Is B.J. Upton the next Willie Mays?

[josh24]

I know is very early to make this kind of predictions, but this guy is really showing that he has potential. One thing i'm pretty sure, Upton won't hit 9 HR next season, he may do 30-30 in 2009. So, Upton is just a young player who is in "the time of his life" or he can be like a Bobby Bonds, Bobby Abreu, and why not Barry Bonds or Willie Mays? Do we need 2 or 3 seasons to prove his skills? What do you think?

[dmbfan]

Really?? You're serious??? After having a very good series against the Red Sox, I would definately say that he is starting to show his potential that has always been what everyone has focused on. But to compare him to Willie Mays after one playoff series??? I will say that he is about ready to show that he can potentially be one of the best centerfielders in baseball. But, he has a great deal of time yet before he can be compared to arguably the greatest centerfielder of all time. Let's give him a few years yet before we start the comparisons.

[Otis Nixon's Bodyguard]

Is Willie Mays your stock guy for a power/speed combo outfielder or something? It's much more likely that B.J. Upton will be the next Carlos Beltran or the next Curtis Granderson. When he wins his first MVP, then we'll start the Willie Mays comparisons.

[josh24]

is willie mays your stock guy for a power/speed combo outfielder or something?

duuuuhhhh.....

[Buczilla]

This reminds me of when the talking heads here in Pittsburgh were spouting off about Duke, Maholm, Snell and Gorzelanny being the next Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz and Avery a couple of years back.

Mays and Bonds is setting the bar to high. It's not like those type of players come around that often.

[NYMets523]

BJ Upton isn't worthy enough of holding Willie Mays' jock strap.

[BenHertz]

Hopefully, he doesn't gain 60 pounds, ala Andruw Jones.

:highfive:

[OleMissCub]

If you are going to go down this treacherous road, I'd say he more reminds me of a young Griffey...but with ALOT less talent.

[Imgran]

He is a good 5 tool CF. Why hang Willy Mays on him? Let hin be BJ Upton. That's good enough.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

If you are going to go down this treacherous road, I'd say he more reminds me of a young Griffey...but with ALOT less talent.

Just on raw physical athletic talent Upton is way better. His arm and speed are miles ahead of Grifey at the same age. However at this age Griffey was way, way ahead on baseball skill and accomplishments.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

How many "next Willie Mays'" have there been since Willie retired? One of my all-time favorite players, Eric Davis, was a "next Willie Mays". I agree with Imgran. Let B.J. Upton be B.J. Upton.

[Buczilla]

The Upton Bros. are gonna be fun to watch for many years to come.

Don't forget about lil baby brother Justin.

Lets just wish for them to each continue to reach for the stars and live up to their huge potential and become the superstars for the next generation, our sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, etc. How is that for next?

[philkid3]

Whatever happened to Baseball Prospectus's similarity scores?

[Los Bravos]

One of my all-time favorite players, Eric Davis, was a "next Willie Mays".
Interesting that you should mention Eric The Red, because I was just wishing there was a "B.J. Upton Is The Next Eric Davis, Hopefully Healthier" option. He reminds me so much of ED, who I always really admired, off the field as well as between the lines.

[KCGHOST]

Considering he has less than 40 HR's in 1300+ AB's I wouldn't put him in the pantheon of the gods, but he will be very good.

[Domenic]

I think Upton will be a very good player, and a consistent 20/20 threat... probably closer to 25/35. However, it is very early, and he regressed a fair bit this season, from his breakout 2007. Still, I think there is a good possibility that he can energize the African-American baseball community, such as Willie Mays did back in the 1950s and '60s.

[stejay]

Nooooo. He will be no-where near. Thats like saying Alex Rodriguez is the new Babe Ruth. He is a great player in his own right, probably a lock HOFer, but he is no Babe. You just can't compare players to other players who played years before. Especially after one good season, and at 24 years old.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Nooooo. He will be no-where near. Thats like saying Alex Rodriguez is the new Babe Ruth. He is a great player in his own right, probably a lock HOFer, but he is no Babe. You just can't compare players to other players who played years before. Especially after one good season, and at 24 years old.

