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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,389 comments Add your comment
DS1
September 3rd, 2012
9:08 pm
Della was overrated!
Jeff R
September 3rd, 2012
9:08 pm
I don’t have a major issue with Uggla sitting a while. But I will guarantee you one thing, he won’t get his bat going on the bench.
Hard call. Gonzalez has cut Uggla all sorts of slack in hopes that his bat revs up. It hasn’t, and the Braves have stumbled lately. Puts Fredi in a tough position.
I think Fredi’s correct to sit Uggla at this juncture. Reed Johnson , principally, may pick up the slack – and then some. Not saying Uggla shouldn’t be used, but not daily, not now.
Birdhair
September 3rd, 2012
9:10 pm
I am not as critical of FG as I am Wren, obviously. FG has done a commendable job. Gotta give him props for sitting uggla, and mac. Reed needs to keep playing! Need Simmons back asap.
CaptainMudd
September 3rd, 2012
9:11 pm
….And, yes, I think we need to intrepidly use Dan {while not starting} in a pinch hitter role a.s.a.p. & not just get him up to be a decoy….also, he seemed to run the bases well enough for me money…pinch-running too, indeed we need a talent like Uggla now and still.
nolie
September 3rd, 2012
9:13 pm
gotta admit that I am a bit surprised by Fredi’s decision to sit Dan as much as he seems to be thinking about doing
DS1
September 3rd, 2012
9:14 pm
I think for this team to make any sort of a dent in the post season, it’ll need Dan Uggla at second base. But I could be wrong.
But that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!
TONETONE
September 3rd, 2012
9:15 pm
Whatever you call him. This guy remind me of the pearl harbor. He is
The worst player I have seen since the bombing of earl harbor”. This guy is in a horrible
slump. He has become predictable. He takes a couple of balls. He would foul off a couple of balls.
Then , (You get the point!) He would strike out! This guy should have been benched (two) 2 months
ago. Whenever he comes to the plate and the btaves have the bases loaded, Who do you want to
come to the plate. OH MY GOD. HERE COMES STRUUGLA!
ACE
September 3rd, 2012
9:15 pm
In the end Fredi, after Frank told him to, decided to quit running him out there and quit trusting the back of the bubble gum card.
Fredi has also swore off cap tipping. I am sure a lot of therapy was involved with that.
vitriol spewer (phil)
September 3rd, 2012
9:15 pm
Uggly hasn’t hit a lick in months….he has to sit.
If he plays soon and gets a few hits, ok….
nolie
September 3rd, 2012
9:15 pm
if it was even Fredi’s decision to do so
DS1
September 3rd, 2012
9:17 pm
nolie
Nothing Fredi does will surprise me. He is not very predictable. And in my humble opinion, not very good. When the team is going well, he seems to be OK. When they are not going well, a lot of his decisions to get them back on track seem to be head scratchers.
ACE
September 3rd, 2012
9:17 pm
@DS1, keep Uggla in the lineup now and you won’t have to worry about him playing in the post season.
The A Bomb
September 3rd, 2012
9:19 pm
Strikes me that awhile ago, Wren and Gonzalez had a meeting.
Sept. 1 would be some sort of deadline for Uggla to show something.
He didn’t, thus the “decision.” I think this was a predetermined decree from management.
It would surprise me if Gonzalez still doesn’t have Uggla’s back.
DS1
September 3rd, 2012
9:20 pm
ACE
So you say……… and you could be right. But I’ll be damned if I am going to go down with a Johnson/Constanza platoon!
Maybe Fredi, but I sure wouldn’t do it.
keyLargo
September 3rd, 2012
9:21 pm
Anyone who criticizes acquiring Lowe, Kawakami. etc. simply wasn’t a Braves fan in 2008. Go back and look at the 40 man roster in 08. And this was Wren’s fault. He inherited that roster from John Schuerholtz.
