Upton hopes meet-and-greet will turn into a full-time job
Outfielder seeking spot on Indians’ opening day roster.
GOODYEAR, ARIZ. — Some meetings never end. Other meetings only lead to other meetings with the guy in the back of the room falling asleep. But some meetings produce results.
At the winter meetings in December, Terry Francona met with Melvin Upton Jr. with coaches Brad Mills and Mark Budzinski.
The Indians were looking for an experienced righthanded hitting outfielder. Upton was looking for a job after playing only 12 games last year with San Francisco’s top farm club in Sacramento. He was released by Toronto in April and was in extended spring training with the Giants when he was hit on the right hand with a pitch that tore a ligament off the bone in his thumb.
“Just the way Melvin handled the meeting was so impressive,” said Francona. “He was looking for an opportunity. He was looking for a place where he could have a fresh slate.”
Upton, 33, spent parts of eight seasons with the Rays. For most of that time he saw how hard it was to beat Francona’s Boston Red Sox in the AL East.
“I’ve always been on the other side playing against him,” said Upton. “When I heard he wanted to meet with me, I was thrilled.”
The meeting went well. About an hour after it ended, Upton and his agent, Larry Reynolds, agreed to a minorleague deal with the Indians.
The Indians deal in straight talk when they sign veterans to minor-league deals. They tell them that a couple guys in their situation make the team out of spring training almost every year. They have the names to prove it — Scott Kazmir, Scott Atchison, Rich Hill, Ryan Raburn and Austin Jackson to name a few.
“With some places (teams) guys are hesitant,” said Francona. “They think, ‘If I’m not on the roster, will that be held against me?’ We tell them right up front that we’re going to build some pieces on our club like that. Whether it’s Rajai (Davis) or Melvin.
“We’ve had guys like Raburn, guys who have really helped us. We hope that continues. The way we do business, we need to find those guys.”
Indians outfielder Melvin Upton hits a two-run homer on Wednesday against Seattle in a spring-training game in Goodyear, Ariz.
The Indians’ spring plan is to play Upton and others competing for spots on the roster early, while gradually mixing in players guaranteed jobs. Francona wants to give bubble players time to find their rhythm and make the best showing possible.
The Indians played their eighth spring game Friday. Upton has played in five. He’s hitting .231 (3-for-13) with three runs, one homer and three RBI. His two-run homer on Wednesday was the difference in a 4-2 win over Seattle.
The idea of coming to camp on a make-good contract does not bother him.
“I’m not worried about that at all,” he said. “If I go out and play, and do what I can do, the rest will take care of itself. I can’t worry about things I can’t control. The only thing I can control is what I can do.
“Minor-league deal, majorleague deal, fourth outfielder, whatever, it doesn’t matter to me. I’m here to play baseball.”
Upton has played 10 plus years in the big leagues. A lot has changed on his watch, especially in free agency.
In November of 2012, the Braves signed Upton to a fiveyear, $75.5 million contract. He was coming off a season for the Rays in which he had 28 homers, 79 RBI and 31 steals in 37 attempts.
The contract proved to be an albatross for the Braves. Contracts like that have been few and far between this winter. It’s March and there are still big-name free agents such as Jake Arrieta and Mike Moustakas unsigned.
“It think it’s rather ridiculous, personally,” said Upton, when asked about the slow market. “I got to catch that last wave of big free agency and I was part of seeing it heading in the direction it is heading now. It’s unfortunate to see.”
Upton feels that the players and the players association have to find a way to get through the next four years and then renegotiate changes into the basic agreement.
“As a players union we’ll figure it out, we’ll get to the bottom of it,” he said. “But we have to find a way to manage it for the next four years and when it’s time renegotiated there are going to be some things we need to discuss.”