Forget the other numbers, Justin Upton has 11 homers!
Apr 24, 2013, 7:49 PM | Updated: 7:58 pm
I’m sure that Arizona is happy with Martin Prado, he is a good player and fit a need for the Diamondbacks. I’m also sure that if Justin Upton had stayed here, he wouldn’t be off to this hot of a start. But come on already — 11 freakin’ home runs by April 24th!
Those who want to criticize Upton will point to his .200 batting average with runners in scoring position or his .179 batting average with men on base. To them I say “SHUT UP.” Seriously! Upton has 11 home runs; that trumps anything else he is doing and ends the discussion. No other argument needed!
I had a fun rant with my radio partner Dave Burns on Upton’s numbers with men on base and in scoring position. I think I said something like Atlanta should trade him now and maybe he needs to take a seat for a while or maybe he should be part of a platoon. Basically my point was made. Who cares about those numbers when he has 11 dongs?
Upton’s 11 home runs are the most in baseball. There is a really good chance he will hit 40, maybe 50 homers this year, which hasn’t been done in the National League since Prince Fielder hit 50 in 2007. It’s not easy to hit 50 home runs anymore, but Upton has a legitimate chance.
You can make the argument that the change of scenery was necessary for him and I agree with that. It wasn’t going to work here, not with all the trade talk over the last two years wearing on him. He needed a fresh start and that’s unfortunate, because he is a tremendously talented player that is still only 25. He had six years and around 2,500 at bats to prove himself here and establish himself as a star and it didn’t happen. He was a good player in Arizona, just not great. So maybe it was never going to happen here.
Now I’m not comparing Upton to Hank Aaron, but don’t you think the old-time baseball fans in Atlanta are telling their grandchildren about how Upton reminds them of Hammerin Hank? I mean come on — 11 bombs already! How can that not remind those fans of Aaron?
It’s a long season, I know Upton is going to cool off. There is going to be a slump. He’s not going to hit 100 home runs.
But damn, what he has done so far is impressive.