B.J. Upton benched for remainder of playoffs for lack of hustle during post-game celebration

TAMPA BAY, FL — A distraught Joe Maddon told reporters that B.J. Upton had left him “no choice,” and that the Rays star centerfielder would be benched for the remainder of the playoffs following his performance in Game 4 against the White Sox.

Upton, who homered twice in the game, has clashed repeatedly with Maddon over a perceived lack of hustle, and the situation came to a head after the Rays clinched.

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“B.J.’s lack of hustle was really disgusting,” Maddon said. “It basically broke my heart. Here we are, and we clinch a berth in the ALCS, and he’s the fastest guy on the team, and he’s the last one in to celebrate? I mean, guys from the bullpen were beating him in for the dogpile. It’s ridiculous.”

Maddon said that Upton also showed lackluster effort during the “jumping up and down” portion of the celebration.

“You know when the whole team gets in a circle and bounces up and down and makes noise,” Maddon said. “Well, B.J. was in there, but he wasn’t really getting that high off the ground. I mean, this is a guy who can dunk a basketball with ease — he needs to be getting four feet off the ground on every jump. His lack of effort is disgusting.”

Maddon said he wasn’t sure what he was going to do with Upton until he heard the centerfielder’s weak explanation for his behavior.

“I asked him about it, and he said that he was tired from running around the bases, hitting home runs, and basically carrying us to victory,” Maddon said. “Give me a break. So tired that you can’t dogpile? I don’t think so.”