If Uggla doesn't turn things around, Braves are sunk

Paul H

June 6th, 2011
11:46 am

1

Brandon

June 6th, 2011
11:47 am

The braves must have forgot that Uggla does his best hitting against the braves.

TMitch

June 6th, 2011
11:51 am

1st!!!!

Paul H

June 6th, 2011
11:52 am

And seriously. Enough is enough, not just with Uggla, but our whole offense. Taking care of business against the bottom dwellers is the difference between 3rd place teams (Braves) and first place teams (Phillies).

give Dan a chance

June 6th, 2011
11:52 am

I am not worried about the struggles that Dan Uggla has been having. I know that everyone is going crazy and wanting Dan’s head, but maybe he just had a slow start and all the pressure people were putting on him turned his slow start into the downward spiral that is his .172 average. But to say that Dan is going to hit .172 for 5 years is ridiculous. Before the all star break he will turn it around, and he will still hit 30 home runs, guaranteed.

Rich

June 6th, 2011
11:53 am

I was shocked that the Braves didnt go after a high priced outfielder in the offseason because of budgetary constraints, but were then able to come up with 62 million for Uggla. I thought it was a bad decision because of his poor defense and his penchant for swinging at everything. I vividly remember Braves announcer Joe Simpson derding Uggla over the years. I guess Joe has really had to bite his tongue this year,

ted williams head

June 6th, 2011
11:53 am

guys tend to hit their lifetime stats until they get old but he better hurry

MatthewH

June 6th, 2011
11:53 am

Your tweet said “excessive stalling until I find something to blog about.” While this subject is good, it has been done. Maybe you should have stalled some more?

ATL born and raised

June 6th, 2011
11:54 am

Uggla has always been a second half player. His start has been disappointing, yes, but he will turn it around. Wait until The end of July before you talk about what the Braves should do with him. Extra BP and video room until then.

Paul H

June 6th, 2011
11:55 am

I thought it was an aberration in April. June? Not so sure. I keep thinking he will turn it around but the season isn’t getting any younger. I also wonder if the huge contract put pressure on him to try to outpeform himself, instead of just doing what he knows how to do.

Chi Town

June 6th, 2011
11:55 am

Braves suck.

We need Saban to come in and coach us.

Right, Schultzy?

BooBoo

June 6th, 2011
11:55 am

When you have winner genetics, you win. Frank Wren has loser genetics. Uggla needs to hire the OJ Dream Team and sue Wren for making him go into a hitting slump. His Hitting DNA smear can be found in Miami.

Worm

June 6th, 2011
11:56 am

Put Prado back at second and start Hinske til he shows signs of life.

Ramblinwreck83

June 6th, 2011
11:57 am

Uggla’s killing the Braves as well as the fans. I really got excited about this trade before the season started but, now it looks like another player has just robbed the Braves again (i.e. Mike Hampton) except Uggla plays pretty much everyday.

Scott

June 6th, 2011
11:57 am

3 of the last 4 years he has hit .260 or worse so it isn’t like we were getting Tony Gwynn, you should have expected a .240 or .250 average with a ton of power, I think the projection of 19HR for his season at this pace is really the killer as without him their already power weak lineup looks even worse.

stevie zero

June 6th, 2011
11:59 am

uggla swings way too hard and has never ever tried to go to right field. stubborn as he!! and no signs of making an adjustment. liked the signing in january. now uggla just looks like some clubgoing d-bag redneck who cant hit for schwazz. maybe stay out of the gym for five minutes and alter that swing. and whats with all the lame feauxhawks?? what a bunch of dorks

option smoption

June 6th, 2011
11:59 am

Nobody will ever rob the braves as bad as Mike Hampton did while he was here (sort of).

Carpool Tunnel Syndrome

June 6th, 2011
12:00 pm

Just to clarify: he can’t be optioned to the minors without his permission because he has more than 5 years of major-league service.

wxwax

June 6th, 2011
12:00 pm

Most players have bad seasons at some point. He’ll only be a true boat anchor if he doesn’t produce in year two of his contract.

But maybe “ATL born and raised” is right, maybe he’ll get hot in the 2nd half.

Pecan

June 6th, 2011
12:00 pm

Looks like the same ole Braves from the last several seasons. I can’t watch anymore. We all got spoiled when they were winning division championships, and now it’s been a long time since winning a World Series game. I think we are sunk for years to come.

Time

June 6th, 2011
12:01 pm

The Braves do need Uggla. But by no means does his continued slumping mean they are sunk. Besides, you’re talking about one of the more consistent offensive players in recent years. He’ll be at or close to what it says on the back of the baseball card by the end of the year.

But even if he doesn’t, don’t look now but Freddie Freeman is quickly developing into a middle of the order force. His quick development could help to cancel out the effects of Uggla’s slump.

joemoedee

June 6th, 2011
12:02 pm

You’d have to think Uggla and Heyward can turn it around, but overall as a team the offense has not been TOO bad. Shockingly, this offense has not been that much off of the Phillies.

The Braves, as a team, have more HR, and the scoring per game is within .2 r/g. The only thing that the Phillies have done offensively significantly better than the Braves is steal bases. (Average, OPS, etc, pretty close)

The Braves are 11 of 27 in stolen bases, the worst in MLB, by far. (Lowest amount of stolen bases, as well as the worst percentage of steals) If there’s no threat to run, in what has become a more fundamental MLB with the drop of home runs, pitchers have a different approach.

Also, losing 16 men in scoring position by being caught stealing doesn’t help the offense, either.

Looking Forward to Freddies (both of them)

June 6th, 2011
12:05 pm

It is not an aberration, he has serious problems with his swing and the coaching staff are apparently doing nothing to help him fix it. Until he fixes his swing and timing he will be lucky to hit .175. Now we should turn to the bigger issue:

When one player slumps, then the problem lies with that player. When every one on the team slumps (outside of a few individuals) then it is a coaching problem. Much has been said about Larry Parrish’s philosophy of being aggressive at the plate. It is a horrible philosophy unless you have a team of high batting average slap-hitters. The braves are constructed of large lumbering power hitter which means that they need to work counts to their favor to get big hits; this aggressive philosophy is killing the team because no one walks and our hitters (except Prado and Freeman) cannot hit the ball the other way. Thus we have no one to drive in when we do get the occasional hit.

I thought Pendleton bad a poor hitting coach – now I realize that we truly were spoiled. Parrish has exactly the wrong philosophy for this team. I am not saying he is a poor coach, just his philosophy does not fit our team…and this is showing.

Doves

June 6th, 2011
12:05 pm

Can’t we sue for breach of contract?

jo

June 6th, 2011
12:07 pm

lately even the pitching has fizzled…………..maybe uggla is pitching too? Or maybe the Braves just aren’t that good…..(but we can always hope for something better!)

Sweet Old Buck

June 6th, 2011
12:07 pm

Schultzie, you couldn’t be more on target. The lack of information on Heyward’s condition is troubling. I still question Chipper’s ability to last through the wear and tear of the season. Thank goodness for Mac and Martin. But, we need more than that. Uggla has to do it for us, or you can kiss this season good-bye. All the pitching we have will not save us.

chpatt

June 6th, 2011
12:07 pm

Did anyone see Valentine analyze Uggla’s swing and compare it? It was spot on! Hit front foot points to left field when he steps before he swings, meaning he has no chance of hitting anything even close to the outside corner. Even Valentine said that he will never hit unless he’s changing this habit. Is Larry Parrish trying to teach him? If so, why is he not getting through to Uggla? I know Uggla’s a gamer, but at some point he has got to realize that he must change what he is doing. If I were him I would go back and watch videos of all my home runs from last year. Last year he hit .287 with 33 HR and 105 RBI….His best year by far. So why not watch video of that? Oh well, i only wish he weren’t ignorant.

Sons of Rick Matula

June 6th, 2011
12:08 pm

I think that Uggla will come out of this but he still will not be worth the money. If he digs himself out of this, the best we can hope for now is 15/60/.250. Heyward is a bigger concern. Is he the next Francoeur? Over hyped local kid. Right now, I’d say Jeff had better years 1&2. Plus he played every day. “J-Hey” can’t stay on the field.

Jeremiah Weed

June 6th, 2011
12:08 pm

We’re only 3.5 games back with all of this going on…i won’t bury the the Braves yet but Uggla is not getting any younger and if Heyward’s injuries keep popping up ….well I dunno about him

JoeFan

June 6th, 2011
12:08 pm

Just play Uggla every 4th or 5th game to see if anything has changed. Until then he stays on the bench and the Braves trot out whoever can play 2B and has a clue regarding hitting a baseball. In the meantime send Heyward back to AAA and let him work things out there not flailing away in Atlanta.

phoenix falcon

June 6th, 2011
12:10 pm

trade him now while you can, because he’s only going to get worst from here, he sucks, big contracts creates big pressure, and we all know what pressure does, and guess what, his contract is NOT GOING AWAY, GET RID OF HIM.

Blackberry Cobbler

June 6th, 2011
12:11 pm

Truth is, the Braves are SUNK ANYWAY.

It’s not just Uggla. You can’t throw the whole problem at Uggla. The lineup has just got too many other light-hitters as well– Gonzalez and the whole mix and match combination of outfield and first base (McOUT, Shaffer, Heyward, Mather). The only one hitting is Hinske.

Combine this with the inconsistent pitching of Lowe, Hanson, and Hudson and well, you have a .500 ball club.

The only half-consistent offense on this team is Prado, Chipper, McCann, and Hinske. The only strong pitching on the team is Jurgens and the bullpen.

Bob

June 6th, 2011
12:12 pm

I don’t think Uggla isn’t trying…just the opposite. He has no confidence right now and his mechanics are off. Being a professional, why doesn’t he volunteer for a week’s stint at AAA to help with his confidence/mechanics, and help the team?

JOHN

June 6th, 2011
12:12 pm

Can’t blame TP for the hitting now. The Braves are at a cross roads… they need players that listen and want to be coached. Why are we still trying to pull everything. Even a dog learns…

phoenix falcon

June 6th, 2011
12:14 pm

at least i get to watch one 1st place team everyday……….GO D-BACKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ramblinwreck83

June 6th, 2011
12:17 pm

Your absolutely right Jeff. As much as i hated Hampton killing the Braves payroll, he was pretty good when he played and on the front end it wasn’t expensive but, no one remembers those years. Only the last three. I just think Uggla should try to take a little different approach. He’s looks like he’s trying to kill everything he swings at. That cause a player to get all out of whack with his swing.

Smoltzie

June 6th, 2011
12:18 pm

Schafer is hitting 216 also….I like the kid but is he going to hit enough? Thanks Liberty Media….they have money to buy book companies but no money to up the Braves payroll…Time for front office changes…Or just be happy with what you’ve got. Being average is ok sometimes….I don’t think WINNING is the top priority of this organizaton…Making money is top. As long as the seats are somewhat full and they are making some money then this is what you’ll get. That’s why they hired a safe manager…One of the good ‘ol boys…

NORRIS

June 6th, 2011
12:21 pm

The braves as a whole dont score runs. Their hitting is not good as a whole.
Even if Heyward were in the lineup, he hasnt been hitting and he was still unproven.
Once again when Prado is at third we might have the worst outfield in the history of baseball…

VaBravesfan

June 6th, 2011
12:22 pm

It is a huge Catch-22. He is not going to turn it around by sitting on the bench but he certainly doesn’t seem to be doing it by playing, either. He will start hitting at some point, but will it be too late?

MatthewH

June 6th, 2011
12:23 pm

well, Jeff, you got the comments, so you were right. My original comment wasn’t a criticism by any means, just an observation, and I know you need those hits. By the way, a few years ago I remember something about a meeting where it was decided that you (and others) would do 3 blogs a day. Did that finally get scrapped?

Tucker T

June 6th, 2011
12:24 pm

I think Uggla needs a good head shrinker. He has turned into the worst kind of problem. A headcase. Charlie Morton is a prime example. It appears he has figured it out this year with the Pirates…about three years too late for the Braves.

Delbert D.

June 6th, 2011
12:27 pm

So I said to myself, “Self, cheer up. Things could be worse.” I cheered up, and sure enough, things got worse.

Tucker T

June 6th, 2011
12:31 pm

What amazes me about Uggla is that he is not striking out that much, at least by his standards. He has only struck out 46 times in 60 games. This is a guy who has averaged a strikeout per game in his career. He is popping up a lot. He says that his timing is off. Maybe a stint in the minors will help that but it would be a major embarrassment for him and the team. A good sports psychologist would help too.

