No Upton, as promised; also no Navarro

UPDATE: 7 PM: Manager Joe Maddon also said the talk went well, but he said it was not automatic that Upton would return to the lineup on Sunday, that he was "still considering" extending the discipline for another day. Maddon said he was more disappointed than upset with Upton, and that he does not expect there to be any further issues. UPDATE, 6 PM: Upton had a 15-minute meeting with manager Joe Maddon and said the issue with him not hustling was behind him and that he expects to return to the lineup on Sunday night. Upton said he understood there would be a zero tolerance policy for such infractions. He also said he was not concerned about getting a bad reputation over the issue: "I know myself; I play hard every day." - - - -

As expected, CF B.J Upton was not in the Rays lineup Saturday. Neither is C Dioner Navarro, which is a bit of a surprise.

The lineup went up late, which is often a sign that manager Joe Maddon was waiting to check on how a player may be feeling. But Navarro said he is fine, just a bit tired, and welcomed Maddon's offer for two straight days off. With Navarro out, Shawn Riggans is making back to back starts behind the plate for the first time since April 19-20.

With Upton out and a lefty starting for Texas, Maddon got creative in trying to maximize his right-handed hitters, with Ben Zobrist in center and Rocco Baldelli as the DH.

The lineup:
Iwamura, 2b
Zobrist, cf
Pena, 1b
Baldelli, dh
Aybar, 3b
Ruggiano, lf
Riggans, c
Gross, rf
Bartlett, ss
Jackson, p

Comments

[Edgar]

pat francese don't tell me Joe Magrane said that coming out of his own mouth. If he did, who is this guy crappin. Scott Kazmir reminds him of Sandy Koufax; he does have Koufax type talent but I don't remember Koufax having a 100 pitch 5 inning game. Aki Iwamura hit 20 to 30 HR's on 200 ft fence in Japan. BJ Upton is the best CF he has ever seen. I had never seen CF's like Griffey Jr,Mays,Mantle or Brock not hustling down the 1st base line or loafing in CF.

[Awkward]

Gotta control your woman, Pat's husband. Don't let her go off like that.

[Pat's Husband]

sorry guys, I just noticed that my wife got on here and made a fool of herself (again)

we all know it's Joe MAGRANE ... also had to give her a good backhand and knock her into next week because Magrane's not even around the team right now as he is in China with the Olympic team

I'll try to do a better job of making sure she knows what she's talking about next time she posts ... assuming the dishes, laundry and ironing is done for the day

[pat francese]

oh one more thing on bs magraine.with his 57 and 59 won lost record please stop telling pitchers how to pitch to
every batter.

[pat francese]

joe magraine is the biggest homer bs artist on tv.kazmir reminds him of koufax.iwamura could hit between 20 to 30 homers upton is one of the best cf he ever saw and on and on and on.

[Hit Parade]

Maddon: benching B.J. is punishing the team... not B.J.

We need our best players to battle for the 1st place...

Your decision is costing us a big WIN tonigh...(saturday)

[Michael]

Last nights game was the worst game I have seen this year. Let go RAys, we are in a race. Lets start hitting like a first place team.

[Edgar]

these are the games that Tampa Bay should be stumping all over the Rangers. LOSING TO MATT BLEEPIN HARRISON!! Entering the game, Matt Harrison had a 4-2 record with an ERA over 5 and had 15 K's and 19 BB's. Against the Rays, 8 IP O ER's and 8 K's 0 BB's. This tells me that Maddon and Co. were poorly prepared for this game. I am sick in tired of this offense swinging for the fences with no purpose. The lineup right now is not a HR hitting team. Tomorrow, Scott Kazmir better get his head up his you know what and better step up like a true ace suppose to do. Enough of 100 pitch 5 inning outing and get back to the 7 or 8 inning Kazmir.

[HERBan Cryer]

if you're going to blog as me, PLEASE get my last name right!

[HERBan Meyer]

If BJ was on my team we would have handled it internally and suspended him for the opening kickoff.

[The Uhurus of St Pete]

Why is this man being targeted???
It's RAYcism!!!!

[Edwin jackson]

I'm so glad people on this blog call Upton crap and ignore my horrendous K/BB rate and my terrible GB/FL rate, and the fact that I give up way too many Homers, and the fact my fastball is perfectly straight.

I should be a closer!!!!!!!!!

[zeke]

re the 9:02 entry about Aybar, Upton, Dukes, Young--Aybar wasn't even in the Rays organization then!! This game tonight is another wasted great pitching performance by Jackson and by my counting, that is at least 4 games he should have won as Percy failed to save 3 games for him and this one tonight against a less than good LEFTY and that's the problem--this guy looks like Koufax against the woeful Rays bats against left handed pitching. This is where we miss Longoria!! As for Bradford, I saw him pitch in NY with the Mets and it wasn't pretty and it never is pretty with him throwing.

[saint bobby]

and now for something completely different. with all the talk of promoting price, has anyone noticed the #s mitch talbot is putting up at durham? quite impressive. he deserves a shot in the bigs. aaa is full of x major leaguers, unlike a and aa. price needs at least 5 starts before he can be objectively evaluated. and how 'bout this: convert jackson into a closer. looked and threw mightily tenacious tonight. give it a shot next year in spring training. forget percy. great guy in the clubhouse and in the dugout but too old to close.

Somethings up. Drug test him right now!!

[9equals8.com]

If you were fired for every less than 100% effort at your job (think about that 2 hour lunch you take every now and then), I think we'd all be jobless. We should have a very high standard for these guys, but don't crucify them for a couple of mistakes. I don't excuse what BJ has been doing on these occasions and I think Joe is handling this appropriately at this point (the punishment is being escalated to get through to BJ).

