Justin Upton Thread

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Lee recieved a $10M bonus, however, he was a free agent (due to some draft loophole IIRC). Ditto for John Patterson, who recieved $6M.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

We have begun to collect money from TV, right? I wonder if we will always be a medium market team.

Yes, I believe the Dbacks have begun to collect on the TV revenue streams and also I remember how last year they begun some method of generating additional money through their ticket sales package which will really benefit them in the long-term... Also, they're pretty much freed from those deferred contracts that were offered to many of the players from the '01 WS team which restricted them considerably....

They're in perfect financial shape (especially when Gonzo's lucractive contract is officially off the books)...... They'll be big spenders next offseason on the FA market (especially by acquiring some elite starters)... No way you want to squander such high potential they have with all these uber position prospects with horrid pitching and again... there are only 2 pitchers in the Minors who could be considered 2-years away.... Webb and Halsey are the only ones at the ML level who have more than 3-years left until they really reach their primes and Halsey is still relatively unproven... I still have no confidence in Ortiz obviously and Vargas' performance last year could have been a major fluke.....

 

[FinleyLover]

Well let's hope that they will go out and get some first rate pitching once the $'s are freed up. WOW, can you imagine the team when this happenS??

 

[AZZenny]

I am now a happy camper.

 

[Arby]

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=9892&stc=1&d=1136854782

Nice....

 

[dogpoo32]

Nice....

Wow... I am so excited! Here's to the D-Backs dominance in years to come.

 

[Kolo]

Didn't know where else to put this--from today's Ask BA:

With Justin Upton signing and Chris Young arriving via trade, where do they slot into the Diamondbacks Top 10?

Joon Pahk
Cambridge, Mass.

Though he has yet to make his pro debut because he just signed for a draft-record $6.1 million, I'd put Upton on top of the loaded Arizona Top 10. He might not stick at shortstop, but I've had too many scouts tell me Upton could be the next Ken Griffey Jr. in center field, and I like him more than Stephen Drew. In fact, had he signed before we sent the Prospect Handbook to the printers, I would have ranked Upton No. 2 on my overall Top 50 Prospects list, between Delmon Young and Brandon Wood.

Young is supremely talented as well. I liked him more than any prospect in the White Sox system (though Bobby Jenks will be No. 1 in the Handbook) before the Javier Vazquez trade, and he made my Top 50 list at No. 24. Yet that would only put him fifth on a revised Diamondbacks Top 10, behind Upton, Drew, Conor Jackson and Carlos Quentin.

No team in baseball has five prospects as good as Arizona's. And it doesn't stop there, as No. 6 Carlos Gonzales is one of the best outfield prospects in the lower minors and one scout told me No. 7 Dustin Nippert was the best pitcher he saw in the minors last year. Throw in catcher Miguel Montero, righthander Garrett Mock and 2005 draft picks such as righties Matt Torra and Micah Owings, and the Diamondbacks have one of baseball's elite farm systems.

 

[devilfan02]

I've been out of the country for the last 2 1/2 weeks and returned to this great news! I need to leave more often!! Thank god we got this done. Can't wait for him to get the Bigs- the second coming of Griffey (Seattle days) sounds great to me!

 

[Delmon Young]

Justin Upton = Stud

You guys are lucky to have him. I'm going to check him out on WGN today.

 

[boondockdrunk]

You guys are lucky to have him. I'm going to check him out on WGN today.

Thanks for the heads up. I didn't know the game was going to be on WGN.

 

[Delmon Young]

Batting 9th, he's the DH.

 

[boondockdrunk]

He hit into a double play, HOWEVER, I really liked his approach at the plate. He took a ball outside and then took one which was barely up in the zone. He looks very comfortable up there and that is huge for an 18 year old.

 

[Delmon Young]

He hit into a double play, HOWEVER, I really liked his approach at the plate. He took a ball outside and then took one which was barely up in the zone. He looks very comfortable up there and that is huge for an 18 year old.

