Upton rising is a good Padres story

Andy Green doesn’t have many guys getting on base on the regular.

His team, in fact, is worst in the majors at that crucial discipline since May began, entering Thursday night’s game reaching base at a .250 clip in 17 games this month.

So it was that Green on Thursday inserted near the top of his lineup a guy who not long ago appeared to have bottomed out.

“At the top of the lineup, you want guys to get on base,” Green said by way of explaining why he had Melvin Upton Jr. batting second in the series finale against the San Francisco Giants. “… Melvin has done that better than anyone else on our team. Right now, with Wil (Myers) not being as hot, it’s more a compliment to what Melvin has done to this point in time.”

The move up in the lineup was another chapter in Upton’s redemption story in the midst of the same old Padres story.

The Padres’ position player most deserving of all-star consideration, biggest trade chip and best story so far is a guy pretty much everyone figured was a $32 million millstone around the franchise’s neck.

It’s unreal, really.

The Padres brass was bracing during the offseason for the possibility the team might have to make the decision at some point to eat Upton’s entire contract. Like, just release him if he wasn’t contributing. Then Upton showed up at spring training with a bounce in his step and life in his bat. He readily accepted a move to left field. He started and batted eighth on Opening Day.

Still, at best, he’d be a platoon player. Right?

Nope. Upton has started 38 of the team’s 42 games and is one of just two players (with Alexei Ramirez) to appear in every game.

Upton isn’t just making do on a bad team (though it wasn’t long ago that even making do would have been considered a significant upgrade). He entered Thursday’s game second on the team with a .274 batting average and .357 on-base percentage, third with five home runs, 16 runs and 16 RBI. His seven stolen bases were tied for 12th in the majors and three more than anyone else on the Padres. His eight defensive runs saved (according to the advanced metric site Fangraphs.com) lead all left fielders and are tied for third-most among all position players.

“It’s fun again,” said Upton, who started Thursday batting .340 with a .411 OBP over the previous 15 games. “Physically, it doesn’t feel any different, but it’s definitely fun again. I’m having fun. I enjoy being out there every day – having an opportunity to play every day, which I really didn’t get for two years. The coaching staff is letting me play. There is no pressure to do anything but go out and play the game I love and know how to play.”

Upton arrived in San Diego last year slowed by a physical injury and weighed down by psychological baggage.

In November of 2012, the Atlanta Braves signed him to a five-year, $72.5 million contract, richest in that franchise’s history. He batted .198 in his two seasons with the Braves and was jettisoned to San Diego as the throw-in (throw-away) piece in the Padres’ acquisition of Craig Kimbrel.

Upton began last season on the disabled list with a foot injury. But after a late (June 8) and slow (batting .170 on July 8) start, Upton finished relatively strong (.289 BA/.349 OBP over his final 168 plate appearances).

In the spring he spoke defiantly of no longer trying to live up to outside expectations. Not that there were any anymore.

And that, really, is the thing.

“I’m not afraid to fail,” Upton said with a smile before Thursday’s game. “I did it. I did it for two years. Now I just go out and let it hang out.”

This isn’t quite the same thing as Phil Nevin in 1999, when the Padres basically raided the discard pile and got from the Angels a former No.1 overall draft pick who had to that point survived as a utility player and would turn into an all-star. But it has a familiar feel. This is, at least, turning out far better than expected.

Now, Upton’s contract, with approximately $28 million more due between this year and next, remains a tricky behemoth. Best-case for the Padres is probably that Upton stays healthy and hot enough that a contender is willing to assume part of his deal in a trade this summer.

Maybe after he appears in the All-Star game here.