If you look at all instances where Maddon or others are unhappy with BJ, they are situations that have highly likely outcomes (routine ground balls, routine gap doubles, etc.). BJ seems to think it's OK to dog it to first on sharply hit, cleanly fielded ground balls or on balls to the gap that will be doubles whether he sprints to the ball or half speeds it. Maddon is clearly addressing that mindset and has let BJ know that he is enrirely wrong to think that. From the way folks talk on this board, you'd think BJ is walking to first on every play and never hustles in the outfield (simply not true and you all know it). He runs hard on the vast majority of plays and makes some ridiculous catches, so it does not appear to be a total laziness or unhappiness thing to me. I also don't think it's BJ wanting out of TB as building a reputation as a lazy dude is not going to help him sign a big deal with his new team. I honestly think he believes it's OK to give half effort on balls blasted into the gap (that will probably be doubles anyway) or if he hits a routine ground ball out. Maddon and BJ's team mates need to get through to this kid and change that mindset.

The simple fact is this: we hung in there with Rocco (which looks like it will be the right decision) and we hung in there with Hamilton for a long time (imagine if we'd been able to hang in there a little longer and had his bat in our lineup). Rocco has a serious, permanant medical condition and Hamilton was a drug addict with a $1,000 a day drug problem (I can only imagine all the posts "once a drug addict, always one - toss the guy, why are we wasting our time...etc.").

I think it's time we all gave this "get rid of BJ now" talk a rest and let things play themselves out. I have confidence that Maddon and the team are going to work on BJ and he is going to be a key member of the team for this penant race. A talent like BJ Upton does not come along very often (just look at the guys in our farm system now - some decent talents, but no one with BJ's potential). The intelligent decision is to give this some time, let Joe and the team work with the guy and see how BJ develops as a person and as a ballplayer.

Aybar was not part of the future back when Young, Dukes and Upton were fussing in triple A. Upton is the one left and he is still acting like a bonus baby. Good for Maddon and the future of this team.Shape up or ship him out to the Me team Yanks. Regarding, Patrick's post

[JeffC]

Did everyone see Aki bust it up the line tonight on a sure double play ball? He ended upsafe at first.

That's why you hustle. It puts pressure on the defense and just may gain the team a base runner it would not have had otherwise.

[Dawn]

Re: ben bolt fan and your ridiculous entry. "soon noone in that club house will listen to that manager. I would not!!!!"...Tell you what, that manager got more respect from both the players and the fans for his actions. His players respect him more and will play harder for him now that he has addressed a problem area that effects the entire team. Have you seen/heard ANYONE on the team support Upton? I think the players are fed up with his antics and this pleases them.

[Patrick]

Aybar thought there were two outs and didn't run out a play. He was wrong just like Upton. Upton gets benched and trashed by the idiots here meanwhile nobody mentions Aybar possibly because everybody just jumped on the bandwagon in May and nobody knows who he is.

[saint bobby]

Dadgummit, like i've said before, it ain't like he shot the president! listen, boys will be boys. you can take 'em out of the ghetto but you can't take the ghetto out of them.

[Tim]

I really don't see Maddon losing the clubhouse .. He made a very strong point last night in pulling B.J. off the field .. B.J. said it stung .. It was meant to sting .. Goal accomplished .. How hard is it to run out every ball ?? 4 times a game .. come on .......

[Ken]

Everything with BJ is 75%. He is a 5 tool player using only two of his tools on any given night. Maddon only has one way to punish him and that is playing time. I would rather have Zobrist in center field than a sulking BJ Upton. He will go all out in the field and I feel he is a better batter right now. Not a better player but I prefer max effort. None of us knows what is going on in the locker room. Maddon is a players coach. I feel he knows the temperment of the senior players. I hope they are talking to him in the background.

[Sal]

Hey, Andy. Aybar wasn't loafing. That's as fast as he runs.

[Caleb]

Upton a team player? Hah.

More importantly, i have not heard or read any players on this team defending him. Is he a team player or not?

[Dave]

Aybar has never had the need to have sit down with Maddon. Upton did and said it was resolved.

then he does it again.

Yeah Maddon is picking on Upton because Upton keeps playing like a deadbeat. Sure he's in a slump but you never break a slump by loafing.

At this point in the season and having the Manager have a discussion twice about not hustling is simply unprofessional. I'm surprised one of the players haven't jumped his case.

[ben bolt fan]

Taking BJ out of the game last night and costing Garza a shot at a no hitter was good enough. Benching him again tonight and taking a bat out of the lineup is preety damn dumb. He is a paid proffesional. Soon no one in that club house is going to listen to that manager. I would not!!!!!

[w76yer]

D.Young, Elijah,, and the third member of the Durham Bulls Fab three,,,remember? Like the other two he better get the message,, that this is a team sport and what is happenning here is a Special season and everybody is equal. No Prima Donnas allowed!

[andy]

I don't agree with Upton's benching. I believe Maddon is unfairly picking on Upton. Did anyone notice how slow Aybar ran out a grounder in Thursday's game against the A's?

[Kevin]

His benching is all well and good. Problem is he's like a teenager. He'll say whatever it takes to get what he wants and will just go back to his old ways. Pena, Balfour, Percy, and Floyd should sit his butt down and read him the riot act. He could be a great one. All he needs is to understand how simple it will be for him if he just wakes up and goes 100%every time all the time.