RADIO
BALLER MOVE: Continue Scouting / Ignore in Most Leagues
ANALYSIS: B.J. Upton has been a complete and utter disappointment to both the Braves and to fantasy baseball owners over the past two years. In his 2014 campaign, Upton has managed just a .215 batting average with seven home runs and 26 RBI in 349 at-bats - and for the third straight year, he has failed to get on-base more than 30% of the time. His HR/FB ratio is at a mere 7.8% this year, down from 16.7% in 2012, his last year with the Rays.
This is probably due in large part to Turner Field being a pitcher's haven, but it is a concern when deciding whether or not to include B.J. Upton on your fantasy roster. The move to Atlanta hasn't affected brother Justin power-wise, but B.J. just doesn't seem to quite have the pop anymore to put many balls out. When combined with his significant decline in speed, and his uncanny tendency to strike out more than two and a half times per walk drawn, that lack of power proves that Upton simply no longer has fantasy appeal. His 0-for-5 performance in a game where the Braves mustered 10 runs on 11 hits against the Cubs on Sunday should be the final straw for fantasy owners to cut ties with the former 30-30 threat. Upton should be left alone in all but the deepest of NL-Only leagues, where any bit of production is desperately needed.
