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Upton Struggling To Find Way

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By MARC LANCASTER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 19, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - For a while now, B.J. Upton hasn't felt right at the plate. And even when he collected two of the Rays' four hits in their first game at Yankee Stadium last week, he knew he hadn't found his way out of the woods.

"It's still not the way I know I'm supposed to hit the ball," Upton said Friday. "You're going to get your knocks, but I expect a little bit more out of myself. I've been missing too many good pitches to hit and you can't do that in this league. I've been leaving guys on base while getting good pitches to hit at the same time, and to me, that just can't happen."

Last weekend in Cleveland, he got a day off to work through some things with his swing after getting some tips from Manager Joe Maddon. Maddon characterized them as minor adjustments, just a couple of things Upton had done in the past but strayed from lately.

Upton said the crux of it is he wants to be using his hands more in his swing, allowing him to extend and drive the ball more effectively.

It's nothing he's terribly worried about, he said - just one of those minute adjustments players make during a season.

"A lot of things that guys struggle with in this game are just so little," Upton said. "But in this game, the littlest things can put you in a funk."

Friday didn't bring any immediate answers. Upton went 0-for-4, fanning three times.

KAZMIR ON HOLD: The Rays decided to push Scott Kazmir's first start of the second half back one more day. He'll get the ball Monday against Oakland, with Edwin Jackson starting Sunday.

PERCIVAL PREPARED: Troy Percival got straight to the point when asked Friday how he was feeling a day after a 30-pitch live batting practice session.

"I feel perfect," he said.

Nonetheless, the Rays wanted Percival to get checked out by team physician Koco Eaton before clearing him to return.

STERNBERG VISITS: Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg, who visited Tropicana Field on Friday, admitted to a certain amount of nervous excitement before each game that hadn't been there in the past.

"There's been a nervous energy level for every game leading up to now, and this is just another signpost," Sternberg said. "The games have been very meaningful up to this point, and hopefully we can be sitting here a month from now and a month after that saying the same thing."

SIGNING BONUS: Kazmir, James Shields, Jason Bartlett and Jason Hammel are scheduled to sign autographs at the International Plaza Rays Kids Zone from 11 a.m.-noon today. Later, Kazmir, Evan Longoria and Dioner Navarro will be available for autographs from 4:35-5:05 at Tropicana Field.

NOTEWORTHY: Despite a Denver Post report to the contrary, the Rays are not believed to have any interest in Rockies CF Willy Taveras or SS Clint Barmes. ... Rocco Baldelli homered Friday for Montgomery. ... FSN Florida picked up the Rays' Aug. 17 game at Texas as a replacement for the Aug. 23 game at the White Sox that will be televised nationally by Fox.

Marc Lancaster

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