He really reminds me, and this is also coming from me watching him in high school, of an improved Eric Davis. He does every thing Davis does offensively, but should hit for slightly more power and a better average.

 

[Brandon_Webb]

Justin just hit a double off the bottom of the fence. God that kid is exciting

 

[Delmon Young]

Justin just hit a double off the bottom of the fence. God that kid is exciting

He's terrific. Had the chance to watch him in high school and had nothing but great things to say about him.

 

[WildBB]

Do you think if he just tears it up this spring training that he could go strait to AAA?
why not if he's that advanced.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Do you think if he just tears it up this spring training that he could go strait to AAA?
why not if he's that advanced.

Doubt it since thats most likely where Drew would be. The Diamondbacks want to give both Upton and Drew a shot at playing SS, so you wont see Upton in AAA to start the year even if he proved he could hit that level of pitching.

 

[Delmon Young]

Upton is that good, but he's not ready for AAA at 18. Trust me, the last thing you want to do is rush someone of his ability.

 

[FinleyLover]

Both he and Drew are showing remarkable poise and control so far. With that being said, I still think they need adequate time to develop before putting them in the pressure cooker. Nothing kills a career quicker than rushing to the Bigs too soon...
they will have long successful careers if care is taken to bring them both up when the time is right for them, not the team.

 

[WildBB]

Upton is that good, but he's not ready for AAA at 18. Trust me, the last thing you want to do is rush someone of his ability.

Robin Yount was in the majors at 19. I think Upton is more talented than Yount was at that age.

 

[Delmon Young]

Robin Yount was in the majors at 19. I think Upton is more talented than Yount was at that age.

Conversely, there have been a bunch of phenoms who were ready to play at 19, but didn't get called up until 20-21, or even 22 years old (Chipper). One of them is in my username, and he is more talented that the other Upton, B.J., who was called up as a 19 year old. Part of that has to do with the insane OF depth Tampa has, but Delmon could make the team out of ST, and he'd already be Tampa's best hitter.

Enough about that, though. I have no problem with the Snakes rushing Upton, if he's proven himself at A and AA first. To start him off at AAA, though, where the pitching is just a notch below that of the majors, would be asking for trouble. Trust me, it would only be a matter of time before the pitchers adjusted to Justin. Give him a month at South Bend, and if he tears it up, move him up a level, and so on and so forth.

 

[WildBB]

Conversely, there have been a bunch of phenoms who were ready to play at 19, but didn't get called up until 20-21, or even 22 years old (Chipper). One of them is in my username, and he is more talented that the other Upton, B.J., who was called up as a 19 year old. Part of that has to do with the insane OF depth Tampa has, but Delmon could make the team out of ST, and he'd already be Tampa's best hitter.

Enough about that, though. I have no problem with the Snakes rushing Upton, if he's proven himself at A and AA first. To start him off at AAA, though, where the pitching is just a notch below that of the majors, would be asking for trouble. Trust me, it would only be a matter of time before the pitchers adjusted to Justin. Give him a month at South Bend, and if he tears it up, move him up a level, and so on and so forth.

OK - Start off at A ball and move him in a month. AAA by next spring training.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

So far he looks like Ken Griffey Jr to me ( a comparison Gammons made as well) and Griff played from his 18th B-day on. For true phenoms (and hopefully thats what Upton is) the rules don't apply......

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Upton out 2 weeks with minor injury/Prospects Discussion

It appears the team just wants to be cautious with him right now. Upon return, Justin Upton will switch to center field.

http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com...t_id=1382571&vkey=news_ari&fext=.jsp&c_id=ari

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I like the news of him moving to CF when he returns (and especially the part about how they discussed it with him and his family first)

Our OF of the future is looking ridiculous with Young, Upton, and Quentin all slated to be impact players. Where does Carlos Gonzalez fit in?