2:05pm: The Braves announced that they have officially released Uggla (Twitter link).
1:40pm: The Braves will release embattled second baseman Dan Uggla, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter).
The 34-year-old Uggla’s tenure with the Braves came to a rocky end, to say the least, as the former All-Star slugger’s bat has eroded over the past few seasons. Dating back to Opening Day 2013, Uggla is hitting just .175/.295/.332 with a 31 percent strikeout rate. However, Uggla still has about $5.2MM remaining on this year’s $13MM salary before earning $13MM next year, which likely made the Braves reluctant to cut ties, as they hoped to salvage some value from those years. The Uggla saga has been an ongoing source of frustration for many Braves fans, even after Uggla lost the vast majority of his playing time to young second baseman Tommy La Stella.
Originally acquired from the Marlins in exchange for Mike Dunn and Omar Infante, Uggla quickly signed a five-year, $62MM extension with the Braves. While he cracked 36 homers in his first year in Atlanta and batted .233/.311/.453, things went south quickly from that point forth. Uggla’s power faded in the second half of an otherwise fairly typical season in 2012, leaving him with a .220/.348/.384 triple-slash.
Overall, Uggla will spend only three and a half seasons of his five-year deal with the Braves, and his time in Atlanta will conclude with a .209/.317/.391 line. Baseball-Reference pegs his time with the Braves at 2.5 WAR, while Fangraphs is more fond of his first two years with the club and values him at 5.3 WAR. Either way, the contract certainly didn’t pan out the way that Braves GM Frank Wren had hoped it would.
As for next steps for Uggla, he’ll first have to clear release waivers — which should be no problem given his remaining salary — before he is free to sign with a new club. Any team could then roll the dice on Uggla for the pro-rated portion of the league minimum. Teams with a need at second base might be open to such a minimal financial risk. The Reds could use a second baseman with Brandon Phillips on the disabled list. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays, Giants and A’s have been linked to the second base market for quite some time as well.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gotta wonder if Toronto or Oakland even looks at him. Maybe Baltimore?
Oakland wouldn’t come near him even if he came with a new stadium.
About Dan time
Can’t play with a 24 man roster.
They’ve been playing with a 24 man roster for a while now.
That’s what he meant.
Time for me to take a break 🙂
Time for me to take a break 🙂
Easy now we get it. And not that it matters or to split hairs, but they’ve actually been playing with a 23 man roster much of the season. Jordan Schafer is nearly as useless since his only quality tool is speed however, he can’t steal first base which renders him incapable of bringing any value down the stretch to a team chasing a playoff spot. I’ll be shocked if he makes it to August in a Braves uniform.
Only about 3 month too late.
And there was much rejoicing in Atlanta.
*Monty Python cartoon graphics* “Yaaaay…”
That escalated slowly.
does uggla need a ride to the airport cause im willing to drive him
That sounds like it would be a REALLY awkward car ride.
Would you talk about hitting on the ride?
I imagine that would end with Uggla crossing his arms and pouting while saying “I don’t want to talk about it …”.
I’m betting he finds a new home on an American league team. Perhaps the Yankees.
That’s what I’m fearing
Have a bad feeling Cashman is going to go after him
Why is that a “bad feeling”? He’s terrible, let him go to the Yankees.
Hope Cashman is fired on the spot if he picks him up.
That was my immediate thought when I considered where he might end up, actually.
Ridiculous. They just DFA’d Soriano who had better numbers.
Sure hope the Reds don’t grab him. Would much rather continue using Santiago and Schumaker.
As Skip Caray would say: “We can dance in the streets tonight!”
suprised they couldn’t get a deal with cincinatti’s 2b out or another team for a left handed reliever with atlanta eating most of the money.
really? Phillips playing so much better than Uggla that it’s not even close. Phillips D alone is worth more than Uggla altogether IMO.
I don’t think he was comparing Phillips and Uggla, I think he was saying the Reds could take him since Phillips is on the DL.
Oh yeah I see that now…I was thinking because of the rumor this offseason going around of a Phillips for Uggla swap.
Oh yeah I see that now…I was thinking because of the rumor this offseason going around of a Phillips for Uggla swap.
I don’t think he was comparing Phillips and Uggla, I think he was saying the Reds could take him since Phillips is on the DL.
Edgar Martinez’s D alone is worth more than Uggla
I would’ve puked if they made that trade. BP isn’t a great hitter but like the other guy said, his D alone is more than Uggla is worth.
