Again, the Braves’ Dan Uggla pursues a weird slice of history
It might take more than tape to fix what ails Dan Uggla's bat. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
This not just in: Dan Uggla had a weird 2011 season. His batting average was .173 on the Fourth of July, whereupon he embarked on a 33-game hitting streak, the longest in Atlanta Braves annals and probably the strangest in the history of baseball.
So it shouldn’t come as a total shock that, in 2012, the same Uggla could join a select group of players, one of whom is the sainted Dale Murphy and another of whom is the rather famous George Herman Ruth, in another statistical oddity. At this moment, Uggla is tied for the National League lead in strikeouts (118) and walks (66).
According to Baseball-Reference.com, only nine big-leaguers have ever done that double over a full season: Babe Ruth (four times), Hack Wilson, Dolph Camilli, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt, the aforementioned Murphy (in 1985), Jason Giambi, Jim Thome and the immortal Jack Cust. (Though it’s all but a given that Adam Dunn of the White Sox will lead the American League in walks and K’s this season. He’s way ahead in both categories. He also leads the majors in home runs.)
When the Braves traded for Uggla in November 2010 and signed him to a $60 million contract extension through 2015, they believed they’d invested in a proven run-producer. Over his first five big-league seasons he’d driven in at least 88 runs, and even last season, when he hit only .233, he had 82 RBI’s. Through 104 games this season, he has 50. Last season he hit a career-best 36 home runs; to date he has 12.
His batting average is .209, which is lower than it was a calendar year ago. (He was at .212 on Aug. 1, 2011, the day his hitting streak reached 23 games.) But get this: Owing to those walks, his on-base percentage is .346, only one point lower than Michael Bourn (who’s hitting .292) and Jason Heyward (.270).
The league-leading strikeout total might suggest that Uggla will swing at anything, but that doesn’t account for his league lead in walks. He has actually gotten better at not swinging. At least in that regard, the change in hitting coaches from Larry Parrish to Greg Walker/Scott Fletcher appears to have helped Uggla, who has already walked four more times than he did last season.
According to ESPN’s stats, Uggla is third among NL batters in pitches seen per plate appearance — 4.2o, up from 3.89 last season — and, per Baseball-Reference, his BABIP (batting average on balls in play) is a not-wretched .276, up from .253 last season. Trouble is, he isn’t putting many balls in play.
He’s waiting for his pitch, which is supposed to be a good thing, but either he doesn’t do much with it or his pitch never arrives. I say again: Weird.
By Mark Bradley
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167 comments Add your comment
Luscious Lucius
August 3rd, 2012
7:36 pm
Uggla for President! Then he wont be at 2b…
Fats
August 3rd, 2012
11:42 pm
If FG is going to be forced to play Uggla everyday, make him go for a homerun on every AB. It could not hurt. Like the post earlier, Dave Kingman did it . Why not Uggs?
:)
Tree rollins
August 4th, 2012
12:12 am
This guy has the exact problem Franceour had – he wants to be a big muscle-bound Popeye. When Jeff came to spring training with big muscles and added pounds one year he couldn’t hit anything. And now Uggla has come to spring with even bigger Popeye style biceps 2 years in a row and can’t hit either year. What changed for both? All this redneck bodybuilding stuff. When I read about it in April I thought hear we go again – this macho redneck’s going to have a bad year again – only worse (and sadly I was right).
Tree rollins
August 4th, 2012
12:15 am
You watch – next year he’s going to lose 20 lbs and drop the bulk weightlifting routine and bring the average back to .280 again – mark my words! Goofball!
Tree rollins
August 4th, 2012
12:17 am
It’s the same reason tennis players don’t look like bodybuilders – it ruins your swing and timing. Uggla is a dumb redneck.
Busch Leaguer
August 4th, 2012
1:18 am
Give me a batting tee a bucket of baseballs and one hour and I can tell whether or not Uggla can fix his uggly swing mechanics.Repeated streaks of this type are the sign of major flaws in the swing path, so called getting the barrel of the bat to the ball.Everyone on the Braves staff says Dan is working hard and making progress on fixing his mechanics. It is August 3rd ,at this rate he may come around in November. First back him off the plate about 6 inches or maybe a little more,this will help him from pulling off the ball .Dan is missing balls right down the middle because he is pulling the barrel of the bat out of the strike zone.If anything Uggla is generating too much bat speed. He has to let the ball travel more in the zone and stay on the pitch and then let his hands fly. The only hits Uggla has been getting have been down the left field line. But most of the balls he hits hard are pulled foul.If I remember his good streak last year his used the entire field from power alley to power alley. It may be better for the Braves to sit Uggla as a way to force his hand into making some changes in his approach at the plate . If his main positive stat is on base % ,mainly by drawing walks then move him to 2nd in the order and let the hot hitters drive him in,but the Braves re not paying him 13M a year to draw walks and strike out 200 times a year.
Brandon Lee
August 4th, 2012
2:43 pm
Of Course Very Few pick up on the True Cynicism of your column, where you not only Deride Dan Uggla for his Strikeouts/Walks Ratio being on the high-end…. Then you attempt in your henious sarcastic manner to Criticize Dale Murphy all in the Same article.
ale Murphy was The Most Feared Hitter in the NL…. So Stick it in your Ear, Bradley.
Aren’t you just so Clever, in your Sarcastic comment about “the saintly Dale Murphy”. Of course you don’t Dare go into any Specifics in your Chastizing of Murphys Accomplishemnts while he spent Many years Clobbering Homeruns all Over Fulton County Stadium,, all the While gaining REspect from Well-Accomplished Mgrs such as Tommy Lasorda: saying
Derwood
August 4th, 2012
4:01 pm
Hey Wren, Derek Lowe and Johnny Damon have been cut. Why not pick them up as you are trying to win a divison, series with washed out players.
Radney
August 4th, 2012
5:21 pm
Trade tha bum if you can.
Busch Leaguer
August 4th, 2012
6:52 pm
Heard that the Red Sox are looking at Lowe if he clears waivers.
Fats
August 4th, 2012
10:03 pm
“POPEYE” UGGLA……………I like the sound of that one
All he can do now is crush spinach cans
braveswatcher
August 5th, 2012
10:26 am
A thought about “half season” Uggla. Even if Dan has a great finish like last year, the Braves are in effect paying him $24 million for one total season of power production, not two. Not bad work if you can get it.
Stumps OReilly
August 6th, 2012
1:34 am
Popeye Uggla needs to lay off the spinach……………..He is muscled up too much. Maybe he can go into wrestiling in the off season
Heat Check: The Braves are hot, and so is Dan Uggla (sort of) | Mark Bradley
August 6th, 2012
10:42 am
[...] he had eight RBI’s on the 10-game homestand. The less-good news is that he only had six hits (against 10 strikeouts). Heat Index: Hey, at least he’s making ‘em count. And if you’re hitting .209, [...]
Joe Brave
August 6th, 2012
2:40 pm
When Simmons comes back, put Simmons at SS and Janish at 2nd base. Send Uggla to the minor leagues where he clearly belongs.
Dawg Fan
August 7th, 2012
4:00 pm
I wish he’d pursue “a weird slice of history” on another team.
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