B.J. Upton; Atlanta Braves, Gonzalez May Send CF to Minors
Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez allegedly said he has considered sending center fielder B.J. Upton on assignment to the minor league, ESPN reported Friday.
Upton, who signed to the biggest contract in franchise history at $75.25 million for five years, has a .146 batting average, 109 points below his seven-year career mark with Tampa Bay. The center fielder is in his first year of his contract with the Braves.
Upton has been benched five times in the Braves' last seven games. In the two games he started, he went 0 for 6 with five strikeouts. Overall this year he's hitting .136/.232/.247 with 62 strikeouts in 158 at bats.
Gonzalez indicated that Upton has played in the majors long enough to refuse an assignment if he disagrees with the decision.
''In my own mind, you think about those things, but really I haven't gotten to that point,'' Gonzalez said.
''I think there's some logistics - contractual things and that sort of stuff - that they might not be able to do it that easy.''
Gonzalez has spoken with Upton about his absence from the lineup, but not about an assignment in the minors.
''He understands to a certain point,'' Gonzalez said.
''Like good players do, they want to play. We've had conversations and he's making the adjustments and we'll see," he added.
Upton is hitless in the Braves' past seven games. He was benched on Friday for the second straight night.
Gonzalez credited Upton and struggling teammates Jason Heyward and Dan Uggla for taking extra batting practice four hours before the game.
Upton's lack of playing time has coincided with the consistent power numbers being produced by rookie Evan Gattis, who has been getting starts in left field following catcher Brian McCann's return May 6 from shoulder surgery.Gattis leads all rookies with 12 homers, 23 extra-base hits and 32 RBIs despite getting just 137 at-bats.
Regarding Upton's immediate future and whether the Braves might ask him to accept an assignment in the minors, Gonzalez said the Braves no have certain timetable.
