ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -B.J. Upton, benched three times in the past two weeks for failing to hustle, was caught jogging on the bases again Monday night and thrown out at second on what should have been a routine double.
This time, Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon left his center fielder in the game after his latest base running gaffe.
The speedy Upton hit a fourth-inning drive to left against the Los Angeles Angels and broke into a trot out of the batter’s box, apparently thinking it would be a home run. Instead, the ball hit the fence on a hop.
Upton casually rounded first and jogged toward second with Angels first baseman Mark Teixeira following up the line to meet left fielder Juan Rivera’s throw to an uncovered base. Teixeira fielded the ball on a hop and made the tag just before a surprised Upton touched the bag.
With the inning over, Upton dropped his head and bent over at second base for a few moments before taking his position on defense.
Upton was benched for one game on Aug. 6, the day after he failed to run hard on a grounder back to the mound against Cleveland. Maddon removed him in the middle of an inning at Texas for not hustling on a double-play grounder last Friday, then benched him for Saturday’s game against the Rangers.
Add A Comment