I don't really unserstand this anaology? A-Rod is not the same "type" of player as Ruth. Upton is the same "type" of player (5-tool player) as Willie. However, Willie was a really intelligent ballplayer as well. Most players simply don't have this kind of baseball intelligence.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Talk about jumping the gun....................can we wait a while.
Willie Mays types don't pass though this way very often, hardly ever.

[gojays]

B.J. Upton is not the next Willie Mays...B.J. Upton is the first B.J. Upton. :cap:

[KevinWI]

I keep getting the Upton's confused. I'm assuming BJ is the one who plays for the Rays since I doubt we'd be talking about the Diamondbacks now.

[ol' aches and pains]

Maddon benched Upton three times this year for failing to hustle in the field. I don't recall ever hearing about that happening to Willie Mays.

[gman5431]

First of all - there is never going to be another Willie Mays. Period.

Now on to the real argument - i picked the next Barry Bonds but with less then 600 homers. I think BJ is going to have a great career, he is an awesome athlete and still has a lot of money to play for. I'm suprised by the number of people who picked good player but nothing special.

G Man

[sturg1dj]

i hate saying player A is the next player B


like has been said before, let B.J. Upton be the next B.J. Upton

at the same time, lets explore the pros that make him look like he will be something special

great speed
awesome arm
good power

draws a lot of walks (97 in 2008)

[gman5431]

i hate saying player A is the next player B


like has been said before, let B.J. Upton be the next B.J. Upton

at the same time, lets explore the pros that make him look like he will be something special

great speed
awesome arm
good power

draws a lot of walks (97 in 2008)

I agree.

G Man

[deadball-era-rules]

Upton is going to need to play like he's been playing for another twenty years or so before I'll call him the next Willie Mays. I think he's legit, but too often young stars are over-hyped early on and never reach the expectation of their fans. I remember when JD Drew was the next Babe ruth in St. Louis...

[josh24]

I never said BJ WILL BE the next Mays. Yes, maybe i was wrong comparing Mays and BJ too early. But Upton has a great future, and I'm sure that he's going to do at least 30-30 twice. Maybe not Bonds or Mays, but really good...

[hudsonharden]

He'll be lucky if he's the next Willie McGee.

http://static.flickr.com/44/179420323_6667bf4c15_m.jpg

[willshad]

Willie Mays' age 23 season:

41 Hr 110 RBI .345 BA 175 OpS+

BJ Upton's age 23 season:

9 Hr 67 RBI .273 BA 107 OpS+

Its real close, but Upton had WAY more steals! (44-8) Id give him the edge.

Seriously, people thought MY thread asking if Tampa Bay was one of the worst playoff teams ever was ridiculous.

[willshad]

Upton is going to need to play like he's been playing for another twenty years or so before I'll call him the next Willie Mays. I think he's legit, but too often young stars are over-hyped early on and never reach the expectation of their fans. I remember when JD Drew was the next Babe ruth in St. Louis...

Are we looking at the same guy? he have to play MUCH better than he has played thus far to be the next Willie Mays. His lifetime OpS+ is 109. I never knew that playing well in one post season can over rate a player THAT much! if he continued what hes been doing he would be the next Johnny Damon.

[josh24]

Seriously, people thought MY thread asking if Tampa Bay was one of the worst playoff teams ever was ridiculous.
:grouchy
My thread is VERY different to yours. In this thread, i'm looking for opinions, thoughts, etc. and i never said that "BJ will be the next WMays". However, in your thread, you tried to convince/demonstrate everybody that Rays were "one of the worst playoff teams ever", no matter what kind of excuses and comments you use. Now that Rays are in WS, your thread is non-sense. At least mine is "to be determined".

[Honus Wagner Rules]

You should have compared Upton to Eric Davis instead.

[Dodgerfan1]

I couldn't vote. I didn't see the "Uhh.. err... WHAT!? HELL NO!!" option. Had I seen it, that's what I would have chosen.