Justin Upton

[TheNephilim]

From Rotoworld:

Justin Upton and Mark Reynolds will not be in Arizona's Opening Day lineup against Rockies' right-hander Aaron Cook on Monday.
This is hardly an encouraging sign for Upton after a rough spring, but he and Reynolds are expected to be back in the lineup on Tuesday. "I talked early on this spring about getting some left-handed bats in against some of the tougher right-handed pitchers in the league," Manager Bob Melvin said, "and [Cook] profiles out as that." Eric Byrnes (who is not a lefty, but has had success against Cook) will start in right, with Tony Clark getting the start at first, moving Chad Tracy over to third.

[Yanks_Baby]

Really? Really!?

You have one of the most talented hitters out there, and you give him no confidence because of spring training?

If he doesn't gain his Skippers confidence, there goes everyone's favorite sleeper.

[BitterDodgerFan]

great news for my eric byrnes! byrnes showed he's fully healed this spring and should steal some OF playing time this yr!

oh and this will happen often this yr, eric byrnes is their highest paid player, they will get him in the lineup somehow.

[SenorFresco7]

great news for my eric byrnes! byrnes showed he's fully healed this spring and should steal some OF playing time this yr!

oh and this will happen often this yr, eric byrnes is their highest paid player, they will get him in the lineup somehow.

He's not only the highest payed but one of the most talented. Sure this cuts into Upton's growth and everyone's "sleeper" predictions, but let's face it - Byrnes is one of the most exciting players to watch and a fan favorite wherever he plays. If the Diamondbacks want to win games they will use Byrnes regularly. If the Diamondbacks want to attempt to fulfill fantasy experts' sleeper predictions they will play Upton. Upton is barely legal to drink, he's still a kid...just give it time.

[fbc_fan]

tracy/pena at 3rd/1st is just plain retarded from a fantasy sense and a real baseball sense. are those two even above replacement level?

the sound you are hearing is the collective facepalm of millions of fantasy managers.

[SenorFresco7]

tracy/pena at 3rd/1st is just plain retarded

uhh, which Pena are you talking about? There's only two Pena's in the NL and one is a RP and the other plays OF for the Nats..

[BitterDodgerFan]

tracy/pena at 3rd/1st is just plain retarded from a fantasy sense and a real baseball sense. are those two even above replacement level?

the sound you are hearing is the collective facepalm of millions of fantasy managers.

it was actually a pretty good move that paid off huge. maybe retarded fantasy wise but not in real baseball.

[fbc_fan]

uhh, which Pena are you talking about? There's only two Pena's in the NL and one is a RP and the other plays OF for the Nats..

blah. tony CLARK is what i was looking for. i must have just been distraught.

and to address bitter dodger fan, neither tracy or CLARK has had a decent VORP in over a year. granted they don't play all the time, but i still think it isn't the smartest of moves.

[Rockfan616]

Well, Bob Melvin made a pretty bold move (but a good one) today by not having Upton and Reynolds in the lineup. Seeing that Tony Clark did have a homer from both sides of the plate today (as did Felipe Lopez) and that doesn't happen too often. I really hope that Upton develops into the player everybody thinks he's going to become (a more powerful but not as fast version of his brother). I'm sure we'll see him in the lineup before too long, probably later on tonight he'll play.

[dave knight]

great news for my eric byrnes! byrnes showed he's fully healed this spring and should steal some OF playing time this yr!

oh and this will happen often this yr, eric byrnes is their highest paid player, they will get him in the lineup somehow.

He's not only the highest payed but one of the most talented. Sure this cuts into Upton's growth and everyone's "sleeper" predictions, but let's face it - Byrnes is one of the most exciting players to watch and a fan favorite wherever he plays. If the Diamondbacks want to win games they will use Byrnes regularly. If the Diamondbacks want to attempt to fulfill fantasy experts' sleeper predictions they will play Upton. Upton is barely legal to drink, he's still a kid...just give it time.

Don't give me this "most talented" or "exciting player" bullshit. Upton had an .816 OPS last year in the majors as a 20 year old, which Byrnes has never matched in any season where he had more than 50 plate appearances in his sub-mediocre career.