Dan Uggly

June 6th, 2011
12:33 pm

At first, I thought it was just the name that was fuggly. Now it’s the performance to…

Clint

June 6th, 2011
12:34 pm

Did anyone notice the point Bobby Valentine made last night about Uggla’s front foot being pointed at the pitcher when he swings robbing him of using his legs at all in his swing. They did a side by side shot with Chipper illustrating the right and wrong way. This seems like an obvious mechanical flaw. Why isn’t anyone on the Braves coaching staff addressing this? This fact along with his anti-OBP strategy really sinks Larry Parish credibility as a MLB level hitting coach!

Jamaaliver

June 6th, 2011
12:35 pm

Jeff,

Could the new hitting coach’s philosophy be a part of Uggla’s as well as the entire offense’s problem?

Is he currently with the same hitting instructor he had in Florida?

Bill

June 6th, 2011
12:36 pm

Uggla needs to call Chipper dad……….he needs to just make contact and let what happens happen..contact, not kill the ball.
How does this just happen..ask A Jones, Frenchy, Nate, Cabrera now Uggla. who’s next?

Thanks Jeff …..

Not the first or the last

June 6th, 2011
12:40 pm

It happens every year in every sport. High priced contract for the first time, and a lackluster year trying to prove the contract was a good decision by the team.
DU is going through that, I think. He’ll bounce back, but probably not until very late this year or possibly next after he has time to reflect.
The whole ‘I’m always a slow starter’ is an irritant, however. If you’re a professional, and consider yourself to be worthy of such an investment by a team, then figure out why you start slowly and try to fix it, ala Texeira.

RedandBlack

June 6th, 2011
12:42 pm

Why did the Braves trade Infante away in the first place? He was a proven producer and a catalyst to the Braves offense last year no matter where the Braves played him on the field.

The Braves need to send Uggla to Mississippi in the minors and away from Atlanta. Uggla is a professional. He needs to regain his confidence and his swing. He will not do it here in Atlanta and up in Gwinnett with all the scrutiny on him. The sooner, the better, because the season is still salvageable right now.

Make a trade with the Marlins to get back Infante. Trade them Heyward for him and throw back Uggla if possible. Do it now or the Braves die on the vine with 4 more years to rot. Go Dogs!!!

Blaze

June 6th, 2011
12:43 pm

First of all, I was for the Uggla signing. When a powerful right hitting outfielder couldn’t be found or signed, I thought that this (Uggla’s signing) would be second best. I wouldn’t rest the entire Braves season on any one player; however, I do believe that either Heyward or Uggla must find their swing. I think at least one of them will if not both.

I do agree that if Parrish’s philosophy is to be aggressive, then we need to go back being patient and working the count. Baseball is about making adjustments. If we just stand pat and make no adjustments, then …..yes…..the season could be a long one. I still see us as making the wild card; however, I think we need to try and find someone that will take Lowe. We have the access of many solid pitchers. Trade the highest priced one for some bats and speed and defense.

UGA Insider

June 6th, 2011
12:44 pm

The Braves are sunk until someone local buys the team. Is Arthur Blank listening?

stanimal

June 6th, 2011
12:45 pm

Yes Ugli is having an out of body experience as a member of the bad news bears, but the real issue is Fredi G. I have never been this frustrated watching a manager work or in this case watch a game. You have a team starving for run production yet you do nothing in the early innings to create. Hey, don’t move the runners over with a bunt will get that big hit from Gonzo. All you Bobby haters out there answer me this. We have witnessed a number of terrible calls against the braves and not once has Fredi raised his voice. Bobby got thrown out of more games not because of the call, but to get some fire in the team. I see nothing that would want me to run into a wall for this guy. It’s time someone actually strted writing the real story and quit sticking your heads in the sand

John

June 6th, 2011
12:46 pm

The Braves fall from near the top of the league in OBP to nearly the last is alarming. This falls on the hitting coach. Move TP back to the dugout. Gonzalez lack of emotion is frustrating too. He could argue every once in a while. This is the most frustrating team I have ever watched. Maybe they can turn it around but we give other teams too many easy outs. I swear if you change the channel during the middle of the inning when the Braves are coming up to bat and you wait 5 minutes to turn it back, it is likely that you missed the Braves batting. It is amazing that we are not any further back in the standings than we are.

Herschel Talker

June 6th, 2011
12:46 pm

Schultzie:

I blame Mark Richt. I also blame idiot Fredi.

HT

Mizzou

June 6th, 2011
12:47 pm

Change starts from the top. The same group and same mind set have set the pieces for the last two decades. Time to retool and, in exchange for parting with some of the wealth of pitching prospects, add some coaches and players who know or can take small baseball to heart: running, base-stealing, hitting singles (and to the opposite field) and bunting.

HEYWARDS BOBBLEHEADS BREAK TOO

June 6th, 2011
12:48 pm

Let’s see, both CF’s get hurt, RF’s new name is Crystal Chandlier (yes the old falcons QB) Grandad at 3rd is a due for a DL stint, yes lots of positives to look toward.

GTT

June 6th, 2011
12:48 pm

He’s looking like Nick Esasky.

B

June 6th, 2011
12:49 pm

He needs to be moved up in the lineup. Seriously. he has no one behind him and he’s getting crap pitches to hit. Because he is pressing he’s swinging at bad pitches. You see the results….bat him 2nd and see him turn it around.

Steve

June 6th, 2011
12:50 pm

LOL @ these stupid Braves fans who keep saying “Uggla is just a slow starter. He’ll get it going after all star break”. So what you fans who keep defending Uggla are saying is “we are paying this guy $9 million dollars a year, to only perform for half the season”. You fans seem fine with that? I remember Braves fans booing Troy Glaus in the middle of April, and heck he was only making like $1 million with us. I love the Braves, but we do have some dumb fans. We paid Uggla to produce for us the whole year, not only half the season.

jay

June 6th, 2011
12:51 pm

I see a DL visit in Uggla’s future. It’s a way of benching him and saving face. Then he can ‘rehab’ in the minors. Not sure what will be the worse contract, Uggla if continues along this path or KK.

Greg

June 6th, 2011
12:52 pm

Is he seeing a sports-performance shrink? I mean the really smart kind that costs about $500/hr. If not, why not?

GStateBen

June 6th, 2011
12:54 pm

Uggla will go on the DL in the next two months with a phantom injury and then take two weeks to rehab. There is no way he can continue to be in the lineup . We’d be better off with Mather/Hinske in the OF and Prado playing an INF spot.

Luke

June 6th, 2011
12:54 pm

Just an FYI to everyone, right now Atlanta has a +22 run differential and has scored 7 runs less then the Division leading Phillies. So really its not the lack of hits, but the lack of RBIs.

Braves just can’t drive in the runs.

SteveW

June 6th, 2011
12:55 pm

I really thought Uggla would be a .260 20-25 hr. kinda guy. Nothing extraordinary, but solid. I’ve been very wrong to this point.

On a deeper level, why is it that we get a McLouth, and he immediately goes backwards? Now Uggla. Is there something wrong with our system for hitters or something? Even Jeff F. is doing pretty well with KC it looks like.

Just wondering

Oregon Brave

June 6th, 2011
12:56 pm

I will keep rooting for Uggla. I’ve rooted for every Braves player from Felix Mantilla and Nippy Jones to Alex Gonzalez and Chipper Jones so I’ll stay with him. The Mike Hampton years were rough and I can find absolutely nothing about Nate McClouth that I like other than the DL, but I won’t give up on Uggla. Might be critical of him from time to time. Right now I’m trying to figure out if the hitting coach knows what he is doing when Chipper calls his Dad for hitting tips and Freddy Freeman talks with his Dad about adjustments. Hmm. Perhaps Uggla will have a long chat with his Dad on Fathers Day. Go Braves.

Dr. Phil

June 6th, 2011
12:57 pm

The real question is, what is it about Frank Wren that turns seemingly good moves into disasters. Uggla, McLouth, and Kawakami have been expensive flops, to say nothing of the gift of Andrus and Feliz to the Rangers. It has been pointed out that Wren’s castoffs would make a pretty competitive baseball team. Post season seems to be increasingly an event of the past.

Hillbilly D

June 6th, 2011
12:59 pm

Ol’ TP don’t look so bad now, does he?

reason

June 6th, 2011
12:59 pm

The Brave are have Hayward going down hill and Uggla who is already there. No real CF. Will not blame the manager or coaches. The Braves players are not little kids. They don’t need a leader in the club house, all they need to remember is the amount of money they make to play a game. I’an tired of hearing how tired they are and need rest and the stupid excuse the announoucer give for play lazy and bad. The Braves is a poorly run organization. Uggla needs to be bench for about three weeks, and don’t depend on Heyward to be a steady everyday player, his glory days are behind him.

Old Gold

June 6th, 2011
12:59 pm

Popeye without his spinach! The guy will never hit above 240 again! Any nursing home in Atlanta could field a faster running team than this one!!!

Mark's for the Braves

June 6th, 2011
12:59 pm

I just hope Uggla can get it going against his old team. May be the Fish is what he needs to feast on.

If he doesn’t, I’d discuss sending him to Gwinnett as we did McClouth last year and see if he started hitting there. I believe he would accept the assignment. Uggla seems like a sensible guy.

Thing is, Uggla may not be the only one who needs to be sent down for a while….

Hiesenberg

June 6th, 2011
12:59 pm

Loved the trade when it happened and considering the contracts Crawford/Werth signed throught his was a fair deal. That being said we are not getting what we paid for. I doubt any MLB (or any other pro contract) has such a clause in it that states certain performance metrics are required or else a breach of contract would occur. Certainly the players association would not have a problem with that. Right? Haha I kill me sometimes.

Right now it looks like Danny boy is getting advise from Frenchy. No need to change mechanics/approach, just keep swinging harder! Ans so he has become Andru Jones. If you happen to throw a fastball where he swings the bat, Uggla will hit it a long way.

The only guy you could trade him for right now would be Adam Dunn straight-up. Pass on tthat.

chris

June 6th, 2011
1:04 pm

Jeff Schultz,

I have asked this question over and over to dob,carroll,etc.,maybe you will answer it.

Dan Uggla was batting.359 in 4th slot with 3hrs,4 rbi,s in 45 ab.His last hr came off of haliday to win a game,and guess what?he was batting 4th!!! Why was he moved,put him back in 4th ahead of mcann,Stats do not lie ,maybe it is a mental thing,some guys cant hit in other slots,leave him there,and u will see the confidence and hitting the hrs come back.

Russell Bell

June 6th, 2011
1:05 pm

I think Uggla ends up finishing the season solidly, but with significant drop off in his final season numbers.

I could see him finishing around: .220/.300/.410 with 20(ish)) homeruns and 60(ish) RBI.

Back in January, I thought this trade was the best thing to happen since sliced bread was invented. Turns out the bread was stale.

Derrell T Posey

June 6th, 2011
1:05 pm

What is the batting coach doing with Uggla?

Derrell T Posey

June 6th, 2011
1:05 pm

Enter your comments here

journalist jimmy smith

June 6th, 2011
1:06 pm

uggla’s toes pointing in the wrong direction could be the very problem. jimmy smith has been doing toe journalism, off and on in this city, for a considerable period of time. this journalist knows toes. toes are not to be trifled with. maybe dan uggla should get some toe pointers and get his toes pointed in the right direction over the wall in left field. in the meantime, you have to tip your cap to fredi for letting uggla play all the way down to .172 – that is, if you are a cap tipper.

juicesourcer

June 6th, 2011
1:07 pm

RedandBlack….Infante is hitting .250 with zero homers as the Marlins starting 2nd baseman…thats not going to cut it either.

Rob

June 6th, 2011
1:08 pm

Mr. Schultz- do you have any details on what the Braves are doing to actually help him with his swing? to me, he hasn’t made any adjustments at all.

chris

June 6th, 2011
1:09 pm

and as far as everyone else gonzo should always hit 8th,this is the real line up for now
1-SCHAFER
2-PRADO
3-CHIPPER
4-UGGLA
5-MCCANN
6-FREEMAN
7-HEINSKE
8-GONZO

Remarkable

June 6th, 2011
1:11 pm

I’m looking for a hitting coach change too. I’ve been a fan of Terry Pendleton for years but I’m not sure he’s a true hitting coach. Let’s spend a little signing bonus money on a REAL hitting coach from the American League. Got any suggestions? And Chipper’s dad doesn’t count. He only knows Chipper’s swing.

Fols

June 6th, 2011
1:12 pm

The only chance we have scoring runs is between Prado and McCann and you want chipper and uggla in between them? Interesting, I wouldn’t do this.

Summerteeth

June 6th, 2011
1:12 pm

Players are much more likely to accept an assignment to AAA because the team is a short drive away now and is likely close to where they live anyways.