Pitching was so scarce in 09 that we had to go to 4 years @ $15M to get Lowe away from the Mets. They settled for Oliver Perez for 3 years @ $15. Who would you have taken?
Jeff R
September 3rd, 2012
9:22 pm
DS1, might be a move to shake up Uggla. Rattle his cage. Uggla might need the demotion to get him motivated and moving in the right direction. Okay, so I’m reaching…
Braves Fan in Maine
September 3rd, 2012
9:22 pm
GO BRAVES the most important thing is to just keep winning!!!
keyLargo
September 3rd, 2012
9:23 pm
Was not Wren’s fault. He inherited the roster from John Schuerholtz.
Jeff R
September 3rd, 2012
9:23 pm
I understood the Lowe signing, and still think it made sense.
Kawakami was hyped quite a bit… Maddux from the Far East. I never believed it.
ACE
September 3rd, 2012
9:24 pm
DS1
How long do you stay with Uggla? Do you put him in and leave him no matter how bad it gets? I agree we need his bat but that hasn’t been present in some time.
The A Bomb
September 3rd, 2012
9:24 pm
Furthermore, I know believe Wren thinks it is CRUCIAL to re-sign Bourn. No. 1 priority. And if blowing out Uggla saves enough to sign Bourn, so be it EVEN if you have to eat a bunch of dollars.
Horrible thought, but you can’t throw $39 million on the bench the next 3 seasons. This will get very interesting.
We’d be lucky to have a Boston scenario. Don’t see it with Uggla.
DS1
September 3rd, 2012
9:24 pm
Jeff R
That’d be my guess.
TheOnlyBravesFan
September 3rd, 2012
9:24 pm
I hope that this demotion can get Uggla going, but if anything, we wouldn’t likely see the results until next year.
Which begs the question: If/When the Braves make the playoffs, is Uggla on the roster? Does he start?
Jeff R
September 3rd, 2012
9:27 pm
Ugga’s on the roster, TheOnlyBravesFan, unless the Braves are looking for a divorce.
Does he start? Let’s see what happens over the next 20-odd games.
Brave New World
September 3rd, 2012
9:30 pm
If Uggla is just going to sit, might it not be better to send him to the minors for a few games to let him play?
TheOnlyBravesFan
September 3rd, 2012
9:30 pm
We need Uggla to get on track.. I’d rather have a half-good Uggla and Prado in LF than Prado at 2B and Reed or Lord forbid, Constanza in LF… Especially in the playoffs. Uggs does deserve to be benched, but at some point they gotta let him play.
nolie
September 3rd, 2012
9:30 pm
KK never looked like an MLB pitcher in the clips I saw of him. Lowe was indeed understandable, and became another player who was worse than should have been expected.
vitriol spewer (phil)
September 3rd, 2012
9:30 pm
Uggla has to sit…..worst avg in the NL to go along with inadequate production otherwise….
Why keep playing that?
Besides, maybe after a few days, a week, he comes back and goes nuts.
Playing him wasn’t working so why not bench the guy for now?
DS1
September 3rd, 2012
9:31 pm
ACE
I don’t know the answer to that question, but when our offense was firing on all cylinders, Uggla wasn’t hurting us. And we all know that the 250/340/480 Uggla is in there somewhere. I’m just saying that to give him extended bench time is not going to cure him.
But then again, if our other hitters get it going again, then a Johnson/Constanza/Janish/Baker combo at the bottom of the order wouldn’t hurt as bad. But keeping Johnson in the starting lineup hurts the bench.
I’d sure as heck give him another 2-3 weeks to get it going, then punt near the end of September if necessary.
But that’s just an armchair manager’s opinion.
Either way, I’m a Braves fan!
Bo Graves!
nolie
September 3rd, 2012
9:31 pm
can’t send him unless he agrees, and I kinda doubt that will happen, and the seasons are almost over anyway
DS1
September 3rd, 2012
9:32 pm
phil
I’d be ok w/ him sitting for a week………
vitriol spewer (phil)
September 3rd, 2012
9:32 pm
Lowe was a drunken bumb and a horrible signing!
Laughing out Loud
September 3rd, 2012
9:34 pm
All the birdbrains calling Frank Wren’s “big splash” sigings failures will be calling Frank a failure if he doesn’t sign Michael Bourne to a big contract. Poor Frank and Fredi cannot win with the birdbrain team. They are always chirping failure, failure, failure….What poor abject mirserable people they must be! Go Braves! We love you!
TheOnlyBravesFan
September 3rd, 2012
9:34 pm
.If Uggla is just going to sit, might it not be better to send him to the minors for a few games to let him play?
Minor league season’s are over, except for the teams that made the playoffs… Don’t know if he has options left, and honestly don’t think it’d be wise to send him down. It’d anger him greatly, kinda like what happened with Frenchy. Also I can’t see playing minor league ball to be of any benefit to Dan/
vitriol spewer (phil)
September 3rd, 2012
9:34 pm
A week suits me fine, then give him a few starts.
If that same swing for Pluto swing is all he’s got, back to the pines…
nolie
September 3rd, 2012
9:34 pm
no doubt, from hindsight
MIBravesFan
September 3rd, 2012
9:35 pm
keylargo – good points at 9:21. Wren was essentially trying to rebuild the rotation. He overspent and took chances because he felt he had to, at that time, in the situation he was in. I wonder if A.J. wishes he had come to Atlanta instead of the Yankees? Would that have turned out differently – would he have been good here as opposed to how bad he was in New York? He made his choice, and Wren felt he had to go with Lowe at that point. Both New York teams got bitten badly by their pitching signings that off-season.
TheOnlyBravesFan
September 3rd, 2012
9:36 pm
But keeping Johnson in the starting lineup hurts the bench.
Yes it does… take a .300 hitter from the bench and add a .210 hitter, who’s hit .150 for months now. Yikes!
ACE
September 3rd, 2012
9:36 pm
Who knows how being benched will do to him. Will it fire him up to prove something when he is in the lineup?
nolie
September 3rd, 2012
9:37 pm
since Yankee Stadium is a good homer park and the Ted is not. most likely he would have been even worse.
vitriol spewer (phil)
September 3rd, 2012
9:37 pm
Good nite all…
The A Bomb
September 3rd, 2012
9:37 pm
Oddly, the “swing from Pluto” had to have been approved by the field commander.
This just doesn’t sound like a Gonzalez move. Who knows?
nolie
September 3rd, 2012
9:37 pm
nite phil
nolie
September 3rd, 2012
9:40 pm
I think Frank and Fredi had a come to Jesus session
double
September 3rd, 2012
9:41 pm
Errors & Excuses If Mr.Uggla needed an explanation,why he was being benched,then he is hurting more than just physically.
The A Bomb
September 3rd, 2012
9:42 pm
Yeah nolie that’s what it sounds like and Sept. 1 was some sort of deadline IMO.
MIBravesFan
September 3rd, 2012
9:42 pm
I would say “let’s not go overboard” but heck . . . .
BravesFanSince80s
September 3rd, 2012
9:42 pm
Uggla is incapable of helping this team in any way, shape, or form and THAT has been apparent to everybody with at least half their mental capacity for quite some time! We are far better off with Prado at 2B (where he should have been playing every day for the past 2 seasons!) and a platoon of Johnson and Constanza in LF. I hope that HOWEVER this season plays out, that Uggla, Gonzalez, Wren, Hanson, Janish, Wilson, Hinske, and whoever else can’t hold up their end of the CONTRACT they’ve signed is sent packing! That includes Michael Bourn, guy strikes out waaaaaaaay too much for a premier leadoff hitter, will be in his 30’s next year and for a speed guy, that’s not the point at which you shell out the HUGE bucks! Frank Wren, IF you, by some miracle, hold onto your job goint into next season, PLEASE do not outbid the Phillies or Nats for Bourn. PLEASE!!!!!!!
nolie
September 3rd, 2012
9:46 pm
don’t think you are gonna get all your wishes 80, but some are bound to come to pass.
