B.J. Upton Biography

B.J. Upton goes from teenage athletic star to hero of the Tampa Bay Rays World Series dreams

B.J. Upton: High School Prospect
Thanks to outstanding athletic careers for both his mother and father, B.J. Upton was born with sports in his blood. “Bossman Junior” Upton put on one of the best high school careers on record for a baseball player, and he lit up opponents on the mound and with a bat. A 0.33 ERA his senior year was only surpassed by the fact that he only struck out twice as a batter all year and was an astounding 21-21 in stealing bases. The athletic talent of B.J. Upton made him the best high school prospect in the nation, and the NCAA wasn’t on his mind.

B.J. Upton: 2002 MLB Draft
B.J. Upton was seen as a once-in-a-generation athlete, and scouts all over the MLB drooled over his potential as a hitter. The Tampa Bays Rays selected B.J. Upton with the second overall pick in the 2002 MLB Draft and fans with Tampa Bay Rays tickets wanted him to start right away. The long time it takes a prospect to adjust to the MLB means that B.J. Upton would not start after the draft but would head down to the minors for some seasoning. The Tampa Bay Rays did not want to harm the potential of their new franchise player by destroying his psyche early.

B.J. Upton: Minors
B.J. Upton was originally projected as a shortstop in the MLB and played the position in the minors. Though B.J. Upton excelled at hitting, his defensive skills were lacking. It became clear that with his propensity for errors that B.J. Upton would be a better fit somewhere other than shortstop. The Tampa Bay Rays experimented with various other positions to try and capitalize on the offensive strength of B.J. Upton.

B.J. Upton: 2004 Tampa Bay Rays
Even with his defensive struggles the Tampa Bay Rays needed their franchise hitter to be in their starting lineup. Fans with Tampa Bay Rays tickets were not disappointed in the teenage star as a hitter, and he showed the poise of a veteran at bat. The defensive problems for B.J. Upton continued however and for every great hit or homerun he had, he matched it with an error on defense. Still in his teenage years, B.J. Upton was sent back to the minors.

B.J. Upton: 2006-07 Tampa Bay Rays
B.J. Upton finally found his rhythm in the minors and blew away all expectations and critics with an offensive explosion that set minor-league records in 2005. In 2006, the Tampa Bay Rays again elevated B.J. Upton to the starting roster, and he made the transition to third baseman. In the lesser defensive role, B.J. Upton flourished and became a solid hitter. An injury slowed him, and B.J. Upton was again sent to the minors.

The Tampa Bay Rays 2007 season was the breakout that fans with Tampa Bay Rays tickets had expected from B.J. Upton. In addition to an impressive slugging percentage, B.J. Upton became the best player at stealing bases in the MLB. With 20 homeruns and 20 bases stolen, B.J. Upton was an offensive force both at bat and on base. The move of B.J. Upton to center field seemed to be the best fit for the athletic specimen, and he had found his spot in the Tampa Bay Rays lineup.

B.J Upton: 2008 Tampa Bay Rays
The arrival of 3B Evan Longoria to the Tampa Bay Rays lineup along with the development of pitchers James Shields and Scott Kazmir made the 2008 MLB season a magical one for fans with Tampa Bay Rays tickets. The explosive offense of the Tampa Bay Rays and the excellent pitching rotation allowed the Tampa Bay Rays to dominate the AL East, shocking teams like the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. A serious shoulder injury bothered B.J. Upton all year, and his hitting production was not great, but with 44 stolen bases he was key to many wins.

B.J. Upton: 2008 MLB Postseason
The Tampa Bay Rays finished the 2008 MLB season with a 97-65 record, good for first place in the AL East. The Tampa Bay Rays had to face the veteran Chicago White Sox to move on. B.J. Upton came up big and smashed three homeruns against the Chicago White Sox to lead the 3-1 blowout of the series. This was the first playoff series won in franchise history, and fans knew that B.J. Upton would be the one to punch the Tampa Bay Rays World Series tickets.

The Boson Red Sox pushed the Tampa Bay Rays much harder than the Chicago White Sox. The ALCS went all seven games, but B.J. Upton was again a big factor in the Tampa Bay Rays winning of the series. With four homeruns and 11 RBIs, the offense of B.J. Upton mixed with the great pitching of the young Tampa Bay Rays bullpen to get the clutch win over the Boston Red Sox. Fans with Tampa Bay Rays World Series tickets labeled B.J. Upton a postseason hero.

B.J. Upton: 2008 World Series
The Tampa Bay Rays are in their first World Series ever and will face the Philadelphia Phillies. Fans with Tampa Bay Rays MLB World Series tickets have B.J. Upton to thank for the push in the postseason. Pitchers Scott Kazmir, James Shields, and Adam Garza must step up but driving in the runs will be up to B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria. B.J. Upton has also led the Tampa Bay Rays to hit a homerun record for the MLB postseason. Catch B.J. Upton and this young and inspiring team live when you order your premium MLB World Series tickets from OnlineTickets.com today!