TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Rays' Upton Progressing Better Than Expected

ADVERTISEMENT

By TONY FABRIZIO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 18, 2009

PORT CHARLOTTE Maybe the Rays won't have to worry about filling in for B.J. Upton when the season opens April 6 in Boston.

At the very least, the fleet center fielder appears on pace to play in the home-opening series against the Yankees the following week.

Continuing to progress from November shoulder surgery, Upton played three innings in center field in a Class A minor-league game Wednesday, fielding one ground ball. He did not bat in the game but took batting practice with the Rays before their 7-3 Grapefruit League victory against Cincinnati.

Upton will play in another minor league game Thursday – as the designated hitter for either Class-AAA Durham or Class-AA Montgomery - and will bat two or three times, the Rays said.

"He came through [Wednesday] well," manager Joe Maddon said. "I guess he had to make one play. But he felt good, so we're going to have him hit in that game [Thursday]."

Class-A Charlotte trotted out an interesting outfield against Sarasota behind the main stadium. Adam Kennedy, a former major-league second baseman hoping to make the Rays as a utility man, started in left. Upton played center, and fellow Rays roster hopeful Matt Joyce, working through lower-leg tendinitis, played right.

Upton made a quick exit after his three innings and was not available for comment, but Joyce said Upton told him that his legs – like his own – felt like Jell-O. Both were playing the field for the first time this spring.

"It's funny, just throwing with the guy, you can tell he has an absolute cannon," Joyce said of Upton. "I mean, he doesn't even try to throw it and the ball is on a line. I'm like, 'That's not even fair, man.'"

Maddon said the idea to start playing Upton in some minor-league games came from Rays trainer Ron Porterfield. Upton's workout routine was finishing at around noon, and Porterfield reasoned that the 24-year-old could start building his stamina by staying on his feet longer.

Even with Fernando Perez out for three months with a dislocated wrist, the Rays have options in center field if Upton isn't ready. Gabe Kapler, who is projected to platoon in right, can play center, as can super utility man Ben Zobrist.

Kapler and Zobrist have had slow starts this spring, batting .143 and .156, respectively.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT