Over the weekend, B.J. Upton jogged for a ball in the gap. He was then called out by teammate Evan Longoria in the dugout, a development to which Upton took offense, thus setting off a minor tiff.
The whole event was likely embarrassing for Upton, but does he deserve more punishment?
Manager Joe Maddon already benched Upton for the first of a two-game series in Fenway Park on Tuesday night, but is that enough? Is it time for some more serious disciplinary action to be handed down?
If any group of people should have an educated opinion on the subject, it would be Red Sox fans. For years, Boston baseball fans were subjected to the many antics of Manny Ramirez, antics that eventually became an event unto themselves. “Manny being Manny” was used to describe him, and it was generally understood that the slugger was not going to change his ways in his 30s.
Yet Upton is just 25 years old. Though he’s been in the league since 2007, it’s still very early in his career, and changes can still be made.
So what do you think — should Maddon suspend Upton, or will he learn his lesson from the confrontation and benching?
