The Indians announced Monday that they have released outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. and catcher Ryan Hanigan (via Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com). Both players signed minor league contracts with the Tribe over the winter.
The Indians added the 33-year-old Upton with the hope that he’d experience a revival similar to the one Austin Jackson enjoyed a season ago. Cleveland signed Jackson to a minor league deal and saw him turn in an excellent campaign as a reserve outfielder. Upton, meantime, essentially endured a lost 2017. After the Blue Jays released Upton during the spring, he settled for a minors pact with the Giants, but late-April surgery on a torn thumb ligament kept him off the field for several weeks. He ultimately totaled just 49 plate appearances, all with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate.
Upton, who had been competing to be a backup outfielder this spring, struggled mightily in exhibition action before Cleveland released him. Across an admittedly small sample size of 37 at-bats, he hit just .189/.250/.297. That was enough to seal his fate with the Indians, though fellow minor league signing and veteran outfielder Rajai Davis hasn’t been any better (.242/.265/.373 in 33 ABs). He’s one of four outfielders remaining on the Indians’ projected Opening Day roster, though, while Michael Brantley and Brandon Guyer could each start the season on the disabled list.
Hanigan, 37, has a history of faring well defensively and getting on base (.344 lifetime OBP), but his production has gone backward in recent years. After combining to bat a woeful .218/.277/.291 in 225 PAs with the Red Sox and Rockies from 2016-17, he collected a meager 13 ABs this spring and hit .154/.214/.154. The Indians still have plenty of depth at catcher without Hanigan, as Yan Gomes, Roberto Perez, Francisco Mejia and Eric Haase remain on hand.
It’s amazing that according to baseball reference Upton Jr has a career 16.5 WAR
Yep. Baserunning and defense. Plus, he put up like a 4-5 Win season that one year in Tampa – 2007?
Yup, it’s crazy to go back and look at his career trajectory. Top draft pick, mega prospect, huge rookie year (07’) then…. immediate decline. The fact that he got that Atlanta contract is still so wild.
And 89M in earnings.
About 11 and a half seasons played. That’s, roughly, a 1.5 WAR per season.
And yet the Braves flushed all that Money and those seasons down the toilet
I mean, he wasn’t overly terrible while he was a padre… just cost too much money at the time.
I mean, he was good in Tampa bay. Idk why so surprised
He was good in San Diego as well
Separate the two brothers and he was pretty good.
Bj is the better athlete
BJ and Melvin are the same guy….Justin is his brother
…..yes that’s correct….
He was better when he was BJ though…
Duh
First year as Melvin he was pretty good in San Diego
Trayce Thompson to Cleveland, in 3… 2… 1…
No ones trading for him. They’re waiting for the Dodgers to waive him and that’s going to happen in the next week.
I doubt the Indians will even get a chance to claim him, teams like the Reds or more likely to claim him
Exactly. Any team that isn’t at the front of the line to make the waiver claim will have to give up something in trade if they really want him. The Indians would be pretty much last in line, and it seems they have an immediate need. The Dodgers don’t have to waive him anyway. They can keep him on the roster and demote Toles and/or Pederson.
How is Thompson’s defense?
Have a gut feeling that Thompson will end up on the White Sox. Just makes sense to me on instinct, not to mention they’re low on the waivers and could use good young outfielders.
Looking more and more like a good idea.
Why should they trade for a 5th outfielder? If they use Rajai Davis, Tyler Naquin, Greg Allen or any other outfielder in AAA, they will get similar results and won’t cost them whatever LA wants. Especially when you consider a 5th outfielder is primarily used for defensive replacements and sometimes pinch running
Always enjoy watching Ryan Hanigan call a game, one one my favorites in that regard. Hope he lands with a new team. Upton’s laziness interrupted a good bit of talent.
Upton was “lazy”? I’ve never read that in my life. I do know that a certain kind of player is often characterized as “lazy” and I truly hope that isn’t what’s going on here. Lazy people don’t make the majors – and perform well – at age 19..
He was lazy
Known in San Diego
I’m a Padres fan, follow the team closely, and even googled this and found not one thing anywhere online about Upton being “lazy.” I do know what “lazy” is often code for, but I’m giving people the benefit of the doubt here. Upton has been hurt often, but so has David Wright, and I’ve never heard anyone refer to him as “lazy.”
I tend to think “lazy” is the codeword for a certain personality type, rather than actual sloth. Jim Edmonds and Garret Anderson (I’m an Angels fan, so those two names immediately come to mind.) Both were actually among the most hardworking people ever. But Edmonds had a certain laid back personality type that irked the “intense” players the wrong way when the team was not doing too well, while Anderson never showed off by doing things that are flashy (e.g. he rarely if ever dove). Really superficial and lazy (intentional choice of word) definition of “laziness,” but these characterizations get legs, unfortunately.
Yes, and as I apparently wasn’t making clear before, “lazy” all too often gets slapped on black players more than white players.
Suggesting I’m using “lazy” in a racist fashion is flat out insulting. Lazy means the guy had top-shelf talent, but didn’t push himself to his full potential. JD Drew comes to mind, Colby Rasmus, Hanley Ramirez, etc. Lazy refers to a lack of drive and/or a poor attitude. Lazy is not bound by race. Some people lack the intensity to push themselves to their utmost potential. I was raised to consider such an approach as “lazy.” You have to want to be the best at what you do, regardless.
YOU are the one connecting dots and just holding back from an actual allegations, davidcoonce74. Get a grip.
Hey Larry! No sweat… you have a good eye for “lazy” black players. I’m sure your Kentucky roots have nothing to do with it!