Randle Patrick McMurphy

June 6th, 2011
1:12 pm

This guy’ll hit, whether it’s enuff this season is another story. Complete head-case at this point, he HAS to be squeezing that bat SO tight he’ll begin to shed sawdust in the batters box…

Relax Dan… and just let it happen…

chris

June 6th, 2011
1:13 pm

Say what u want but it all has to do with batting order,frenchy is doing well,look where he is batting?like i said leave him in 4th i made my case AND NO ONE CAN DENY WHAT I SAID STATS DON’T LIE FIRE FG WE ALL NOW KNOW WHY HE WAS FIRED IN FLA.

GaDawgs7

June 6th, 2011
1:13 pm

The problem isn’t just Uggla, although he’s a major contributor to the team wide lack of hitting. I don’t have a problem with an aggressive hitting philosophy; however, we should be aggressive with balls around the plate. Alex Gonzalez has never met a foot outside and in the dirt breaking ball that he didn’t like. Its frustrating to watch the team swing at pitches in the dirt over and over again…Uggla is just struggling more than anyone else, but this is a very anemic offense at best. I would feel better if I heard something about Parrish working with any of these guys, but I’ve heard nothing. It really just requires a simple approach….disciplined at the plate, yet aggressive in the zone. In other words, as we learned in Little League, make him throw you strikes!

PMC

June 6th, 2011
1:17 pm

Right now…. I’d rather have Consistent Omar Infante.

GoBraves

June 6th, 2011
1:17 pm

RedandBlack takes the cake for stupidest comment yet. Trade the Marlins Uggla and Heyward for Prado??? Glad you’re not running the team.

PMC

June 6th, 2011
1:18 pm

We should probably consider hiring Jo Bu.

chris

June 6th, 2011
1:19 pm

Fols

June 6th, 2011
1:12 pm
The only chance we have scoring runs is between Prado and McCann and you want chipper and uggla in between them? Interesting, I wouldn’t do this

GO LOOK AT DAN’S STATS WHEN HITTING 4TH CLOWNS

PMC

June 6th, 2011
1:20 pm

At least last year they were patient. This year, they don’t even have that anymore.

Hiesenberg

June 6th, 2011
1:20 pm

I agree with previous posts about the lack of info on Heyward is troubling. I say keep him out until he is 100% and then get some AAA games to prove he is healthy and productive. Joey bombs & tatoo man are producing better than an inured Heyward. Even if he is lost for season, at least he is not costing 10mil a year.

chris

June 6th, 2011
1:22 pm

John Schultz

Im still waiting for my answer,or are you going to be like all the other journalist in this town and just evade the question?

BRAVESFAN

June 6th, 2011
1:23 pm

Perhaps going against a knukleballer last night will fix their hitting.

phil

June 6th, 2011
1:24 pm

give Dan a chance

June 6th, 2011
11:52 am
“I am not worried about the struggles that Dan Uggla has been having. I know that everyone is going crazy and wanting Dan’s head, but maybe he just had a slow start and all the pressure people were putting on him turned his slow start into the downward spiral that is his .172 average. But to say that Dan is going to hit .172 for 5 years is ridiculous. Before the all star break he will turn it around, and he will still hit 30 home runs, guaranteed.”

And you’re out of your mind if he you think he will magically “turn it around”….he’s had 4 months to “turn it around”….nothing….

Todd

June 6th, 2011
1:24 pm

My interpretation of Bobby Valentine’s analysis of Dan Uggla’s swing: “The Braves hitting coach is the worst hitting coach in the history of baseball. Has he ever watched Dan Uggla take a swing at a baseball?”

bigstack19

June 6th, 2011
1:27 pm

28 out of 59 games they have scored 3 runs or less. Their pitching leads the league in E.R.A. and batting average against. With just a little offense this team would be running away with the division. Uggla and Heyward need to regain their form and it wouldn’t hurt to add some speed so they can manufacture some runs instead of waiting for the three run homer all the time. Also, I have noticed they aren’t working the counts like last year and drawing as many walks.

phil

June 6th, 2011
1:29 pm

People seem to forget, or never knew, that insurance money covered a fair amount of Hampton’s salary while he was injured and out….Hello.

Uggly is the one robbing us as he is apparently physically healthy….

It’s his pea-sized brain that won’t adapt or try something different at the plate….

K.C. Frenchy

June 6th, 2011
1:30 pm

Scultzie, IF Heyward doesnt come back & give us a little something & we dont get a REAL CF, Ugglys not gonna make a difference, even if he hit 30 bombs in the 2nd half of the season, we cannot win with a CF hitting .200 & Mather playing everyday, we need an outfield of Prado, Heyward producing, & a REAL CF via trade, like Gardner from those damn Yankees!

bigstack19

June 6th, 2011
1:30 pm

Chipper should be hitting 7th. Not 3rd. Prado should hit 3rd. McCann 4th and Freeman 5th. I realize his name is Chipper but his production is McClothian.

Ugly to the rescue

June 6th, 2011
1:32 pm

Time to stop blaming ownership. As much as everyone wants to bash Liberty Media, the Braves always seem to be given the opportunity to pursue high priced players. The problem isn’t Liberty…the problem is Dan Uggla. The man is lost at the plate. Bobby Valentine was killing him last night on his approach at the plate. For those that believe he will turn this around, we have been hearing that since opening week. We are now entering the second week of June and he appears to be regressing further. At some point, regardles of contract, you have to cut ties, and I think that time is quickly approaching (if not already passed).

You really can't fix Uggly???

June 6th, 2011
1:34 pm

Uggla’s swing is incredibly messed up. The people that keep saying he will turn it around based on his past seasons are delusional. No way he will turn anything around until he takes the advise of others and applies it to his swing and plate approach. It was said earlier, he needs to stop swinging for the fences every at bat. I would be ecstatic if he just showed some patience and finished a game with a couple of walks.

phil

June 6th, 2011
1:34 pm

NORRIS

June 6th, 2011
12:21 pm
“The braves as a whole dont score runs. Their hitting is not good as a whole.
Even if Heyward were in the lineup, he hasnt been hitting and he was still unproven.
Once again when Prado is at third we might have the worst outfield in the history of baseball…”

Someone is forgetting Barry Bonnell, Rowland Office and Jeff Burroughs….wait, they were actually better!

You really can't fix Uggly???

June 6th, 2011
1:35 pm

lol at Ugly to the rescue, I was typing while you were posting, well said.

Tucker T

June 6th, 2011
1:36 pm

Ugly to the rescue

So your suggestion is to cut him from the team and issue him a check for $62 million on his way out the door? Pretty stupid.

Dale

June 6th, 2011
1:36 pm

I think its time to give Don Baylor a call. Either that or make chipper’s dad the hitting coach. That is where the problems are arising. Parrish needs to be a goner.

james

June 6th, 2011
1:37 pm

What Uggla needs to do is quit stepping into the bucket, like they used to tell little leagers. He finishes up with his left foot pointing to the 3rd base coach. He should finish up with it pointing toward the pitcher, then he could hit the pitches on the outside.

Atticus

June 6th, 2011
1:38 pm

Jeff, please ask them why Bobby Valentine can see the problem on television and they have done nothing to correct it. If he knows it but can’t correct it then he should go to Gwinnett for a week or two until he does. He has the WORST average in the entire major league!

We should’ve gone after Holliday when he was being shopped and left Prado at 2nd but the problem is the budget (especially with Chipper and Lowe’s salaries) won’t allow us to sign another.

Skillet

June 6th, 2011
1:38 pm

I miss the days when the Braves signed players that would actually be productive.

Players like,

Fred “Big Cat” McGriff
James “Big Bat” Franco
Andres “El Taco Grande” Galarraga

Dale

June 6th, 2011
1:38 pm

why don’t we try to get Upton from the Rays. MCsuck and pitching prospect for Upton.

Dale

June 6th, 2011
1:39 pm

Times like these when I really miss the crime dog!

Ugly to the rescue

June 6th, 2011
1:39 pm

Thanks to You really can’t fix Uggly??? …..I found Valentine’s comments last night to be very enlightening….I loved the comparison of footwork between Uggla and Chipper. Either Parrish is not working with Uggla or Uggla is not listening. Either way, I say bench him or send him to the minors until he at least attempts an adjustment.

Red Wolf

June 6th, 2011
1:40 pm

Even Bobby Valentine picked up on Uggla’s stepping open instead of into the pitch. Nothing new to Marlins fans who’ve seen this act before. The only difference now is that in the past Uggla was made to correct his mistake, not allowed to do the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. Hate to say it but I wonder if this would keep going on if Bobby was still here. Somehow I doubt it, but then anyone who followed the Marlins knows Fredi isn’t Bobby.

Ryan

June 6th, 2011
1:41 pm

Uggla has to fix his mechanics. He is flying open early and only has one hand on the bat through half his follow through. To all the bat him 4th crowd….are you kidding? It was 45 at bats. Very small sample size and that puts a big hole in your clean-up spot.

GaPeach

June 6th, 2011
1:41 pm

Right on the money – no pun intended! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxg1I1jA29c

Ugly to the rescue

June 6th, 2011
1:42 pm

Tucker T….and leaving a .160 hitter with poor defense in your lineup is a stroke of genious?

Hiesenberg

June 6th, 2011
1:44 pm

According to a great American philosopher you can fix ugly but you cannot fix stupid.

flange1

June 6th, 2011
1:46 pm

Oh the humanity!

A JJS sighting!

The legend returns!

chris

June 6th, 2011
1:48 pm

dont worry uggla haters your boy schafer who so many was saying he is the spark hitting.205,and will be below 200 after fla series.GUARANTEED Yes it was only 45ab,go look at the video when he hit the hr toes were pointed in same direction so try again u so called experts.

Ryan

June 6th, 2011
1:48 pm

You mean the right one? You don’t pit your worst current hitter in the 4 hole. Do your put your 5th starter as your ace? No. Idc if he hits 4th when he actually starts hitting, but he currently isn’t doing that. I do agree he needs to be forced to change his mechanics

flametfan

June 6th, 2011
1:49 pm

Boy, as a Mets fan, it’s amazing to see how you people are all down on the Braves. Even the New York zanies aren’t as bad as you are. Actually, it’s kind of nice to see. But let me tell you folks, after what the Mets are going through this season, I’ll be glad to trade loyalties with you.

chris

June 6th, 2011
1:50 pm

Ryan

June 6th, 2011
1:41 pm
still did not answer the question why was he moved out of 4th when he was doing good.u sure u not related to FG?You both have the same mindset.

Steve

June 6th, 2011
1:54 pm

Fumbling Frank strikes again!

phil

June 6th, 2011
1:54 pm

The idea that the players are tired and need rest is pretty funny. They don’t do anything all day, every day except play a round of golf now and then, take some batting practice, field a few grounders, shag some flies and sit there….then during the game, if they’re lucky, they have to run fast or make quick movements 6 or 7 times….yes, it’s really hot a lot of the time but then we have water breaks every half inning with a lot more sitting around….you’d think these guys were working construction on the side of I-75….

I’m not talking about the pitchers….the fielders and hitters I am talking about….

Just look at Hinske and Sherrill…..huge, fat guts…and we’re supposed to feel badly for these overpaid louts who do nothing to get in or stay in shape?

Rest my foot….too MUCH rest is part of the problem….

Oregon Brave

June 6th, 2011
1:54 pm

Does it really matter who paid Hampton? He was hired to eat innings. Far as I could see, the only eating he did was at Shoney’s.

buckheaddawg

June 6th, 2011
1:55 pm

uggla has the same swing Andruw and Francoeur had in atlanta. got them both jettisoned out of georgia real quick.

chris

June 6th, 2011
1:55 pm

and we all know FG has favorites,leave hudson in last nite,after giving up 3 runs,the whole world could see he had nothing,and pul JJ the other nite after 3 hits.

Best comment of the night…
Orel…Braves are in trouble if the mets score more than 2 runs………PRICELESS

Joe Bob

June 6th, 2011
1:57 pm

Promo Ads: Heyward’s Homers–Result he believes them and swings wildly thus injuring himself. Chipper’s “Pull” ad — Result he is in his downward spiral although still better than most of his teammates. Lowe and Hudson’s “pitching” exhibition–Result both have lost more than they’ve won recently. Uggla–The homer hitting second baseman that was projected to hit 30+ homers has yet to hit 30 pitches period! PLEASE NO MORE HYPE . . . this crew can’t handle it.

Buck Strickland

June 6th, 2011
1:58 pm

Skillet, McGriff was the Crime Dog.