ACE
September 3rd, 2012
9:46 pm
Paying too much for Bourn is just asking for trouble a few years down the road. who knows if he would fall off like Uggla but could happen. I would not get in a bidding war for him.
DS1
September 3rd, 2012
9:48 pm
fan since 80’s
Damned glad your not the GM. Just sayin.
And btw, Wilson was released last Friday.
brian
September 3rd, 2012
9:48 pm
I still think that the Braves best move, if they move Uggla, is to deal Uggla to the Marlins for Heath Bell along with $6 million if we have to to balance the salaries the next 2 years(or take on Logan Morrison as well). The Marlins would then have Uggla 1 more year on their own. It would give each player a fresh start to try and turn around their careers. Marlins could easily move Uggla if he started hitting again.
CaptainMudd
September 3rd, 2012
9:49 pm
Simple answer Ace–”Simple Song,” The Shins….
@ACE
If the first opportunity comes and he Plutos the rock into the upper deck with that tomahawk club {bat}, then the fans will say put him back in.
If Uggs wiffs and it looks like he’s teeing off on the back-nine….boos may even reign…but certainly fans will say: put that Uggla back on the pine.
BravesFanSince80s
September 3rd, 2012
9:50 pm
DS1=D%^& S*%^$er 1
brian
September 3rd, 2012
9:50 pm
I have no idea what Pagan and Victorino will get on the open market but I would expect them to only get a 3 year contract and get 1/2 to 2/3 of the money that Bourn/Boras will command. If that ends up being true I offer Bourn and then take my draft pick while signing one of the above (and being biased after the SF series Pagan would be #1 for me).
alex
September 3rd, 2012
9:51 pm
at amber girl, your optimism is rewarded and we thank you……
double
September 3rd, 2012
9:51 pm
Were it not for Fredi,I doubt Mr Uggla would be a Brave.He needs a good phsical exam.Rule out any health problems.
MIBravesFan
September 3rd, 2012
9:52 pm
Why in the world, given the way that Uggla left the Marlins, would they trade for him back? To bust both his chops and the Braves’ by making them pay to give him back? Really?! And you want to do that?!
BravesFanSince80s
September 3rd, 2012
9:52 pm
just sayin…
brian
September 3rd, 2012
9:53 pm
if the Braves do move Uggla, it will allow the Braves to look for a 3B or 2B with Prado taking the other spot. They also still need a LF and a CF.
If we could pry Headley for Delgado and a secondary prospect, we would have some IF with Headley, Simmons, Prado, and Freeman.
Figuring we have Bourn, Pagan, Victorino, or Bourjos in CF, that leaves LF needing a bat (Headley plus Pagan or Victorino gives us switch hitters to help balance the lineup). Any ideas for LF
nolie
September 3rd, 2012
9:54 pm
the Marlins slashed payroll, why would they want Uggla back? They will prolly stay with a kid like Solano
Atlanta Braves: The fall of Tommy Hanson « Joe Sportswriter
September 3rd, 2012
9:55 pm
[...] It’s time for the Braves to make a bold decision and “bench” Tommy Hanson for the rest of 2012, just as they have done with Uggla. [...]
DS1
September 3rd, 2012
9:55 pm
80’s
So, you didn’t like my evaluation?
How would you justify releasing Hanson and Janish, not to mention HOW would you dispense with Uggla without paying him a LOT of money to hit homers for somebody else?
