"A chorus of boos rained down each time they announced his name, and with every catcall, every insult, he kept his head up and bit his tongue.

Justin Upton knows exactly what Prince Fielder felt like last week at Chase Field during the State Farm Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game.

The same crowd that voiced support for him by dumping on Fielder for not selecting Upton for the derby sounded just like the same angry mob that used to rail on Upton.

"There was a time when he was disappointed by the fans and their expectations of him," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. "They gave it to him pretty good. And it took him a while to learn how to handle it."

When you're a mega million-dollar bonus baby and you punch your ticket to the big leagues as a 19-year-old, pressure and high expectations tend to follow.

Five years in the majors and still just 23, Upton has reached a new level in his career. He's a two-time All-Star leading his team on a playoff chase, has been one of baseball's best hitters since late May despite a recent 0-for-20 skid, and is starting to earn praise of superstar status by his peers.

"Now," Gibson said, "he's really going to be judged.""