Everyone should have seen this coming. Players that are Braves killers never play well FOR the Braves. Hated Uggla as a Marlin. Hate Uggla as a Brave.

phil

June 6th, 2011
1:59 pm

My favorite sayings so far this season….

Fire FG…
Fire FW…
Bring back TP as hitting coach…
Fire Parrish…
Liberty Media stinks…
McOut…
McFat…which he is…
Release Chipper….
Linebrinkofdisaster…
Freddi Cox…
It’s early…
Uggla will come around…
Heyward is an all star…
Heyward is a future hall of famer…
FF is a future hall of famer…
Gonzo is a terrific hitter…
Go Braves!!
Go Team!
Yay Team!
This is Braves Country!

In reality, we’re all idiots for having bought into the media-induced hype of the offseason and early spring training….Jeff, you’re as much to blame as any of em…and we were dumb enough to buy it!

As for signing Uggly originally, good move but too much money. We didn’t know he would turn out to be worse than Brad Komminsk ever was…he’s actually worse than Darrell Chaney AND Jerry Royster combined…

chris

June 6th, 2011
2:00 pm

phil

June 6th, 2011
1:54 pm
Totally agree,and here is another
Reporter..Heyward what did u do during the off season?
Heyward… man i was tired i needed the rest.
Reporter..really?at 20 yo u need rest?
Heyward..No comment

Now Fast Forward..
Heyward on tweeter…Man,the heat are looking good against dallas,game 1,I love the heat,this is the life…….

ENOUGH SAID

Ken Stallings

June 6th, 2011
2:01 pm

The Braves sorry fate in trading or signing for offensive players has reached its lowest point in franchise history. Dan Uggla is already the biggest free agent bust in baseball this season. He is poised to become the biggest free agent bust not involving injury in baseball history!

$64 million to hit .170 (or perhaps worse the way he’s going)!

That is such an atrocious thing to write, except it is the pure truth of the matter!

The Braves have a tough choice — to hope Uggla remembers how to swing a bat for contact again, or fold in the season, or bench him and eat the largest contract the franchise has ever had to do. No easy choice — Uggla’s worse than merely anemic bat robbed the team of any easy choices!

Freddy has done the only immediately sensible thing — moved him down in the lineup. He’s a better hitter than most of our pitchers — so batting ninth is unwise. Other than that, any place where there are no runners in scoring position is best!

I’m sure as humans go, Uggla is as good a person as there is in baseball. There is no personal malice here. But, there is a professional obligation. While baseball is a fickle sport and cyclical, over the course of one third a season, hitters prove what they have. Uggla has proven he’s lost his stroke! This one cannot be blamed on Terry Pendleton like last year’s fate with Nate McClouth was blamed on, and the previous mini-bust of Jeff Francouer.

What is undeniable is that the Braves have no chance to win with a power hitter chipping in at a .175 or worse clip and leaving runners stranded like it is the new goal in baseball. Uggla is a place where opposition pitchers go to find outs! And with his clunky bat and below average speed, multiple outs are a rather decent prospect! It has reached a point where you almost hopes he strikes out and can at least give the next man in the lineup a chance to tally an RBI!

I can think of no worse an insult for a professional hitter, but that is the blunt truth of the matter!

jon

June 6th, 2011
2:03 pm

put him on the DL and get some extented spring training.. it will help and your left with no choice anyway!

Buck Strickland

June 6th, 2011
2:04 pm

Skillet, Galarraga was el gato grande – the big cat.

Ted M

June 6th, 2011
2:06 pm

Uggla had a quote that really bugged me “I’m not gonna get out this slump with walks, I’m trying to be aggressive”

Why not his OBP is .152?

If Uggla hits his career ave from now until the break his ave will still be below.200. Based on 100 AB’s.

Hillbilly

June 6th, 2011
2:11 pm

In my best Jack Buck voice: I don’t belieeeeeve what I just saw @ 1:06.

Esteemed. Ugandan. Journalist. Good to see all those lower case letters again.

harleyman

June 6th, 2011
2:14 pm

Can you say Nick Esasky?

chris

June 6th, 2011
2:15 pm

Here are some things about braves mgmt.in which i do not understand
1-Dan battind .359 in 4th moved away ,not hitting since
2-Constanza hitting.317 in AAA,yet no call up
3-Schafer 164 ab .259 in AAA gets call up
4-Wilkins gets called up has more sb never started and is sent down
5-Hudson gives up runs galore ,stays in game,mgmt.says after 5 runs he must not have it tonite.
6-Diory batting.353 since callup sits on bench while gonzo swings at anything pitcher throws
7-Schafer .205 yet so many think he is providing a spark.

Yes im a big fan of uggla but i say bat him 4th again for at least 2 weeks,if that does not improve,go to aaa,hopefully heyward,nate will come back by then.At this point i don’t see how it could hurt.,sure can not be any worse.As for me personally,i would have given him a one year contract,if u did good,then sign him to a 5 year deal.

Jimmy Crack

June 6th, 2011
2:16 pm

Jeff, the problem is, we keep having this same conversation about hitting, or the lack of, every year. Even back during our 14 year stretch we had great pitching…and ok hitting, until the playoffs and then we had great pitching…and NO hitting.

If someone could go over our team stats, we must have had the absolute worst batting average in playoff games over the past 20 some years. Heck we may have the worst batting average as a team during the regular season over the past 20 years. All of it disguised by wonderful pitching performances.

My apologies to Terry Pendleton. I thought it was his fault we couldn’t hit all those years and now I find all along it was the curse of Chief Noc-A-Homa! Braves management should never have spurned him from being a part of our 1991 pennant run. Curses!

phil

June 6th, 2011
2:17 pm

If Hurtward actually said that crap on Twitter, or whatever the heck you call it, I would want to pound him if i was FG or FW….I’m not surprised he would….the guy is laying out all night getting drunk and just coasting….The guy was never allowed to have a childhood with all that ridiculous traveling around to the various games and so forth….this is what happens….take off the leash, they generally go hog wild….no discipline, no nothing other than screwing up…

His buddy FF is already big and fat….at least he’s been playing well and earning his check the last month….

So let’s see…..FF is out of shape…McCann is out of shape…Gonzo looks a bit pudgy too so out of shape…Chipper can’t help but be somewhat out of shape…Hinske grossly obese….Sherrill not exactly lean and mean on the mound…I suspect our vaunted closer is out til all hours every night too…hard to throw strikes hung over…we know what Lowe has been doing….DUI or no DUI, the guy just looks pathetic on the mound, not to mention hung over….

chris

June 6th, 2011
2:20 pm

oh im sorry left out 1

8-JJ gives up 3 hits mgmt.takes him out of game,brings in proctor,even though nothing wrong with EOF who is our ground ball specialists with moylan on dl.
9-Heyward tweeting all the time about the heat,nothing about baseball,his shoulder,etc.
10-Moylan wearing dresses,nice to know your dark side but hey at least u can pitch when healthy.

But wait,we all know that wren and FG all have a plan………..

joe

June 6th, 2011
2:21 pm

What is most puzzling is he is not making any adjustments…same ole stance, same ole swing. Who is the braves hitting coach? has he tried doing anything different with Ugs? Maybe sending him to Gwinnett for a week, feasting on average pitching, is the tonic he needs to get going. Can’t hurt to try it, right?

phil

June 6th, 2011
2:23 pm

EOF has a back issue too, I read somewhere….

If we had even an ounce of fitness on this team, we might be able to avoid some of these injuries….some, not all….

Chipper hit that monster homerun the other night, proving yet again that he can still kill a baseball….why he doesn’t do it anymore regularly may well be a function of his legs and age, but I tell ya, when he squares up on one, it flies….

journalist jimmy smith

June 6th, 2011
2:25 pm

chipper being out of the lienup in new york makes this journalist think there may be some toe issues with the venerable third baseman. toes are not to be trifled with. this team could turn on a toe. could need a toe truck if they keep playing poorly. time to toe the line. a toe by any other name. jimmy smith is wary of toe injuries and jimmy smith thinks the braves have some toe issues that are not being revealed. have to tip your toe.

dick waters

June 6th, 2011
2:27 pm

dan uggla is looking a lot like rob deer.

Reg

June 6th, 2011
2:28 pm

The Braves need to learn that long term contracts for players in their 30s (most of the time) is not a good move. There are a few exceptions, however, very few. Wren needed to make a move and was sucessful in trading for Uggla. His mistake was signing the long extension before Uggla played an inning. What was the big rush? You had him for a year.

Reg

June 6th, 2011
2:28 pm

A long solo homerun is still one run. Let’s not get too excited over the length of the HR. Consistent production is what matters. Its like a big dunk in basketball, its still 2 points. Chippper hits a long HR gets alot of press, now he is sitting. How many RBIs does he have, and is he able to play…thats determines value to club.

phil

June 6th, 2011
2:31 pm

journalist jimmy – stop drinking.

Taco

June 6th, 2011
2:35 pm

Don’t worry Uggla will be fine, he is a great player in an awful slump. these things do change. Heyward will pop as well.

Ted M

June 6th, 2011
2:38 pm

“If Uggla doesn’t turn things around, Braves are sunk”

Thanks for tellin it like it is, Jeff. No sense pussyfootin around with “oh its just a slow start”

Joseph

June 6th, 2011
2:44 pm

On behalf of marlins fans, thanks again for the trade. At least Infnate is in the .250 range!

Don’t worry Braves fans, it seems no one in the NL East wants to hit (Phillies and Marlins that is.. I don’t know who else is in the division)

FSUBravo

June 6th, 2011
2:46 pm

Jeff -

The Braves should have traded a young pitcher and infante to the RAYS for Longoria..I wonder if we could still unload Uggla to a team where he won’t be the star? He seems to be hurt by stage fright….The Braves will finish in 3rd place this year..sorry, but it is what it is…

journalist jimmy smith

June 6th, 2011
2:50 pm

jimmy smith is not saying it’s so but there was talk awhile back about a Braves infielder with only two toes and those were webbed. this journalist’s question for jeff is, have you ever seen chipper with his shoes off? why would chipper take a day off in new york with no game scheduled today? it seems clear that this is a toe matter – not sure how many. toes are not to be trifled with.

DCBravesfan

June 6th, 2011
2:55 pm

I honestly can’t remember exactly what I thought at the time (of the contract signing), but in retrospect I don’t understand why we had to sign him right away. He still had a year left on his contract… why couldn’t we do what the BoSox did with Adrian Gonzalez and wait a couple of weeks before making the extension? Granted Gonzalez’s issues were injury-relation and his ability to bounce back from shoulder problems, but that seems like a sound strategy.

I have confidence Uggla will bounce back and be an above-average player at the very least, but we’ve all been saying that for a month and a half now. At some point, you have to wonder if it’s possible he just completely lost his swing.

But, I am heartened to know that the Braves are still above .500 and within striking distance of the division and the wild card with so many things have gone wrong. Gives me hope for the next 100 games.

whocares

June 6th, 2011
2:56 pm

Frank Flinstone Wren is the culprit here. Moronic moves has become the theme of his tarnished tenure.

phil

June 6th, 2011
2:58 pm

Taco – The fat grams from your diet are clogging your carotid arteries, thereby affecting your thought processes….

He won’t be fine or he already would be on his way….it’s June 6th…

No, Hurtward won’t pop, unless it’s his gut as he begins to gain too much weight from all the sitting around he does while goofing off with his Heat buddies…at least Lebron and DWade actually earn their money….

Stinger2

June 6th, 2011
2:58 pm

Freddi G to Uggla: Danny your batting average is very low.
Uggla: I know that Skipper, but I am trying my best to hit the ball.
Freddi G: Fans are becoming increasingly concerned and impatient.
Uggla: Skipper do you have a solution or you part of the problem?
Freddi G: Danny I do have a solution: I am tipping my cap to you. Now you just go swing the bat and hit the ball.

No bozos

June 6th, 2011
2:59 pm

This is exactly why I stopped attending and watching major leage baseball thirty years ago. It’s nothing but a bunch of grossly overpaid jerkoffs like Uggla.

To hell with these bozos.

ronaldh

June 6th, 2011
3:01 pm

Hey, look on the bright side. Yes, there is a bright side. Remember, this is the last year we have to pay millions to kamakazi to pitch in the minor leagues where he belongs.

Plate Appearance

June 6th, 2011
3:04 pm

UGGLA’S DOMINO EFFECT

The thing that concerns me most is the domino effect that Uggla’s slump is having mentally on the other Braves.

Make no mistake about it, this slump is wearisome to the entire team, clearly adding much more pressure to each and every player.

And the cracks are indeed showing.