Just sayin that some of your points were a bit out there……….
keyLargo
September 3rd, 2012
9:56 pm
Nolie – is there any chance of the Braves getting some money back from Cleveland since they traded Lowe to NYY? You and I know how it is – a million here, a million there and the first thing you know you’re talking about real money. But if this were prorated it could be about $2.5M coming back to the Braves
DS1
September 3rd, 2012
9:57 pm
Who would we trade Uggla to? I’m looking for suggestions. Without paying 3/4 of his salary for the next 3 years? Pray tell.
Seriously?
September 3rd, 2012
10:00 pm
But keeping Johnson in the starting lineup hurts the bench.
It don’t get much dumber than this.
brian
September 3rd, 2012
10:00 pm
if the Braves are wanting to dump Uggla somewhere they have to find a taker. The only way the BRaves get rid of Uggla is if they take a bad contract in return. There are 2 obvious ones where the current club was unable to find a taker at the trade deadline – Soriano in Chicago and Bell in Miami. If the Cubs would throw in money I would consider Soriano for Uggla but the next 2 years at what $18 million scares me.
Heath Bell had been rock solid in San Diego. Now if he appears done then obviously do not do it though it would save money. If he still seems to have an arm and has just been in a funk, blame Miami and give him a chance if they will take Uggla.
The trade for Uggla was a good one for the Braves as Infante was not a long term option and we obviously do not miss the lefty reliever. The extension though is what is killing the BRaves now.
The A Bomb
September 3rd, 2012
10:00 pm
Wayne — only team that might remotely be looking for a 2B is Toronto with Johnson as an FA.
Actually that might be a good fit for him, given the HRs hit by the Jays. Who knows?
UKUGA
September 3rd, 2012
10:00 pm
Rainout tomorrow?
tiger297
September 3rd, 2012
10:01 pm
whatup folks…DS1 u still around
tiger297
September 3rd, 2012
10:01 pm
note I didn’t say round I said around…
brian
September 3rd, 2012
10:01 pm
that is a good idea A Bomb – he would fit right in in Toronto. As long as they do not make us take Yunel back
MIBravesFan
September 3rd, 2012
10:02 pm
Isn’t Toronto the expert in dumping big contracts, as opposed to picking them up?
UKUGA
September 3rd, 2012
10:02 pm
Hanson starts tomorrow. If he struggles (expected?), then the next phase is to see if Sheets comes back and how he looks. If he returns to starts 1-2-3 form, then Hanson could sit.
Why sit Uggla and throw Hanson out there every fifth day? Wouldn’t make much sense to me.
bostonbravo
September 3rd, 2012
10:02 pm
GD it!!! 3 months of not hitting AFTER a year of sub .250 hitting ain’t a SLUMP!!! STOP saying “he’s streaky or in a “slump:…He is TOAST!!!!
Japan would love Uggla…those big bulging, worthless muscles, etc.
TheOnlyBravesFan
September 3rd, 2012
10:03 pm
Who would we trade Uggla to? I’m looking for suggestions. Without paying 3/4 of his salary for the next 3 years? Pray tell.
Dodgers!
But keeping Johnson in the starting lineup hurts the bench.
It don’t get much dumber than this.
Um, okay… do explain.
tiger297
September 3rd, 2012
10:03 pm
kl – once the trade is done its done…if yanks picked him up after he was released they have to pay him pro-rated portion of league minimum but that would go to cleveland not atlanta
brian
September 3rd, 2012
10:04 pm
we would have to chip in a bunch of money to Toronto though.
brian
September 3rd, 2012
10:04 pm
Enter your comments here
bostonbravo
September 3rd, 2012
10:05 pm
Hanson throws like a minor league catcher…always has..his luck has run out….go do “Opie Taylor Homage” flicks or something…
brian
September 3rd, 2012
10:06 pm
maybe we could talk toronto into taking Uggla, making him look good in their park, and then unloading him for more prospects than they gave up to get him???
