ATL Sports: Braves Land B.J. Upton

[SoCalFalconFan]

ESPN

Free-agent outfielder B.J. Upton has agreed to a five-year deal worth $75.25 million with the Atlanta Braves, pending a physical, a baseball source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick on Wednesday.

Upton has spent his entire eight-year career with the Tampa Bay Rays. He batted .246 with 28 home runs, 78 RBIs and 31 stolen bases last season. He's averaged .255, 20 homers, 75 RBIs and 39 steals per season.

The Rays just gave third baseman Evan Longoria a six-year contract extension worth $100 million, but the team was in the bottom third of the league in payroll last season and was not expected to be able to afford Upton.
This is a great thing for the Braves, in my opinion! Awesome!

[Aftermath]

overpaid

[AsylumGuido]

As most of you probably don't know, I am a longtime Braves fan. Even before they moved to Atlanta. Upton has a history of under-performing. He has tons of talent but hasn't been consistent enough to be worth a contract of this stature. Hopefully he'll step it up. I hold final judgement until around May next year.

[SoCalFalconFan]

(11-28-2012 08:03 PM)AsylumGuido Wrote:  As most of you probably don't know, I am a longtime Braves fan. Even before they moved to Atlanta. Upton has a history of under-performing. He has tons of talent but hasn't been consistent enough to be worth a contract of this stature. Hopefully he'll step it up. I hold final judgement until around May next year.

Bourne is older and doesn't translate as well as Upton does into the later years of his career. I'll take a speedy, 30/30 guy who strikes out a lot over pure speed, leadoff guy.

[ViperXX79]

The going rate for OF's is 4-5 million per WAR. Upton's contract is fine. It's Bourne who is going to get a contract that is incredibly overpaid.

[TonyGraziani]

(11-28-2012 08:03 PM)AsylumGuido Wrote:  I am a longtime Braves fan. Even before they moved to Atlanta.

Damn Guido, how old are you??

EDIT: I forgot that we used to play in Milwaukee, I was thinking of our time in Boston. Either way, the aints are still gettin their fuckin asses whooped tonight.... sir.

[AsylumGuido]

(11-29-2012 08:28 AM)TonyGraziani Wrote:  Damn Guido, how old are you??

EDIT: I forgot that we used to play in Milwaukee, I was thinking of our time in Boston. Either way, the aints are still gettin their fuckin asses whooped tonight.... sir.

I am 55. I know I still have a few Milwaukee Braves cards put away. I'll see if I can dig them up while I am still on post-surgery "vacation".

[sonnyjim]

(11-29-2012 02:16 PM)AsylumGuido Wrote:  I am 55. I know I still have a few Milwaukee Braves cards put away. I'll see if I can dig them up while I am still on post-surgery "vacation".

I take it you are planning to have some Falcon footware surgically removed tomorrow.

I'll trade you a Joe Adcock and an Eddie Mathews for a Warren Spahn.

[keithbrooking56]

I'd rather have Bourne a true lead off hitter vs a guy that hits so poorly.

[AsylumGuido]

(11-29-2012 02:51 PM)sonnyjim Wrote:  I take it you are planning to have some Falcon footware surgically removed tomorrow.

I'll trade you a Joe Adcock and an Eddie Mathews for a Warren Spahn.

The only thing that may need to be surgically removed will be the smile on my face when hitwriter puts up the new sig.

Oh, and if I had a Spahn I wouldn't trade it. I do, of course, have an Eddie Matthews and a Hank Aaron.