This can’t be a time for “face saving” FRANK (for giving Uggla a such an obviously bad and bloated contract). FRANK, you need to go to Dan and get his permission to be sent to the minors for a limited time — to work out his hitting woes there.*

*(Hopefully too Frank, you have enough wisdom to act on Bobby Valentine’s sage hitting comments from the ESPN Sunday night game — and get a hitting instructor who knows how to help Dan correct his swing.)**

**(Moreover FRANK, I certainly wish you would have hired the wise and knowledgable Bobby Valentine as the Braves manager, instead of Fredi, who seems woefully inept on many fronts. Fredi is fast becoming the Braves version of Rodney Dangerfield — he’s getting no respect.)

No other solution than sending Uggla to the minors is tenable at this point.

Uggla’s clearly killing the Braves — and their chances for the playoffs.

Another domino just fell (with the Braves lackluster performance against the Mets last night) — and more will continue to fall — unless this change (of sending Uggla to the minors) is made.

Nonfan

June 6th, 2011
3:04 pm

Observations:
No ball player of any sort is worth $62 Million.

If we average Joes did our jobs as poorly as Dan Uggla is doing his, we would be collecting unemployment checks, not $12 Million.

The only thing more messed up than Uggla’s swing is his haircut.

Perhaps Jayson Heyward has been reading too many of his press clippings from last year.

The Braves are lead-footed and boring to watch. Jose Reyes is more exciting to watch than the entire Braves team.

Freddi Gonzalez is so laid back he can’t even get himself thrown out by an umpire on a disputed call. Where is the fire on this team??

Tim

June 6th, 2011
3:06 pm

My eyebrows raised at the length of the Uggla contract, although he seemed to be a Braves killer the previous couple of seasons. I did feel at the time, though that he was an all or nothing kind of player. Same with Heyward, who has all the potential in the world, and seems to have an advanced mind for the game, but his enormous body and violent swing just seem to be quick to cause problems, as we are seeing with him now..

Bill Stanfill

June 6th, 2011
3:07 pm

Uggla is hitting .111 with runners-in-scoring-position. Hitting mostly in the 5th spot–what a black hole he has been! Who woulda thought it! Braves have put a lot of faith and $ into Uggla to be the right-handed bat to help charge up run production. What can the Braves do but wait him out? You got me.

John, Cumming

June 6th, 2011
3:07 pm

Take a look at Uggla’s batting Avg the last 5 years (his HR’s and RBI’s have been almost identical each year- 27-33 HRs & 88-105 RBI’s).
2006: .282
2007: .245
2008: .260
2009: .243
2010: .287
2011: .172
So I guess his average is down, every other year (odd years)? And since it was the highest in 2010, then it will be the lowest in 2011? I hope not. . . .
Uggla is a career .239 hitter in April & .273 in May. He hits about .250 in all other months except August, where he is a career .272 hitter. What is scary is that his best month is May, and he hit .160 in May.
As a joke: maybe he is focusing too much on his defense, b/c it has been way better than expected?
I don’t think ANYONE could have seen this coming.

BTW: Seems to me TP did a better job with these guys than Parrish has ever done. Nobody except McCann and Hinske is hitting well. . . . although I’m suprised that nobody seems to give Freeman any credt for batting close to .400 the last 20 or so games.

needlerichard

June 6th, 2011
3:08 pm

cmon heff i expected better from you. we already know all this and have read it from a million other writers. where you been? you dont bring anything new to the table.
youre better than this. i guess its still not as bad as that other guy, mark or watever

steve

June 6th, 2011
3:13 pm

It’s all Terry Pendleton’s fault. Somehow he is still messing up our hitters from the first base coaches box.

Fols

June 6th, 2011
3:14 pm

I don’t know what’s into you bloggers……..I kinda like Uggla. He’s got that mean, frown thing going on at the plate. Guys that frown don’t stay down for long.

Stats? Pffft….as if his stats tell the story!

alex

June 6th, 2011
3:15 pm

no one to blame here but, of course, dan himself. let’s just hope this doesn’t deteriorate into another Franceour snowball. and if the braves have good coaching, it won’t. uggla is just too talented a hitter to simply forget how to do it.

that said, this does not speak well of larry parrish.

phil

June 6th, 2011
3:18 pm

I’ve given freeman plenty of credit lately, now that it’s been earned…

This business about average by month is just silly….what Uggly did the last 5 years doesn’t help now….i’m ready to scream because of all the he’s a slow starter talk! The guy couldn’t hit his mirror with his own spit while brushing his teeth…he’s that bad, and it ain’t getting better….it can’t at this point unless the man hits .400 for the next 60 games….give it up already.

bart

June 6th, 2011
3:20 pm

While ultimately it is the players responsibility to perform there has to be some accountability from the coaching staff. There’s no excuse for the offense to be floundering this badly.

bart

June 6th, 2011
3:22 pm

But to Jeff’s original question – yes, the braves are sunk without Uggla & Heyward returning to form.

MSC-OFF

June 6th, 2011
3:22 pm

The Braves problem with lack of hitting is a team problem. Not just and Uggla problem. They need to hire a real, accomplished hitting coach! That’s where the issue is and frankly has been for the last few years!

Greg Mendel

June 6th, 2011
3:24 pm

I was excited about acquiring Uggla. I think he will start hitting at some point, and probably pretty well when he does. But how many others will go into slumps when Uggla gets his mojo back?

The 2011 Braves seem to be playing more like a random collection than a team.

Tucker T

June 6th, 2011
3:29 pm

Ugly to the rescue

First of all, Uggla has not been playing poor defense. His defense has been quite good and the only think he has done well all season. Secondly, you seem to think there are only two answers to this problem, let him continue to play every day or cut him from the team and pay him for the remainder of this season and the remaining four years on his contract. I am all in favor of him going down to the minors for as long as it takes him to straighten things out, even if that means months. I will take four years of productive play if it means he has to take all of the remainder of this one to fix his problems. Not a great solution but better than cutting him from the team now.

nashvillewill

June 6th, 2011
3:32 pm

Your suggestion of sending Uggla away for a limited time to work on his swing is a good one – one I suggested about a month ago when it became apparent Uggla’s swing was messed up. Same for Heyward should he return – his swing was also goofy. They both could watch and learn from Freeman, who tries to go with the pitch and make consistent contact. There are many other problems as well: Hudson and Lowe are very mediocre when they can’t keep the ball low; they have virtually no margin for error and need 4-5 runs in support which isn’t happening with this bunch. Braves need a lefty starter – bring Minor up and keep him there. (Btw, Vandy has another starter named Garvin that Braves should look at in the draft if he’s still available). Other problems: Gonzales lack of clutch hitting, lack of team speed, inability to steal bases or bunt. Reyes showed Braves what a SS should look like. Could they try Diory at SS since he seems to be hitting?
Braves look like 4th best team in division at this point.

Johnny T

June 6th, 2011
3:32 pm

Uggla has hit alot of balls hard lately…and will get hot in the near future. His stats at the end of the year will probably be his worst in years…maybe his worst ever. This wasn’t a bad start to the year…it’s a bad THIRD of a season…and will be hard to recover from. But he should be able to get hot…and with Heyward hopefully finding some way to stay healthy…the Braves can make a run. Anyone who would suggest Uggla has lost anything–or is getting old–is on crack. The guy pulls 93 mph fastballs twenty rows deep down the left field line. How is that getting old or losing his skills? He’s just lost…and will eventually snap out of it. Chill.

Mark (another one)

June 6th, 2011
3:38 pm

I believed the trade was a good trade only if the Braves signed Uggla to a long term contract, which they did.

They gave up a utility all-star and a relief pitcher for a two time all-star second baseman. Uggla holds the record for the most homers in a month by a Marlin and the fastest 2nd baseman to hit 100 homers in a career. The $12 million a year contract sounded high but it is about what people expected him to make in arbitration (he made $8.7 mil last year). I am disappointed by his year (as are all Braves fans) but I believe Uggla will come around this summer and hurt some teams with his power.

For all of you recommending a session with Chipper’s dad, how about McCann’s dad? He’s local and a professional hitting coach. On second thought, everyone seems to know what’s wrong with Uggla’s swing. If they’re right, then the issue is execution, not coaching. I’m certain Parish watches tape and sees the same things.

I am also disappointed in Heyward’s injury, and I wish that Shafer could come through in center. I am happy to see Chipper hanging in there, and McCann and Prado have done well. I am also not surprised to see Freeman get hot and contribute.

I did expect to see one of the Braves starters get a major injury and join Medlin on the DL, and I am happy to be wrong. My real worry here was Lowe. No reason other than a bad feeling.

Buzz ME

June 6th, 2011
3:45 pm

Anytime you have a U G & A in your name it is not a good thing. In fact, its down right UGGA-LY

Mark (another one)

June 6th, 2011
3:46 pm

I keep hearing about sending Uggla to the minors but I don’t understand how. The rules that I read state he would need to be waived and provide consent. That means exposing him to all teams in both leagues, and he would have the option of taking his pay and going home. $62 million gones. Poof.

Other than coming up with a fake injury and going for a rehab assignment (something baseball should be looking for), how can Uggla go to the minors?

Hiesenberg

June 6th, 2011
3:48 pm

Although I am frustrated with Uggla/Heyward and have expressed that frustration on these pages, the article is spot on. Without production from these 2 this offense is going nowhere. It is almost exactly what I posted on another blog last week. Are the blog writers getting their ideas for articles from us common folk?

ijudgenot

June 6th, 2011
3:48 pm

The Braves needed power bats from the left side to balance their abundance of left handed bats on the roster, So they traded for Uggla and commited a lot of money to him. That wasn’t the crime. The crime was not getting any other right handed bat with power. They put all their eggs in one basket. A 5′11″ 2nd baseman. Unlike Glaus’ 6′4″ frame Uggla has to swing for the fences each time to be a power hitter. Glaus could just tryu to hit the ball hard somewhere and hit a homerun. The guy is trying to justify his salary by hitting homeruns. He could care less if he struckout 3 times a game but hit a homerun every other game. The Braves have Gomez,, Ramirez and Cartrell at AAA. All are considered power hitters. Gomez is even hitting over .300. One of these guys needs to be brought up and Young sent back down. with Conrad or Hernandez(both have hit homeruns, but Diory can be another right handed batter off the bench) Gomez seems to be the only one limited to one position 1st base. Maybe you can try Freeman in left field and let Prado play 2nd and sit Uggla for a few games. Try something even if it is wrong. At least you tried.

Tomahawk

June 6th, 2011
3:49 pm

I don’t care how normal it has become, giving any player more than four years is a bad idea. Also, I’m officially never going to see an Atlanta Braves free agent signing as a good thing. Talk about a terrible track record over the last few years.

Mightymohon

June 6th, 2011
3:49 pm

The ESPN announcers had a simple explanation last night– he’s trying to swing with his upper body only. He keeps his front foot too far left, thus negating any part of his lower body getting into the swing. They did side-by-side photos with Chipper, showing how Chipper points his lead foot toward RF, thus allowing his body to get into the swing. I guess if we had a legit hitting coach, instead of somebody’s BFF, the problem could be fixed!

Mitchell

June 6th, 2011
3:51 pm

It may be an abberation for Dan Uggla but it’s certainly not for the Braves.

This is par for the course.

How about we waste endless amounts of talent and potential by continuing to just sit back and do nothing.

The immediate solution is to fire Larry Parrish.

I don’t care if he’s deep down the greatest hitting coach in the history of baseball, a message needs to be sent that the status quo is not good enough.

If you’re Frank Wren you have to at some point show that you’re committed to doing whatever it takes to get the team to perform to the level of expectation if not beyond that. The same old same old is not good enough.

Fredi Gonzalez and Dan Uggla and the rest can say all they want about needing to do better but until Frank Wren takes serious action to show that there are consequenes for not performing, the Braves are just going to keep giving their standard 60% effort.

Or perhaps 54% effort.

Tomahawk

June 6th, 2011
3:51 pm

One more thing: send Uggla to the minors for a week. If he really cares that much about his performance, and I honestly think he does, he’ll be ok with working out the kinks. Sitting around and waiting for something to happen is no longer an option.

John10:10

June 6th, 2011
3:56 pm

As discussed, it’s a minor miracle that we’re as close to Philadelphia as we are. When the bats get going this team can spurt.

chatt matt

June 6th, 2011
3:59 pm

The last 2 games against the mets show that if Braves pitchers dont hold a team to 3 runs or less we are done.The word slugfest and this lineup should never be put together.

tim

June 6th, 2011
4:06 pm

bad signing from jump, wren over paid for this turkey he was not going to get this money anywhere else. as for heyward OVERRATED. Cut your loses ship them both out on the next thing smokin. Liberty is not going to put any money into this team so we are screwed until a new owner comes along. we are the new pirates.

chatt matt

June 6th, 2011
4:11 pm

Hate to bring up things from the past but how much did Tex get from the Yankees.After all we gave up to rent him we should have paid him.It would have been nice to have him in the middle of the lineup the last couple of years,he is a much better hitter than Uggla.

