go to. On the other hand, Arizona and Seattle both have high picks, and both have money to spend.

It will be interesting to see how the draft order and opinions develops over the next few months.

by Jerry @ Minor League Ball on Mar 12, 2005 2:57 PM EST reply actions

in the Draft Report from B.A. he's listed as...

In the draft issue from Baseball America they list Upton as a SS/OF, so I'd be pretty certain it is him.

As to Upton's skills, he's got a bunch. Don't have anything with the 80 scale on it in front of me; but I've heard he's a "plus-plus" hitter and should be even better with the bat than his brother.

Is he over-hyped? Of course. He's like Steve Alford from "Season on the Brink." He was BA's top 12-year-old and then his brother is grabbed as a first-rounder and becomes a dandy prospect; so he becomes a major prospect.

Unless he signs with Boras, Upton will be drafted No.1 by Arizona.

by rockies73 on Mar 14, 2005 4:45 PM EST reply actions