Uggla is not a filler 2B for a team that needs one — there are better options out there in almost every team’s minor league system. He plays terrible defense and has hit .190 over something like his last 950 plate appearances, with a ton of k’s. I literally think you’d be better off signing Dontrelle Willis to play 2B. Well, if he was right handed, anyway.
Edit — Dontrelle’s career numbers are .244/.287/.378 and he’s available if you need a hitter. Uggla’s last two years: .175/.295/.332 over 682 PA, and it’s worse if you include the second half of 2012 as well.
I think you’re underestimating the fact that Uggla is 200% done. He’s been completely lost at the plate for well over a year now. He quite literally could not hit water if he fell off a boat.
Is ATL sure they don’t want to suspend Uggla for one more game before releasing him
Finally!!!
I’m thinking either Marlins bring him back as a bench guy (seems like a Marlins thing to do) or the Yankees take a look. He’s not looking like he’s long for the bigs though at this point.
Why would the Yankees “take a look”? Brian Roberts is a much better player at this point.
Ugh this sounds like a Yankees/Cashman type move -____-
Name one player with the same stats as Uggla that Cashman has obtained.
I guess BJ is next…and by next I mean 2 years from now.
I think BJ will make up for it this year, and next.
I guess BJ is next…and by next I mean 2 years from now.
Finally. This was the longest running joke in baseball, and it wasn’t even funny.
Don’t worry. Somebody will pick him up, which will start the other longest running unfunny joke in baseball, which is an internet commenter saying “WORLD SERIES!!!” when he signs.
my opinion of this post is the opposite of your avatar.
This disadvantage guy has been winning all over the article’s comments
I hope the Brewers pick him up, but that’s just because I’m a Cardinals fan.
October ’14 newspaper headlines… Dan uggla comes to the Yankees and leads them to worl series over the Atlanta Braves who only 4 months ago cut him he has batted .320 with 35 HR Since joining the Yankees at the all star break… AND THEN HE WOKE UP FROM HIS DREAM… 🙂
I dunno… Kinda wordy for a headline.
I’ll take that. It would be a happy end for all. We’ve lost the WS before to pathetic hitters on the Yankees coming through..
Hasn’t everyone?
Naw, steroids do nothing for baseball players, nothing at all.
Uggla had some of his best years under the hitting instruction of Jim Presley.
I would have no problem with the O’s signing him once he clears waivers.
Your team need more strikeouts or something?
why wouldn’t the Cubs take a chance?
Don’t they have Alacantara?
Theo is smarter than that.
Last thing the Cubs need is a middle infielder. They have much better options.
Probably because Darwin freaking Barney does more damage with the bat than Uggla nowadays…which isn’t saying much. And at least Barney can field the position.
I’m going to be really annoyed if he goes to another team, on a league minimum, and does well.
Not gonna happen
Beane will sign him and he’ll clock 16 HRS before season ends.
lol your probably right, untill they run into verlander again and go home early in the playoffs.
Finally. Sometimes you just have to admit you made a horrible mistake, even when a lot of money is owed. Now please, Giants, DO NOT sign this guy.
The Giants can do without him. They already had Dan Uggla wearing a Brandon Hicks suit, and Scutaro is finally back.
You are so right. Hicks was an Uggla clone. I really think Uggla is done.
I’ve never been more sure in my life that a veteran would not make a successful comeback than I am with Uggla. He isn’t a guy hitting .205 in a one-year slump. He’s not a pitcher with a 5.10 ERA but decent peripherals. He’s a poor defense, .190-hitting strikeout machine at this point. He’s Adam Dunn minus the power and on-base skills. There are pitchers that can out-hit him right now, and who could probably play better defense. He’ll sign a minor-league deal, but I’ll wager he never gets another MLB AB again.
He wishes he could hit .190.
Brian Sabean is salivating in his kale salad.
Come to the padres, you’ll fit right in.
Wouldnt be surprised to see the Yanks jump in on him
Why would the Yankees take him? Roberts is a much better 2nd baseman than Uggla.
The yankees love platoons, i can see them wanting to rest roberts during the second half. Also Uggla still has the potential for power, something the yankees lineup has been missing all season.
coming to a philadelphia bench. always hits good in philly
He’s done and major league baseball is better for it. Guys who can’t play that stick around solely because of a long term deal not only take jobs from more deserving guys, they make the product on the field less than it could be. Atlanta fans that had to endure this guy the last two years should get some sort of refund.