Hiesenberg

June 6th, 2011
4:18 pm

Look at the picture of Uggla swinging and missing. The bat is at least a foot over where the ball is! His eyes seem to be looking in the general direction of where he thinks the ball is. Anyone thought to maybe get his eyes checked? Maybe he is seeing double and swings at the wrong ball.

Marty (my real name)

June 6th, 2011
4:19 pm

Its probably mechanical with Uggla and he will work it out. He didn’t just forget how to hit. But following him the last few seasons, even at his best I felt he strikes out way too much to make the kind of commitment the Braves made. Last season WAS his career year. Like most players he turned that into a massive payday. He will hit better than this… eventually. But not $60 million worth. Let’s hope they can all get it going before its too late. GO BRAVES!

brent

June 6th, 2011
4:21 pm

If you are not going to sit Uggla or send to AAA, then here is the lineup that Freddie G. needs to roll out there…

1.J. Schafer – Has speed and has been getting on base
2.M. Prado – MVP of team
3.C. Jones – Until he can’t do it anymore, he is in the 3 hole
4.B. McCann- One of top catchers in the game if not #1
5.A. Gonzalez – Needs to learn how to hit like Prado, focus on the gaps.
6.E. Hinske – Has shown he can be a hitter everyday
7.F. Freeman- He is our 1B of the future so hope he gets going.
8.D. Uggla – You can bat him no higher than #8 right now, unitl he shows.
9. Pitcher

Just stick him in the 8 hole and see if it changes, can’t have him hitting 6th leaving runners stranded anymore.

Just my 2 pennies.

Joey

June 6th, 2011
4:25 pm

Maybe Uggla needs Smoltzie’s shrink with the red shirt watching from the stands . . .

Jimmy

June 6th, 2011
4:35 pm

No bozos @2:59 pm- “This is exactly why I stopped attending and watching major leage baseball thirty years ago. It’s nothing but a bunch of grossly overpaid jerkoffs like Uggla.

To hell with these bozos.”

Yet, here you are 30 years later on the Braves blog.

Uggla – go on you tube and search “Uggla batting” and you will see super-slow at bats. Check out his left foot placement.

chbeyer

June 6th, 2011
4:39 pm

Frenchy was run out of town and hated by many fans for a long slump that dropped his average to the 230’s. Thats about sixty points better than Uggla. Jeff F. is now hitting .285 and has 9 HRs and 35 RBI’s Interesting.

LostCause

June 6th, 2011
4:40 pm

I have seen Uggla have two good at bats this year, and both were singles he hit to right field. Why not start there and work on making hard contact to right and at least get on base once in a while.

mdbraves fan

June 6th, 2011
4:41 pm

Bobby Valentine saw footwork issues suckla right away last night on ESPN. What the #@#! is Larry Parrish doing with the hitters on this team?? He sucked in Detroit anyway. This team has never hit better than when they had Don Baylor coaching, which tells me coaching plays a big role in this mess.

mdbraves fan

June 6th, 2011
4:43 pm

BTW, should have hired Valentine. Don’t think he would blame the “baseball gods ” for poor hitting and luck. He would shake this relaxed team up!

Phillisux

June 6th, 2011
4:43 pm

Here’s how Dan Uggla breaks out of his slump: 1) He needs to wear a sailor uniform to the plate; 2) he needs a corn cob pipe; 3) right before each at bat, he needs to open a can of spinach with his bare hand. As he begins to ingest the spinach, the organist needs to play “I’m Popeye the Sailor Man…” We’ll all know Uggla is about to get a hit when he flexes his massive bicep, and twin turbines are humming in an imaginary tatoo. Then Dan grabs a telephone pole and hits a mile long home run to the strains of “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” Slump over, guaranteed.

Phillisux

June 6th, 2011
4:45 pm

Sad part is Uggla has a better chance of breaking out of his slump pretending he’s Popeye than he does listening to Larry Parrish’s hitting advice.

dmr

June 6th, 2011
4:45 pm

This isn’t a management problem. Wren tried to put good pieces together and for the most part he did. This is a coaching and performance problem. Nobody is telling Uggla anything he doesn’t already know. Whatever happens, happens.

phil

June 6th, 2011
4:52 pm

Amazing that some this afternoon are still asking for patience on Uggly’s behalf…

Are you people insane? Nuts? Perpetually happy and giddy over abject failure?

He’s batting .172….on June 6th.

The time for patience is over.

Fire someone…

StingerSplash

June 6th, 2011
4:53 pm

When you don’t work walks, when you don’t put pressure on opposing defenses because there is no threat of a steal, the problems of Uggla and Heyward become even more magnified. Waiting for the home run is great;but so is Waiting for Godot.
But I digress. Patience at the plate and taxing a pitcher’s pitch count leads to shorter outings by starters and more frequent appearances by middle relief, which is usually the weakness of average to bad teams. Yet the Braves don’t put pressure on opposing staffs with their reluctance to work walks (funny, they were good at that last year and their runs per average was higher last year, no?) and since they don’t run, or can’t run, they cannot manufacture offense when it’s needed.
It’s a bad philosophy that has met its nightmare when two guys relied upon to drive in runs, well, can’t.
There is no indication that Struggla’s troubles are anywhere near over. When will Heyward return and return to form? Who knows? In the meantime, you’ve got to find a way to push across runs, even if it’s one at a time and not in the form of a solo homer question, Alex.

Brave Hokie

June 6th, 2011
5:01 pm

chbeyer

June 6th, 2011
4:39 pm
Frenchy was run out of town and hated by many fans for a long slump that dropped his average to the 230’s. Thats about sixty points better than Uggla. Jeff F. is now hitting .285 and has 9 HRs and 35 RBI’s Interesting.

Yo:
Frankwhore was a complete headcase & MADE us run him out of town… those numbers mean nothing to me, ’cause I watched that hack swing himself into the ground nite after nite…for seasons.
SO glad he is gone.

Mooseberg

June 6th, 2011
5:04 pm

Uggla = Andruw Jones(his last two seasons as a brave)

Chuck M

June 6th, 2011
5:07 pm

DOB You are right,in the long run the team is sunk without the services of Uggla,they have lost too may games by one and two runs,It will catch up to the Braves soon,Uggla must turn it around,can not depend on Jayson,this year!

Kentavo

June 6th, 2011
5:22 pm

Bobby V was really dogging Uggla last night – called him the man with no hands, or something like that.

sldkfjslk

June 6th, 2011
5:26 pm

I’m going to take a nap. Wake me when Uggla gets another hit or it’s 2015, whichever comes first.

sldkfjslk

June 6th, 2011
5:32 pm

Nick Esasky could have hit better with vertigo than Uggla is hitting this year.

sldkfjslk

June 6th, 2011
5:33 pm

Maybe we can trade for Damaso Garcia.

Farnsworthy

June 6th, 2011
5:49 pm

MLB needs to adopt an annual pay for performance system. Can you imagine anybody performing that bad, for that long, in a real job and not getting fired/demoted?

Phillisux

June 6th, 2011
5:53 pm

Jeff: Why has Larry Parish remained so seclusive? Even when Terry Pendleton was incurring the wrath of Braves’ fans, he was always in sight. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Larry Parish dring a Braves’ broadcast.

bostonbravo

June 6th, 2011
5:55 pm

Braves year based on 1 man’s lack of performance? Ridiculous.
McClouth sucked worse than Ugg…and Braves finished “OK”.
Pitching is the worry now…if they don’t pitch shutout ball we have to hope for some miracle long ball at the end of the game. That sounds exciting…but, it has been very very BORING!

Dan Uggla

June 6th, 2011
5:57 pm

Top Ten reasons it’s not my fault:
1. The umps
2. LP
3. My underwear is too tight
4. the ajc
5. bloggers
6. who can hit with a last name like Uggla?
7. Chipper calls me names
8. I spent the off season practicing hitting pink wiffle balls with a mashie niblick
9. I like to wear lipstick but Fredi won’t let during games
And #10………….At every at bat, I wet my pants.

mdbraves fan

June 6th, 2011
6:01 pm

Good question Phillisux. Where is Mr. Parrish , Jeff?? At least TP took his medicine. This team is TOO RELAXED AND COMFORTABLE. Hudson,in post game interviews, sounds like more of a manager than FG. Uggla is an easy and deserving target for Braves fans, but the offense in general is a mess and way too conservative. I find myself envying the Padres and Mets with their aggresive baserunning. They know they can’t score and at least TRY to manufacture runs. FG SUX.

ray k.

June 6th, 2011
6:06 pm

Give Dan a chance,
You honestly believe Uggla is going to hit 23 HR in the next 100 games? That’s one every four games. Really?

mdbraves fan

June 6th, 2011
6:08 pm

Dan, those are valid points. You are off the hook… Now where’s Troy Glaus?!

klmbbfan

June 6th, 2011
6:08 pm

UGGLA, you have no clue what you are doing at the plate, Please go join a beer league softball team. Your swing reminds me of mine when I played slow pitch softball-open my stance take an upper cut and swing as hard as I can. You might impress the girls in that league.

ray k.

June 6th, 2011
6:18 pm

Brent,
You want to put a guy who is 0 for his last 23 with RISP in the 5 hole? 23 of his last 25 hits were singles. Alex should hit no higher than 7th.

phil

June 6th, 2011
6:21 pm

who are the atlanta braves

Hiesenberg

June 6th, 2011
6:26 pm

klmbbfan

June 6th, 2011
6:08 pm
If you had seen Uggla’s wife, you would know there is nothing at a beer league softball game he would be interested in impressing. Gotta find another motivation.

Martin Elginbrod

June 6th, 2011
6:26 pm

As hard as it is to imagine it, the Braves can win with an albatross contract like Uggla’s. But that would have to be nearly the only thing to go wrong. Cuts down their margin of error to nearly nothing.

But if they get 5+ WAR years out of studs like Heyward and Teheran, and if Venters stays this valuable and Kimbrell improves, and if they spend the Chipper, Lowe, and Hudson money wisely over the length of Uggla’s hypothetical bad contract, they could win. After all, they’re winning right now with CF injury issues, a hacking SS, limping Jones, and the dunkheadedest manager I’ve seen since Frank Robinson.

I’m not saying they can shrug it off. But a bad Uggla contract, by itself, won’t cripple the Braves.

Steve-o

June 6th, 2011
6:29 pm

It’s so annoying that the Braves gave up Infante, last year’s utility all-star, for Uggla.

Robbie

June 6th, 2011
6:31 pm

Get rid of him

Martin Elginbrod

June 6th, 2011
6:37 pm

Robbie, how do they do that? Shoot him?

Tim

June 6th, 2011
6:42 pm

The Braves are basically an average team. Might go .500 plus or minus a few games. Definitely not a contender for a playoff spot. The Uggla signing doesn’t look too smart right now. It’s done though. Personally, I’d like to see him go to Gwinnett for a while to see if he can work himself out of it. Heyward and McLouth need to both grow a pair and get back on the field. Still, it’s not a playoff team any way you cut it.

The Nature Boy

June 6th, 2011
6:45 pm

I slept w/ a girl I didn’t know…now I have herpes…how can I “get rid of it”..?? that’s where the Braves are Robbie…

Double Zero Eight

June 6th, 2011
6:47 pm

Uggla is synonymous to Joe Johnson of the Hawks.
His signing has significantly decreased the Braves
options. Let’s hope he turns it around soon!

lee

June 6th, 2011
6:51 pm

told ya so, first y’all were sooooooooo happy to take freddi g off the marlins hands and then you laughed uproariously when you suckered the fish out of Uggla. thanks for Infante and Dunn.

bravesfanbob

June 6th, 2011
7:02 pm

It’s sad what Uggla is going through right now, but ANY hitter knows to keep your foot pointed evenly with the front of the plate. Are you people saying Bobby Valentine is a genius? Haven’t you heard Joe Simpson saying all year that Uggla is opening his foot and causing him to open up his swing? Is that a mystery? Seriously, what Larry Parrish needs to do is to put a bungee cord on the front of each foot every time he gets in the batting cage, and every time he begins to open up, the bungee cord will prevent it. It then becomes muscle memory, and within a week, Uggla won’t be opening up on the outside pitches. Trust me, it works!

dawggone

June 6th, 2011
7:03 pm

If Uggla really means it when he says the pressure of his contract is getting to him then just give the damn money back Dan and then you can start hitting then the Braves can give your money back to you, oh yea, thats right, it doesn;t work that way

Damon Barryhill

June 6th, 2011
7:07 pm

He could certainly hit 30 home runs, but he’s going to bat .240 at best. And that’s going to take a heck of a turnaround to reach. He’s always been a hacker, so the whiffs shouldn’t be an alarm.. but his unwillingness to take a pitch and just get on base is what concerns me.

