Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez announced Wednesday that second baseman Dan Uggla would not be joining the team for the division series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Uggla, playing in the third year of a 4 year/48 million dollar contract, hit just .179 in 2013. This ties Rob Deere’s 1991 season with the Detroit Tigers for the lowest batting average in MLB history. Uggla struck out in 31.8% of his plate appearances, the highest rate of his career, and the highest in the NL. In addition, his 13.2% line drive rate was the lowest of his career, and a major contributor to a miserable .225 BABIP.
The first half wasn’t all bad. Despite an eye-popping 116 strikeouts, Uggla hit .200/.315/.423, with 18 homeruns, and a 9.4% HR/Contact rate. Even with all the strikeouts, Uggla was an above-average hitter.
Uggla went just 8-62, with 24 strikeouts and a ugly .129/.177/.299 line. He ended the season having hit just one homerun since July 25, a span that covered 150 plate appearances.
Uggla has never been good with the glove, and his hitting skills have diminished significantly since signing with the Braves. Below are his numbers from his last year with the Florida Marlins (2010), and his three years with the Braves.
| Year | Age | OPS+ | K% |
| 2010 | 30 | 131 | 22.1 |
| 2011 | 31 | 107 | 23.2 |
| 2012 | 32 | 98 | 26.7 |
| 2013 | 33 | 83 | 31.8 |
The numbers tell the story. Uggla isn’t getting any younger, and his strikeout rate is unlikely to improve enough for him to be even an average hitter.
In all likelihood, Uggla’s days with the Braves are limited. His power and walks used to make up for the high strikeout totals and poor defense, but his declining ability to make contact could be the death knell for his days as a starter.
The man who beat him out for a playoff roster spot, Elliot Johnson, is a career .218/.273/.319 hitter who is on his third organization since 2012.