And this was a guy that got all bent out of shape when they benched him. Unbelievable.
He’s not done. There’s going to be 1-2 MLB teams that are going to hope to bring him on for a MLB minimum and recapture some of his power. the 2B market is so thin right now, Uggla could easily find a bench role with someone now, if not when the rosters expand later in the season. It wouldn’t be a great move by someone, but little to no risk involved, and he wouldn’t be the first or last Brave to find success after disappointing ATL fans and cashing our checks.
Finally!!!!!!
I’m surprised they didn’t at least try to deal him to some team looking to move a bad contract. I think the Cubs maybe would have paid his salary for this year and next year if Atlanta included a decent prospect. Cubs have the salary room, one more year of rebuilding, and may have liked him as a change of scenery candidate. They could try him at 3b for this year and next, bc the Olt project doesn’t appear to be working out.
It seemed obvious enough that the Braves would release them that no one would bother to work out a deal for him; I can’t imagine teams are going to be lining up to bring him aboard, and if the Cubs want him, they should be able to do so cheaply. There’s no reason to trade a warm body for someone like Uggla.
It seemed obvious enough that the Braves would release them that no one would bother to work out a deal for him; I can’t imagine teams are going to be lining up to bring him aboard, and if the Cubs want him, they should be able to do so cheaply. There’s no reason to trade a warm body for someone like Uggla.
What do you think the Braves have been doing since the offseason??
Uggla can’t make throws from second, so he won’t be playing third, ever.
-C
What do you think the Braves have been doing since the offseason??
Uggla can’t make throws from second, so he won’t be playing third, ever.
-C
Why would CHC hold back some talent that will be ready by plugging in someone that has no long-term value? Look how many middle-infield options they have, including Alcantara who has been looking great at 2B, and Addison Russell (SS) who they would consider moving over long-term, depending on what they want to do with Castro and Baez. Point is, the worst thing they could do is get Uggla thus blocking the development of some of these high-ceiling players. And all for a few HR for a non-contending team?
Dan Uggla and AJ Pierzynski are about to have the best softball team in the entire beer league.
Dan Uggla to Oakland. Dan Uggla believe it or not has a good future. He probably just needs a new background. He needs to go somewhere where they need defense, not offense, because Uggla is a great defender. Based on what I said, Oakland needs to bring in Dan Ugggla, Sogard is not contributing.
Are you kidding?
Let’s all assume you are joking.
Yea his D is worse than his O. lol
Wait, we’re talking about the same Dan Uggla here, right?
Wait, we’re talking about the same Dan Uggla here, right?
…And Nickelback is the greatest rock band ever and Dane Cook is funny.
Although as a Mariners fan, I totally support the A’s signing Uggla and giving as many AB’s as possible.
He’s a good defender, not great.
He’s not even a good defender. He’s utterly terrible.
-C
OK I went to overboard with, Great defender. Actually he’s not very good at defense.
Dan Uggla is anti-Moneyball in every way, but finding someone with little to no value.
Dubious distinction time: “He set the franchise single-season strikeout record in 2011 before subsequently breaking the mark in 2012 and 2013.”
They should have done this before things turned Uggla. Dannit.
It’s a Dan shame, I tell ya.
I wish they had done this before things turned Uggla. Dannit.
What if the Marlins sign him? Looking at his stats, he was very good with the Marlins. Since coming to the Braves he’s been awful. I wonder if signing with the Marlins might help him find his swag.
Signing with a Rookie League team might help him.
Signing with a Rookie League team might help him.
Yankees? He definitely fits the age requirement.
Yankees? He definitely fits the age requirement.
Those stats are just… Uggly. But I won’t be shocked if he ends up on some other team’s bench and contributes a little. I’m thinking he just couldn’t handle the extra pressure that came with that contract, or trying to be a star in a larger market. He is almost done as a player, but he is still better than this year’s stats… I think…
Wow the Bridgeport Bluefish have a chance to score Casper Wells and Dan Uggla in the same day.
My mom sent me this text today: Ugley is gone.
Just as I was about to make a witty comment about him being cut, I read the Giants are thinking about signing him… ugggggghhhhh
If you want a laugh read the comments in this thread:
mlbtraderumors.com/2010/11/braves-to-acquire-dan-u…