Upton slowly making progress

By ROGER MOONEY
rmooney@bradenton.com
PORT CHARLOTTE — B.J. Upton saw live pitching Sunday morning. Literally.

The Rays center fielder, whose spring training has been slowed by offseason shoulder surgery, went to the back practice fields, stood in the batters box and watched pitches go by. He swung at a few, but he was more intent on just seeing the ball come out of the hand of a pitcher.

“With the schedule we’ve got, obviously, we’re playing games and the minor leagues start games (Monday), so (Sunday) was actually the last day I could get out and track without being in a game,” Upton said. “I took a couple of swings at balls I felt I could get to, but other than that, just tracking.”

Tracking afforded Upton the opportunity to see the spin on certain pitches and keep his hitting eye in shape.

As for playing in games, Upton said he would like to return sometime during the final two weeks of spring training. He will likely play in minor league games so as not to take at-bats from his teammates preparing for the regular season.

Upton also said he’s not concerned about missing the first week or so of the regular season.

“I think the biggest thing is having me for more of the season than less of it,” he said. “If I missed the first couple of weeks, so be it. If I can be there in September and October, that’s what we’re looking for.”

Percival better
Rays closer Troy Percival pitched another 1-2-3 inning Sunday during his second outing of the spring.

“It’s all a stepping stone,” he said. “And I took another one (Sunday).”

Rays manager Joe Maddon liked what he saw from Percival, who is working his way back into shape after offseason back surgery.

“That was as good as I’ve seen Percy in a while,” Maddon said. “The first pitch he threw I told him I like his delivery, I like where his ball was located. Then he struck a guy out on a cutter, which I thought was a very good pitch.”

Garza solid
Matt Garza, No. 3 in the Rays rotation, had his best outing of the spring, though it was only his second.

Still, he held the Pirates to three hits in four scoreless innings.

Going deep
Reliever Joe Nelson, who signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract in the offseason, allowed the Pirates to rally and tie the sore at 7-7 when he gave up a pair of long home runs.

With two outs and the Rays up 7-3, Pedro Alvarez hit a three-run bomb that hit halfway up the batter’s eye in center field, some 414 feet from home plate.

Garrett Jones followed with a long home run that landed on the awning that hangs from the second story of the Rays offices that sit in the behind the right field boardwalk.

Nelson, whose ERA ballooned to 23.62, has allowed four home runs in 2 2/3 innings this spring.

NOTEWORTHY
Grant Balfour allowed three hits in his one inning but did not allow a run, because he struck out three, including Brian Bixler looking to end the inning ... Reid Brignac hit his second home run of the spring ... Elliot Johnson stole his third base of the spring and drove in his seventh run ... Shortstop Tim Beckham, the top pick in the 2008 draft, ran a two-run triple into a double when he stumbled going around second base ... Hall of fame golfer Nancy Lopez was a guest of the Rays on Sunday. Her daughter, Ashley, is an intern with the Rays public relations department.