Upton lands in the NL East

By Dan Kolko

Nationals

November 28, 2012, 12:53pm

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Scratch B.J. Upton off the list of free agent outfielders. And get ready to see him in the National League East for the next few years. The Braves have signed Upton to a five-year deal worth a shade over $75 million, according to multiple reports. That not only gives the Braves their center fielder and a middle-of-the-order bat, but it also pushes Michael Bourn out of Atlanta. Bourn now has a benchmark contract off which to work and a host of teams which will be calling, looking to fill a spot in center field. The Phillies are one such team, and, of course, the Nationals could be in the mix, as well. Upton leaves the Rays after eight seasons in Tampa Bay. The 28-year-old batted .246 with 28 home runs, 78 RBIs and 31 stolen bases in 2012. He's nearly two years younger than Bourn, and while he lacks Bourn's elite speed and isn't as strong defensively, he presents more of an offensive threat in the power department. We'll now see how the market plays out in regards to Bourn, who is represented by Scott Boras. The super-agent should get plenty of questions about the speedy center fielder in Nashville at the Winter Meetings, which begin on Monday.