WWBD?

count_schemula

June 6th, 2011
7:14 pm

I’m not sneezing at it, but, $62m? It’s not _that big of a contract. I think he may be feeling the pressure to be “the man”, but, he should be over that by now. He just needs to be average to be an improvement at this point.

joe

June 6th, 2011
7:19 pm

With or without Uggla the Braves are a pitiful collection of offensively challenged baseball players……

count_schemula

June 6th, 2011
7:19 pm

“Hayward is the one who troubles me. Supposed to be the next Willie Mays, but so far has shown he can’t hit major league pitching.”

Heyward has shown he can hit major legue pitching. He has not shown he can stay healthy enough to hit major league pitching.

LakeDawg

June 6th, 2011
7:21 pm

Hayward is the one who troubles me. Supposed to be the next Willie Mays, but so far has shown he can’t hit major league pitching. I’m also curious about his long stay on the disabled list. Do you think the Braves have been using this time to get JHay some secret, emergency batting instruction?

Johnny

June 6th, 2011
7:25 pm

braves have 4 players making appx 46 mil a year – 3 are entering downhill slides (lowe, jones, and hudson) and uggla is killing them – probably in for a few down years -

don

June 6th, 2011
7:27 pm

On the whole, players tend to play much better once they leave Atlanta.
On the whole, players tend to play worse when they are traded to Atlanta.

count_schemula

June 6th, 2011
7:27 pm

Zambrano for 2b? He would bring fire and passion and a big stick.

LakeDawg

June 6th, 2011
7:35 pm

Uggla’s problems are myriad. He is a home run hitter and even mired in a horrendous slump, one would figure he would guess right a few times and hit a few homers during the slump. He was actually doing that at the beginning of the year. Reminded me of Dave Kingman…either homer or strike out. But now he can’t hit ANYTHING. You can see him guess right a few times, but he misses the ball. Not only is he pulling away from the outside pitch, but when he guesses right on a fastball down the middle he is undercutting it and popping it up.

LakeDawg

June 6th, 2011
7:38 pm

Also, I haven’t given up on FG, but I’m afraid he’s too much of a clone of Bobby Cox. That’s why they hired him.

Joe for 3

June 6th, 2011
7:40 pm

For all those still mentioning Infante’s name,

.253 average
.294 obp
8 extra base hits for a whopping .303 slugging percentage.
17 rbi

LakeDawg

June 6th, 2011
7:41 pm

@count_schemula….that is a neat trick. You read and commented on my post before I posted it! Do you have ESPN?

LakeDawg

June 6th, 2011
7:45 pm

“Heyward has shown he can hit major legue pitching. He has not shown he can stay healthy enough to hit major league pitching.”

What was his avg. before going on the disabled list? What was his avg. the second half of last year. Pitchers have adjusted to him. He has yet to make an adjustment. Not saying he won’t, just saying he hasn’t yet. I think he will figure it out. He has superstar written all over him, but starting to worry though.

New hampshire Brave Fan

June 6th, 2011
7:51 pm

That is a big hole in the lineup. He seams to have no bat speed. I know heyward will get healty and hit 25 homers but I am afraid Uggla is going to be bad all season Long. And no I did not like the contract. & I did not like the trade we gained very little even if he does hit. Infanti will hit 270 with 15-20 homers in left feild and we could have left Prado at second. The defense would have been just as good

count_schemula

June 6th, 2011
7:52 pm

“@count_schemula….that is a neat trick. You read and commented on my post before I posted it! Do you have ESPN?”

Let’s do the time warp again! The blogs are kinda messed up. The junk up the order of the posts, kind of turning this into a deconstuctivist romp of random thoughts and words that we have to put back together to please our own subconscious.

I do not have ESPN or cable TV.

Joe for 3

June 6th, 2011
7:56 pm

“Infanti will hit 270 with 15-20 homers in left feild and we could have left Prado at second.”

In what crazy world do you see him hitting 15-20 homers this year. He currently has one. Only one season (2004) has he even broken double digits in homers.

count_schemula

June 6th, 2011
7:56 pm

“What was his avg. the second half of last year. Pitchers have adjusted to him.”

After a pretty electric start, he hurt his thumb, and payed through.

“What was his avg. before going on the disabled list?”

Claims the shoulder was bum since during spring training. Tried to play through, got a numb hand and a tingling arm out of it.

When he has been healthy, he looks good. I have no problem agreeing that he has not been able to either stay healthy or on the field. For now, I’m willing to defend him, but he will have to figure out the difference between being hurt and being injured as they say.

LakeDawg

June 6th, 2011
7:57 pm

@count_schemula….thanks for the explanation. LOL

LakeDawg

June 6th, 2011
7:59 pm

@count_schemula…I hope you’re right and its just that he’s been battling injuries. He has the look of an all-timer.

rex

June 6th, 2011
8:00 pm

DU doesn’t have a clue. He thinks he is a home run hitter. Look at the way he swings the bat. You can’t teach anyone with this attitude. I don’t think he will improve untill he is sent down to A or AA where there is no pressure and then you can change the Muscleman approach to hitting. If the Braves continue to play him, the Braves season is doomed and so is DU. Get this man out of the line up and get him some help.

iTiSi

June 6th, 2011
8:04 pm

Nothing more than DY SOB’s (DIFFERENT YEAR, SAME OLD BRAVES) so it is all somewhat immaterial. I’m predicting two things (one, Heyward same as I did end of last year) that UGGLA will slowly come around but it will be too late to make a difference. Braves will finish 3rd this year. As for Heyward, he will follow the same road Jeff Francoeur did. From day one, I did not see in him what most others did. Case in point: where are all those home runs he was hitting in spring training? Quite different when you are facing a team’s top pitchers day after day.

count_schemula

June 6th, 2011
8:11 pm

“He thinks he is a home run hitter.”

Um, he is a home run hiiter? It’s about all he is.

He does look like he has been going for the ESPN highlight reel with majestic blasts unrivaled by his peers, but… most know that that is not the way. He should be trying to hit balls through the fence, not over it. The home runs would follow. Of course, now, he’s just screwed up and not any kind of hitter.

NO MORE BOBBY

June 6th, 2011
8:27 pm

Take away Uggla’s stats against Braves as a Marlin and not that impressive. He killed us when in Florida now killing us in Atlanta. This might go down as worse than Mike Hampton. Yikes!

JT

June 6th, 2011
8:35 pm

Honestly I thought it was excessive in the amount they paid Uggla, but holy crap! 172 avg. Will they now call it the Uggla line instead of Mendoza??? How embarrasing for Uggla! Bet he really don’t give a crap while he cashes his way too high pay check. The guy who should be embarassed is Frank Wren.

Old Dawg Fan

June 6th, 2011
8:37 pm

If I performed at my job the way Uggla has then I would be fired!!!! If you Jeff wrote terrible columns (which yours are always on the money) then you would be gone!!! To bad Wren put the Braves in this situation.
Uggla is a millionaire and that is all that matters to him and his family even though it was at the expense of the Braves.

JoefromGA

June 6th, 2011
8:43 pm

what makes me sick is at this rate he is making $89k+ per hit.

PMC

June 6th, 2011
8:46 pm

I still don’t blame Wren for making this trade or getting this deal signed, his past performance indicated that he was a middle of the order hitter with power, exactly what the Braves STILL lack.

Only, because that trade included Infante, we lost a lot one of the best bats on the team at the same time.

There are tons of pitchers on the team and scarcely any true everyday players. The good news, nearly everyone in baseball is average to bad this year so they aren’t that far back.

The bad news, there is no telling when if ever this team is going to find enough baseball players that can hit near .300 and drive in 100 runs.

Skillet

June 6th, 2011
8:51 pm

” Uggla would have to add 66 points to his average just to be as good as Nate McLouth (.238)”

That’s too funny, LOL

Nate took the money and sucked. Kinda like what Andruw Jones did to the Dodgers.

Skillet

June 6th, 2011
9:02 pm

correction…..Uggla took the money and sucked, not Nate…Wait a minute, Nate & Uggla took the money and sucked…Well Nate not so much as Uggla…. Uggla has sucked to epic proportions, while Nate has just sucked to regular proportions.

Ok, never mind all that…From now on, the 2-headed beast will be referred to as Nate Uggla.

benchwarmer

June 6th, 2011
9:07 pm

Wow! Is Larry Parrish actually promoting an aggrssive philosopy at the plate? Just when it seemed that the Bravos as a group had finally learned to be more patient this is the new philosopy? I hope not. I think aggresion is called for in some situations but the key word is situations. Parrish ought to be teaching how to identify those times to be aggressive and how to apply other strategems when when aggression is not called for.

benchwarmer

June 6th, 2011
9:09 pm

And is Jason Heyward brittle? Starting to look like it. Not something he can correct maybe. Some guys just break easily.

Ron Hyatt

June 6th, 2011
9:15 pm

I told you so last October.

The psychiatrist

June 6th, 2011
9:25 pm

The thought of going to AAA may drive Uggs crazy, but then Lawrenceville IS a short drive, isn’t it?

Skillet

June 6th, 2011
9:30 pm

Heyward’s biggest problem is that his birth certificate is bogus…Dude was born in 1969, not 1989.

I’d like Pa Pa Heyward to tell me stories about what it was like to be on the DL back in the olden days.

The psychiatrist

June 6th, 2011
9:34 pm

If Valentine knows, then we must assume Parrish knows, and Uggla knows, they look at the video analyzing every facet of the swing, so where does that leave it? If any fan who knows a shred about the game can see the inability or lack of desire to change the most obvious flaws in approach, i.e. trying to pull outside pitches as opposed to going to the opposite field, not shortening up the swing with 2 strikes, not being able to carry out a basic sac bunt, and constant inability to get a runner home from 3rd with less than 2 outs, seriously, what the hell is wrong with this team?

Honest Ingine

June 6th, 2011
9:38 pm

What a waste of good money.. period….hope he is reading this blog, and gets off his a… and plays baseball the way he used to, and what we are paying for…

BB

June 6th, 2011
9:38 pm

Uggla, don’t point your left striding foot towards left field anymore or give your 12 million dollars a year back. We are suppose to learn this in little league.

G-Man

June 6th, 2011
9:44 pm

What stinks is that you don’t have options. It’s one thing if it’s Nate McClouth, it’s totally different if it’s your highest paid players. Does our highest paid players reflect who our best players have been so far? Answer = Nope

Derek Lowe $ 15,000,000 Chipper Jones $ 14,000,000 Dan Uggla $ 9,146,942 Tim Hudson $ 9,000,000 Nate McLouth $ 7,000,000

p.s. The issue is leadership. Other than Prado, I don’t see or have heard anyone talking about extra time in the video room or extra batting practice.

Mookie

June 6th, 2011
9:48 pm

Dan’s swing is Uggla. Feet work bad. Pulling off the ball. Can’t reach outside. Arm swinging. Can’t go the other way.

Joshua Barlowe

June 6th, 2011
9:51 pm

I’m more worried about that fact that Heyward can’t stay healthy. That’s a bad sign.

k483

June 6th, 2011
10:05 pm

I think it would be an interesting study to compare the stats of players the year before they sign a huge contract and the year after. My guess is that the pre-signing numbers are closer to their career highs and the post-signing numbers are closer to their career lows.

G-Man

June 6th, 2011
10:09 pm

k483
they have done studies on this. It’s now called the Uggla syndrome.

Andrew A

June 6th, 2011
10:15 pm

“Of all that has gone wrong so far this season . . .” Relax. That’s baseball. We’re 3 1/2 out. Playing the fish tomorrow, and a chance for Uggla to shine against his old club.

rally

June 6th, 2011
10:23 pm

The only saving grace for the Braves right now is their pitching which has kept them in ballgames. If it wasn’t for that we would be a dead last team. Thats right a bottom cellar team probably 18 games out of first place before the allstar break. Dan Uggla has been the worst problem I have seen since Hamptons last three years. The problem with Uggla is he is a linchpin of the lineup and drags everybody else down. I cant think of how many times he has killed rallys this year. DUMB DUMB DUMB. Till he heats up I’ll keep drinking tequila….and cursing like a sailor.

