A former MVP sees why Justin Upton is in the discussion for the award
Aug 17, 2011, 4:59 PM | Updated: 6:09 pm
One former MVP thinks Justin Upton should be in the discussion to win the award this season. That man just happens to be the right fielder’s hitting coach, Don Baylor.
When Baylor was hired by the Arizona Diamondbacks last fall the only discussions Upton’s name had been involved in were of the trade variety. With the help of his new coach, that has all changed.
“He’s come a long way since spring training,” Baylor told Sports 620 KTAR’s Doug and Wolf Wednesday. “He’s understanding what type of player he is. He’s a tremendous talent. At age 23 he’s hitting over .300 and they’re talking about an MVP type of year he’s having. The maturity has come with every day he’s having.”
Just because the former first pick in the draft has found his confidence doesn’t mean Baylor isn’t finding different ways to motivate his new protege. In fact, it’s something the coach does on a daily basis to ensure Upton continues to perform at the level the D-backs need him to.
