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Hustle Questions Persist, But Upton's Not Running

Tribune photo by CHRIS URSO

B.J. Upton reacts after his pop fly in the fifth inning.

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By JOE HENDERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 23, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - It was nearly 1 a.m. when B.J. Upton appeared at his locker Thursday. Most of his Rays' teammates had already been quizzed about the 3-2 loss to Philadelphia in Game 1 of the World Series, and the clubhouse was beginning to clear, but a large group of reporters waited to hear what Upton had to say because, as usual, he had been a focal point of the game.

It wasn't the way he would have wanted to make his World Series debut, although he did have a nice throw from center field to cut down Shane Victorino at home, saving a run. At the plate though, it wasn't good. He went hitless in four at-bats. He hit into double plays his first two times up.

And then there was that thing that follows Upton continually: the hustle issue.

Fox television showed many replays of Upton's runs to first base on the double plays. He was easily out both times, so it's implied he wasn't hustling as hard as he should have been. I'm not buying that one, by the way. Although Upton's effort has been justifiably questioned at times this season, he had no chance on either one this time.

He was jammed by a good pitch from Cole Hamels the first time and was off balance in the box as second baseman Chase Utley started the double play.

And on the second one, the bases were loaded with one out when he scorched a pitch from Hamels toward third baseman Pedro Feliz, who made a nice stop. The ball was hit so hard Upton barely had time to drop the bat before the play was over.

He became the first player since Graig Nettles in 1976 to hit into double plays his first two times at-bat in the Series. Now, consider that he hit into only 13 double plays in 577 at-bats this season. Kind of a fluke.

Because of who he is, though, the questions came at him.

"Did you run as hard as you could on the first double play," one guy asked?

Upton's expression didn't change.

"Yeah, I did actually, but it was right at him – a tailor-made double play," he said.

After a few more questions about game stuff, he was asked about the second double play. Were you running hard on that one, too?

He laughed.

"Yeah, I was," he said. "It was a one-hop line drive to him. The ball was at second base before I could get out of the box."

We have seen the ascension of Upton from a talented young player into a potential superstar this fall with seven home runs in the postseason, but there's always going to be this question about how much effort he's really putting into it all.

He brought it on himself, of course, with two public benchings that drew national attention. And although there hasn't been a problem since that time, in this age of 24/7 sports news coverage, it's a hard image to break.

"Whatever," he said with a shrug. "It is what it is. It's part of the gig."

I think Upton is one of those rare athletes with so much speed that he can actually look like he's dogging it, if that makes any sense. He doesn't run so much as he glides. He swallows space with strides that can seem effortless but are actually efficient. And his personality can be interpreted – misinterpreted, I think – for a lack of passion.

He is normally a polite, if guarded, interview. He'll answer questions with a sentence, maybe two if he's in an expansive mood. It's who he is. It's what he did this time.

After the throng left his locker, I asked whether had gotten weary of the questions and the scrutiny and judgments about how much effort he is putting into his job.

"No, not at all," he said.

Really?

"Really."

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised by that answer. A lot of players would bristle at the mere suggestion they weren't trying as hard as they should, but B.J. Upton is not most players.

We'll probably never get to really know him, but I'm sure he wants it that way.

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