GLE

June 6th, 2011
10:38 pm

THE BRAVES COULD SIGN TY COBB AND HE WOULD BAT .150 FOR THE SEASON.

AG

June 6th, 2011
10:44 pm

The Atlanta chokers.

POON

June 6th, 2011
10:55 pm

Pull the Mike Hampton trade…find someone to eat the back-end of his contract and see who is willing to take a flyer on this guy…HR’s don’t win WS, ask the Giants

Wright

June 6th, 2011
11:58 pm

Its just Loserville, happens to every pro sports player that comes to this city.

eddie willers

June 7th, 2011
12:20 am

“they have done studies on this. It’s now called the Uggla syndrome.’

Previously known as Andruw Jones Syndrome.

ab initio

June 7th, 2011
12:51 am

I don’t think it’s any coincidence that good hitters can’t hit in a Braves’ uni. The approach to offense for this team has been weak for years. There simply is no excuse with all the tools that teams have, both technological and technical, for the team to suck so bad at offense. Everything, from the approach at the plate; the plan to move runners, and seeing the ball, is practically atrocious.

While offense is certainly down league-wide, that is an easy excuse, and not applicable for the lousy approaches at the plate.

The Braves need to seriously rethink their methodology, or get some people, either players or coaches, who have a clue.

JASon

June 7th, 2011
12:59 am

Honestly, I liked the signing of uggla in January. Unfortunately he signed with a team that has some crazy voodoo curse that happens for every player we sign that makes him suck offensively (pun intended) once they sign with us. I guarantee you that if we were to trade uggla to another team today he would start producing instantly. This team is cursed.

ab initio

June 7th, 2011
2:19 am

“If he (Uggla) doesn’t turn it around, this contract will turn into one of the worst albatrosses in pro sports.” – Jeff Schultz

No, the worst albatross in pro sports was trading half our farm system, and the future of this ballclub for the next few seasons, for Texeira.

I’m not surprised Wren will own both birds.

Rufino Linares

June 7th, 2011
7:10 am

That’s what they get for extending someone who hadn’t done squat for the franchise….shoulda taken care of Jurrjens & Prado.

Lil' Barry Bailout

June 7th, 2011
7:42 am

Uggla needs to level out his swing–he’s got too much uppercut. Note how his bat ends up twirling over his head when he whiffs (which is frequent). Quit trying to hit that five-run homer.

Now, if anyone else needs help with their swing, just let me know.

Chopdawg

June 7th, 2011
7:44 am

I have no problem with Uggla’s original contract, but I don’t understand the contract extension, before the player had ever taken the field. Why not let him play a few months, see if he’s the player you thought you were getting, make sure he’s a good fit for your team, before signing him to a multi-year, multi-million-dollar extension?

wardenerd

June 7th, 2011
8:01 am

swinging at every pitch in one at bat and then taking a called third strike with runners in scoring position indicates that the Braves are unprepared. Most teams have an attack plan at the beginning of the game like hitting Hanson’s first pitch or making Hudson work his pitch count up by taking and being patient. I do not see this type of strategy with the Braves . Each guy is on his own.

KCWag52

June 7th, 2011
8:27 am

I’m growing concerned about understated injuries. Is there something wrong with Tim Hudson? He doesn’t seem his old reliable self lately. Heyward? Beachy? How bad are these injuries? It is truly amazing that we’re hanging around the division lead and this might just be indicative of a very different Phillies team.
We need a big Fred McGriff trade as a catalyst.

The Mick

June 7th, 2011
8:59 am

1 man doesn’t make or break a team.. The remainder of the team has to pick up the slack. The Braves has the talent.Uggla will eventually work out of his slump. I don t know if he will do it this year but looks like we ll have to be patience with him because of his contract.
I agree so far Uggla has not played to his potential..We can t trade him .Give him a day off every week .Let se what happens.To early to give up on him now. Go Braves..Good Luck Matty Diaz . Wish u were in Atlanta as so with Bobby the skipper

Joycee Banicheck

June 7th, 2011
9:02 am

I wish Bobby were still in the dugout….

Ted Abernathy

June 7th, 2011
9:09 am

Uggla is standing too far from the plate, my submarine stuff could still get him out. What are we paying Larry Parrish to do?

bb

June 7th, 2011
9:09 am

It was a good trade and good signing when it happened there was no way for them to know this would happen. Yeah it sucks but at least it’s not as bad as Hampton.

Joycee Banicheck

June 7th, 2011
9:17 am

And I think Frank Wren sucks as a GM.
What percentage of this years payroll is tied up in McLouth, Kawakami, and Uggla?

J-man

June 7th, 2011
9:20 am

To be honest, I thought the contract was OK at the time. I was a lot more concerned about his defense though. I really didn’t think he would just forget how to hit.

Joycee – Freddi is a players’ manager just like Bobby was. I don’t think Bobby would have had any more idea what to do here than Freddi does. Bobby’s idea was always for the player to play through it. He never had any useful suggestions for Frenchy or anyone else in a slump.

Dirty Dawg

June 7th, 2011
9:22 am

Maybe being back in Florida will turn him around…but clearly the Braves have no choice but to play him unless he ‘volunteers’ to go down to AAA and see if he can get something of his timing back. Then again, he’s playing every day here, so what’s the use of improving his ‘timing’ against AAA pitchers?

Fact is the Braves are experiencing that ‘age-old’ question and answer that all of us go through at some time in our lives whenever something truly regrettable happens…Question: What were you thinking?…Answer: It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Joycee Banicheck

June 7th, 2011
9:28 am

I just miss Bobby being the skipper, regardless of how Uggla is doing. I miss the fire when he hobbled out of the dugout to dispute a call, then rip the the you know what our of an ump, then get tossed. Teams respond to a manager that shows fire, Fredi appears to walk out, ask the ump if he was sure about that call, then say “ok” and turn back for the dugout. You think for two seconds there wouldn’t have been fireworks after the missed call at third the other day on the triple from Reyes?

toni

June 7th, 2011
9:34 am

It is exactly this kind of story, telling Uggla that he has the whole future of the team on his back, that is putting more and more pressure on him and will only make the problem worse. To me, the solution is a sports psychologist which they used on Smoltz early in his career. The guy even sat in the stands behind home plate for a time. But if you guys would just SHUT UP about it. It might get better. Maybe not, But it certainly won’t if you keep harping on it.

Countdown: Tressel’s fans, Tebow’s cuteness, Frenchy’s shorts | Jeff Schultz

June 7th, 2011
9:50 am

[...] Earlier: If Uggla doesn’t turn things around, Braves are sunk [...]

Doug

June 7th, 2011
10:51 am

Liveing in Arizona I ragged my Pal about Mark Reynolds, now he rags me about Uggla. We actually are keeping track of who does the “BEST” or a least better than “HORRIBLE” this season. Good thing there are two halfs too the season, we at least have some hope.

chris

June 7th, 2011
11:18 am

uggla is one of 8 batters in that lineup – even thoough one of the highest paid..got to be patient with himas well as the other team. the season may not fully rest on his shoulders but Jeff I agree if he dont’ get it going- we’re sunk….i think the big contract has gotten in his head and he’s just pressing..he needs to realize we didnt sign him to be a one season wonder- hes signed for 6 years i think so take it easy…maybe it is a mechanical issue- ive not been that impressed with Parrish anyway…people scramed about T.P. being a bad hitting coach but neither men can put a bat in their own hands and hit themselves. May be on an island but the entire league is pitching better this year so its not just the Braves struggling to score runs..The Philies are pitching their way to victories not hitting either. We just need a few breaks to fall our way get on a roll and in the end we will be ok- JUST GET UGGLA hitting! LOL

Kendell Jones

June 7th, 2011
2:17 pm

I think beginning with this series at Florida that Uggla will start hitting. He will be in a surrounding familiar place, and I predict that the bat will come alive tonight.

archie

June 7th, 2011
4:14 pm

1. Uggla: oh well, at least we’re not talking about his statue-like range at 2nd base.

2. Heyward: the Bob Horner of the 21st century. He will always pick up his mail at the DL.

3. Schafer: Slim Shady is not ready for the main stage.

4. Chipper: Farewell Tour 2011, enjoy him before the big breakdown. Coming soon.

5. A Gonzalez: Folds under pressure.

6. Mather, McLouth, Conrad, Diory, Mighty Mite Matt Young: Triple-A talent.

Watching Jose Reyes run circles around the Braves over the weekend is a reminder of how tired and slow the Braves really are. There’s not a player on the roster who could outrun him, even if shot out of a cannon.

Jim Pierce

June 7th, 2011
4:37 pm

i’ve always been an advocate for paying a player per his current production.
x-dollars per HR, triple, double, single etc…. xdollars for average.. xdollars per successful sac bunt… x dollars per rbi… etc etc. That way, every player can earn all he wants….. Give a base salary, and let um add all they can add. lol

Tim

June 7th, 2011
5:00 pm

As bad as Uggla has been, he has performed better than Frank Wren.

Ted

June 7th, 2011
5:10 pm

Uggla had two good years, his first and last. He is a .250 hitter. Only Wren and Gonzales thought otherwise. His HR power? That seems to come and go with certain players.

up north

June 7th, 2011
5:20 pm

Maybe Chipper can be the batting coach.

Patrick Romano WAR DAMN EAGLE

June 7th, 2011
5:25 pm

Chi Town, You’re a moron!!! You cannot fix stupid!

Disgusted

June 7th, 2011
5:32 pm

Just wish the Braves had spent some real money and gone after a legitimate manager and a legitimate hitting coach – someone better start motivating these players or they will go the way of the Thrashers….which we are all better off without.

Fish Bisch

June 7th, 2011
5:34 pm

Owned

JT

June 7th, 2011
5:42 pm

I have been the BIGGEST Jason Heyward defender but enough is enough, he is BY FAR the bigger issue here. Why? because Uggla has a whole lotta history backing him up saying we shouldn’t panic yet. The amount of great years he has can’t be an aberration. The only history Heyward has to this point is being unable to put together a full season and seeming terrifyingly content to sit for the smallest bit of pain. As the brought up on the radio this week you’ve got to start thinking does Heyward know the difference between pain and injury? Everybody hurts. Uggla is noticeably distraught over this and that is the best sign.

JT

June 7th, 2011
5:46 pm

Ted,
most power hitters have middle of the road averages. They got him for his seemingly automatic 30 HRs and 90-100 RBIs. He is the stereotypical right handed power bat.

JT

June 7th, 2011
5:48 pm

The real blame lies with Gonzalez. What do we have to do to NOT get Matt Young AB’s. He has no business up there in key spots. Leave it Hinske and Mather.

Falconairre

June 7th, 2011
6:22 pm

RELAX the braves are only 3.5 games out and no one has got hot yet. Uggla will get hot wen we need him to be hot the most. So will chipper j hey and mccann. Prado is a stud and will remain hot. I said this wen we was holding on to b.giles. I agree infante should have stayed and we payed a corner outfielder. Team wud have been much more productive with prado and infante up the middle and at the top of the lineup. But it is wat it is now. With the lack of hitting and speed we are still in it with solid pitching, great bullpen and defense once we start clicking we will win the division by 5 or 6 games

JPopNC

June 7th, 2011
6:28 pm

Oddly, they really ought to put him in the leadoff slot to maybe force him to focus more on just hitting, not trying to knock it out of the park everytime.

acbwcmm

June 8th, 2011
12:40 am

I was one of only a few Braves fans that was not happy with the Uggla trade and extension signing. At least with the trade we only lost a utility infielder and a relief pitcher.

The fact that they signed Uggla to an extension before he ever played a game for us concerned me. I honestly always felt like Uggla (Werth & Infante, too, for that matter) were overrated.

Some players do better in different situations. Perhaps Uggla can’t handle the pressure of his contract. Who knows. Either way, I hope he becomes at least mediocre for us.

Sonny Jackson

June 8th, 2011
7:36 am

If the Braves are so totally dependent on Uggla as the title of this article indicates, they are sunk whether he starts hitting or not. Fortunately, you are wrong about this. Their success does not totally depend on Uggla. He can hit for nothing all season and they will still win if the rest of them hit and the pitchers keep hitting.

Jonny V. for Closer!

June 9th, 2011
12:30 pm

I’m so sick of the “bubble gum card” comment, which has become a cliché. It’s also not true. Sometimes players don’t snap out of it. Having said that, I believe (and pray) that Uggla will come around. What we need to do immediately is MAKE JONNY V. THE CLOSER!

If Uggla doesn’t turn things around, Braves are sunk

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If Uggla doesn’t turn things around, Braves are sunk

Follow me on Twitter @JeffSchultzAJC; friend me at Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC

320 comments Add your comment

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