Upton hitless in Minor League debut
Top pick in 2005 handles two chances in center field
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- There was no big hit, no spectacular play in center field on which Justin Upton could someday look back on and smile. Rather, the top pick in last year's draft made his professional debut Friday in fairly ordinary fashion as South Bend lost its sixth consecutive game, a 6-3 decision to Wisconsin at Coveleski Regional Stadium. Upton went hitless in five at-bats for the Silver Hawks, becoming the first position player among the top picks in the draft to go hitless in his debut since Bellingham's Ken Griffey Jr. went 0-for-3 in 1987 against Everett. Upton did, however, handle both chances in center field -- his new position -- easily, recording putouts in the second and seventh inning.
"We were just trying to play a game and we got beat," said Upton, whose debut was delayed two weeks as he rehabbed a minor shoulder injury. "It was a tough loss, but we'll play again tomorrow."
Upton, who wore No. 16, is expected to play on Saturday, despite developing a severe blister on his left hand during batting practice Friday afternoon. He said he hadn't taken any swings for two days prior to Friday's session in the cage. Whether that factored into his developing the blister, which is the size of a half dollar, just below his thumb is debatable.
What isn't questionable, though, is that the blister tore and he has an open sore on his hand, one that had to be bandaged before the game and required treatment afterwards. Upton said the blister bothered him at the plate but that he expects to be in the lineup Saturday, when he will continue the quest for his first professional hit.
Upton struck out looking in the first inning with a man on first base and followed that by grounding out to third in the third. When he lofted a high fly ball to left in the fifth, there were some oohs and aahs among the 1,452 in attendance, but spacious Coveleski Stadium had little trouble holding the shot that died well before the warning track.
Upton grounded out to second base in the eighth and struck out swinging with two men on in the ninth, an at-bat during which he had words with the umpire over balls and strikes.
"I struck out, but at the same time, I had to swing at a two-strike pitch," said Upton, who went 7-for-14 with six RBIs during Major League Spring Training. "It was still my fault."
South Bend manager Mark Haley admitted that Upton was pressing a bit; then again, he was quick to point, that his whole team was a pressing as a result of the losing streak. As for Upton's tête-à-tête with the umpire in the ninth, Haley says there's no need to admonish the youngster.
"He's an intense kid and he wants to succeed and be the man," Haley said. "It's part of the learning process. He felt a pitch [that was called a strike] was outside in a crucial situation. He wants to be the man and get his RBIs. It was an intense situation and he felt the ball was outside.
"But you could see the bat speed there. He came in with a lot of anxiety, this being his first pro game. But I saw some pretty good swings."
Luis Valbuena's two-run triple in the third inning off Ryan Schreppel [0-2] gave Wisconsin an early lead that it did not relinquish. The Timber Rattlers took a 4-1 lead into the ninth before tacking on a pair of runs.
South Bend scored twice in the ninth to cut the deficit in half but could draw no closer.
Jose Escalona [2-1] went five innings and scattered three hits to earn the victory.
Top pick in 2005 handles two chances in center field
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
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Justin Upton takes a cut in his Minor League debut on Friday in South Bend. (Matt Cashore/MLB.com) SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- There was no big hit, no spectacular play in center field on which Justin Upton could someday look back on and smile. Rather, the top pick in last year's draft made his professional debut Friday in fairly ordinary fashion as South Bend lost its sixth consecutive game, a 6-3 decision to Wisconsin at Coveleski Regional Stadium. Upton went hitless in five at-bats for the Silver Hawks, becoming the first position player among the top picks in the draft to go hitless in his debut since Bellingham's Ken Griffey Jr. went 0-for-3 in 1987 against Everett. Upton did, however, handle both chances in center field -- his new position -- easily, recording putouts in the second and seventh inning.
"We were just trying to play a game and we got beat," said Upton, whose debut was delayed two weeks as he rehabbed a minor shoulder injury. "It was a tough loss, but we'll play again tomorrow."
Upton, who wore No. 16, is expected to play on Saturday, despite developing a severe blister on his left hand during batting practice Friday afternoon. He said he hadn't taken any swings for two days prior to Friday's session in the cage. Whether that factored into his developing the blister, which is the size of a half dollar, just below his thumb is debatable.
What isn't questionable, though, is that the blister tore and he has an open sore on his hand, one that had to be bandaged before the game and required treatment afterwards. Upton said the blister bothered him at the plate but that he expects to be in the lineup Saturday, when he will continue the quest for his first professional hit.
Upton struck out looking in the first inning with a man on first base and followed that by grounding out to third in the third. When he lofted a high fly ball to left in the fifth, there were some oohs and aahs among the 1,452 in attendance, but spacious Coveleski Stadium had little trouble holding the shot that died well before the warning track.
Upton grounded out to second base in the eighth and struck out swinging with two men on in the ninth, an at-bat during which he had words with the umpire over balls and strikes.
"I struck out, but at the same time, I had to swing at a two-strike pitch," said Upton, who went 7-for-14 with six RBIs during Major League Spring Training. "It was still my fault."
South Bend manager Mark Haley admitted that Upton was pressing a bit; then again, he was quick to point, that his whole team was a pressing as a result of the losing streak. As for Upton's tête-à-tête with the umpire in the ninth, Haley says there's no need to admonish the youngster.
"He's an intense kid and he wants to succeed and be the man," Haley said. "It's part of the learning process. He felt a pitch [that was called a strike] was outside in a crucial situation. He wants to be the man and get his RBIs. It was an intense situation and he felt the ball was outside.
"But you could see the bat speed there. He came in with a lot of anxiety, this being his first pro game. But I saw some pretty good swings."
Luis Valbuena's two-run triple in the third inning off Ryan Schreppel [0-2] gave Wisconsin an early lead that it did not relinquish. The Timber Rattlers took a 4-1 lead into the ninth before tacking on a pair of runs.
South Bend scored twice in the ninth to cut the deficit in half but could draw no closer.
Jose Escalona [2-1] went five innings and scattered three hits to earn the victory.
Just kidding, the kid is going to be phenomenal.