Hanley Ramirez? WTF, the kid has had an incredible career, probably stuck just before HOF numbers. He made like how many position changes? Lazy? What the heck are you talking about?
google.com/amp/boston.cbslocal.com/2018/02/26/hanl…
I have never seen anything in Melvin Upton’s profile that indicates a “lack of drive, poor attitude, etc. etc “whatever other nonsense. Have never read an article suggesting that about him at all.
Upton had a lot of swing and miss in his game and was injury prone; so do a whole bunch of other players. None of them get called “lazy.”
there’s literally articles dating back to 2008 of people questioning Upton’s work ethic and hustle. He’s been called out by teammates, analyst, and announcers on multiple occasions and that whole Scoop Jackson article. It’s not hard to Google “BJ/Melvin Upton lazy” and literally find a ton of articles on the subject.
David, BJ’s “laziness has been documented”. In fact, there is a pretty popular espn clip of Longoria dogging him because he just lollygoged to a ball hit over his head. Most baseball fans should remember Lingoria being held back because he was so pissed at Melvin’s lack of hustle.
Actually all sorts of lazy players make the majors. What they all have in common is they’re all, at least in some significant way(s) talented; many a major leaguer has been lazy.
Oh, really? Name some of them.
Carl Pavano and Jesus Montero off the top of my head.
Pavano? He played 14 seasons, reaching the majors at age 22. He got hurt. Over and over again, but kept trying to play even after he made his money. He didn’t have to keep trying.
Montero was just a bad player and terribly overrated. he couldn’t recognize a breaking pitch, which doesn’t make him lazy, just typical. He was a big guy, maybe fat, but lots of fat players have been successful in baseball.
Neither one of you know if those players or any other players are lazy or not! It’s all just speculation!
“He got hurt. Over and over again, but kept trying to play even after he made his money. He didn’t have to keep trying.”
Apparently Pavano realized this early in his Yanqui tenure. Nobody, not even teammates, accused him of trying for the balance of his time in NY.
*yawn*
Joe maddon has publicly called him lazy .
I’d love to see a source for that. Google was no help.
The fact that Melvin Upton was in camp on a minor-league deal, willingly putting himself through the rigors of preparing for a baseball season with no guarantee of a job, probably tells me all I need to know about this supposed “laziness” he exhibits. Upton has made nearly 100 million dollars playing baseball. If he was lazy he wouldn’t be busting his hump on a minor-league contract. He’d just go home and enjoy his money.
agree with you on Hanigan, he was instrumental in integrating Chapman into the majors and calling a game that harnessed his nerves and 105mph fastball. Disagree with you on Upton, he’s a true talent and have never heard of anyone doubting his work ethic. Hope to see them both latch on somewhere
How is Davis’ triple slash not “any better” than Upton Jr’s? It’s at least marginally better. OBP is still dreadful, but better!
Just my opinion, but it seems like Upton fell in love with the long ball at some point and accepted the fact that he was an all or nothing hitter. The talent is clearly still there, but the will to become a contact hitter who uses the whole field is apparently absent.
Don’t do it Alex #foolmeonce
Not many fall as hard as Melvin. He was so good in Tampa.
Makes you wonder if Maddon really us a genius. I mean, look at what hsppens to players that leave him. Carl Crawford, Jennings, Shields, the list gors on. Weird!
As soon as he dropped the Bj he sucked. He never should have dropped the bj. He just got lazy after that.
Until BJ changes his swing he will always struggle. He’s just not as quick as before.
Sandy Alderstein announced that they had just signed BJ. Talking with reporters he said, “We had nothing to lose—he’s a free player. You know that Fred and Jeff love free players.”
“Plus he gets me off the hook”, Alderstein added. We’ve spent a ton of money on over the hill players like Reyes and AD so I can average their salaries when I talk to the boys about players with poor production this season.”
Maybe another name change would help…
The statement that Rajai Davis “hasn’t been any better” that Melvin Upton is curious when you follow it up by referencing their slash lines. Rajai’s are clearly better than Melvln’s
You could say they’re both bad, however. That would be more accurate.
Rajai Davis has the advantage of being one of the best – if not the best -baserunner in MLB history. Even in just raw speed – as measured last year – Davis is one of the ten fastest players in baseball. At age 37. The rest of the top ten is all guys in their 20s. That’s pretty special.
10 fastest players in baseball, 2017: (in order)
Buxton, Hamilton, Zimmer, Gordon, Rosario, DeShields, Tapia, Franchy Cordero, Broxton, and then tenth place is a four-way tie between Margot, Davis, Moncada and Mallex Smith. Only Davis is older than 29.
What utter rubbish. Otis Nixon for one was a better baserunner, and there’s also one Rickey Henderson, not to mention Kenny Lofton and Juan Pierre. Rajai Davis, “if not the best baserunner in MLB history”- you must be trolling.
I think Rickey was probably better, you are correct. But baserunning is about a lot more than stealing bases. Pierre was a fast guy who made tons of mistakes on the basepaths, according to the limited data we have about him. Nixon was ultra-fast but there’s very little data about the other stuff – taking the extra base, not getting thrown out. (There’s also very little data for most of Rickey’s career also). So I should clarify: for the era in which we have complete data about sprinting speed, taking extra bases, not getting thrown out on the basepaths, etc., Rajai Davis is the best baserunner by all those metrics by a ton.
Cleveland trades Clevinger and Mejia for Santana and a player to be named later.
Time to take your meds.
I can possibly see the Cardinals take a look at Hanigan for their backup Catcher.