DS1
September 3rd, 2012
10:06 pm
tiger
Hanging out. Working some serious hard sudoku puzzles and throwing in a comment or two. Stuck in St George in a condo with a broke AC unit. Repair man coming tomorrow. Thank God for ceiling fans!
How ya been?
brian
September 3rd, 2012
10:07 pm
MIBravesfan is correct with Toronto. Look at their roster and salaries. Kelly’s and Yunel’s seem the 2 most painful ones
The A Bomb
September 3rd, 2012
10:07 pm
I expect Hanson’s leash to be very, very short.
Might even cause a bit of a scene at the mound if (WHEN) Gonzalez comes out and pulls him.
Remember the Cox handshake in Houston 3 years ago?
DS1
September 3rd, 2012
10:08 pm
and both, round and around……..
tiger297
September 3rd, 2012
10:09 pm
not bad just work and baseball – between little tiger and braves almost daily which is a good thing
lee maye
September 3rd, 2012
10:10 pm
Can’t send Uggla to minors. No options and the minors are over, except for playoffs.
MIBravesFan
September 3rd, 2012
10:11 pm
Playing all 3 of the best versons of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” back to back, just to reconsider which one is the best. (Don’t worry – won’t post!)
The A Bomb
September 3rd, 2012
10:11 pm
Choate hurt in L.A. Lefty specialist.
Had to come out.
We’ll see how bad it is.
tiger297
September 3rd, 2012
10:11 pm
and both –
both of us LOL
DS1
September 3rd, 2012
10:11 pm
How’s the new job going?
I’m having so much fun on vacation, I think I might eventually like retirement!
keyLargo
September 3rd, 2012
10:11 pm
Tiger – did you have your son with you at the game vs. the Phils?
tiger297
September 3rd, 2012
10:14 pm
we were there friday night for the blown save but last night he had practice so we didn’t make the game…but watched it at home
tiger297
September 3rd, 2012
10:16 pm
DS1 – more interesting than the last one although I do miss the technical discussions a bit. We will see if it produces the desire results.
Little tiger told me yesterday I needed to find a job in colorado
DS1
September 3rd, 2012
10:18 pm
Colorado is a great state four shore! But you’d miss those Braves games too much!
BravesFanSince80s
September 3rd, 2012
10:18 pm
if we could get Cleveland to tale Lowe, SOMEBODY will take a chance on Uggla, REGARDLESS of what it costs us in contract. I DO NOT CARE. Janish is a good glove but is a liability at the plate, that’s his MO, it’s well established at this point, why keep him, we have Pastornicky who isn’t quite the glove man Janish is, but he can give you MUCH more quality at-bats than can Janish. Hinske is done, stick a fork in him. Hanson is a liability, cut him loose and let somebody else spend the next couple of years trying to keep him healthy enough to pitch. Out there? Out there? If I’m out there, where are you? The dark side of the moon? At least I’m asking professional athletes to hold up THEIR end of the bargain when they’re being paid more than my entire family will ever see in all or our entire lives! What are your expectations of a professional athlete being paid 12 FREAKING MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR!
BravesFanSince80s
September 3rd, 2012
10:20 pm
take* Lowe, sorry
tiger297
September 3rd, 2012
10:20 pm
DS1 – the question is do I give up 50 days at braves games for 50 days of skiing? 10 years ago the answer was much simpler…
TheOnlyBravesFan
September 3rd, 2012
10:23 pm
Lowe was a 1yr commitment, Uggla will be 3 years. And we ate 2/3 of Lowe’s salary, which had an impact on what we could do this year. Imagine that with Uggla… having to pay at least 8mil in salary for the next 3 years…. it’d be extremely hard… we’re “stuck” with Uggla.
the truth...
September 3rd, 2012
10:24 pm
DS1……
Didn’t you mention that Wilson was released last week?…..that is what I thought but last night in the swarm at the plate when Chipper scored I could have sworn I saw someone with “WILSON” on the back of his jersey…..
Anyone else see that?