LestersLegends.com

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We all know Dan Uggla isn’t going to win a batting title anytime soon. Sure he hit .282 as a rookie and .287 in his last year with the Marlins, but in between he hit .245, .260, and .243. There year his average is south of .200.
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Through 44 games Uggla is hitting .196 with 19 runs, seven home runs, 15 RBI, and a stolen base, which puts him on pace for a .196-70-26-55-4 season. The home run total is not bad, but it is short of the 30.8 he averaged in his first five years in the league. His run and RBI totals are even further below average.
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Obviously you can’t just cut him, but should you cut your losses and try to move him based on his name value alone?  On the flip side, if you don’t own him should you put a feeler out to see what his asking price is?
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I choose the latter. I have Uggla in one of my leagues and I am holding firm on him.  In other leagues I will make a play for him. After all, there are signs that suggest things will get better.
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Though the end results are nothing to brag about, he has had a slight improvement in May. He entered the month hitting .194. He has hit .200 this month to raise his average two points. His on-base percentage was .250. His May OBP is .304 to raise it twenty points. His OPS was .629. His May OPS is .671 to raise it sixteen points.
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He’s also striking out less than he has the past four seasons. His 22.0 percent strikeout rate is still high, but it beats the 25.3%, 26.6%, 32.2%, and 26.4% rates he’s posted 2007-2010. No, it doesn’t help his batting average, but it is a positive sign.
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Uggla has been unlucky. His BABIP is .210. Even with this year’s mark bring down his average, his lifetime BABIP is .297. With a track record of a much higher BABIP, one would think his luck would eventually work in his favor.
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It’s also worth noting that March/April has been the worst month throughout his career. His average before May is .238 and .265 from May on.
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At this point you’re probably hoping for a .240-.250 average at best for Uggla. While it’s not desirable, it sure beats one south of the Mendoza Line. Maybe he’s pressing to prove himself to his new teammates. Maybe it’s just taking him a little longer than expected to adjust to his new team and city. It’s typically taken Uggla some time to heat up. The power is still there. If you can swoop in and nab him before the average returns, you’ll be able to reap the benefits when it does.
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Sunday, June 8th
Hanley Ramirez went 3 for 5 with a pair of HRs and 4 RBI.  Ray Durham had 4 Hits.  Luke Scott and Mark Reynolds each hit a pair of HRs and drove in 3 Runs.  Mark Ellis hit a game-winning Grand Slam.  Nick Swisher had 4 RBI.  Bobby Abreu, Lance Berkman, Tony Clark, and Dan Uggla each had 3 RBI.  Brian Roberts, Vernon Wells (first game off the DL) Shane Victorino (3 Runs), Ryan Howard (4RBI), Mark Teixeira, Fred Lewis, Adam LaRoche, Alexei Ramirez (3 RBI), Eric Chavez, Carlos Delgado, Jody Gerut, Mark DeRosa, and Brian Giles each had 3 Hits.

Gavin Floyd allowed 2 Runs in 7 Innings with 9 Ks to improve to 7-3 with a 3.10 ERA.  Justin Masterson gave up 1 Run on 3 Hits in 6 Innings to improve to 3-0 with a 2.59 ERA.  Rich Harden gave up 3 Runs in 6 Innings with 9 Ks.  Ervin Santana gave up 2 Runs in 6-1/3 Innings with 9 Ks.  Jason Marquis gave up 1 unearned Run on 3 Hits in 6-1/3 Inning to improve to 4-3.

Thursday, June 5th
Old Man Matt Stairs went 3 for 5 with 2 Runs, a HR, and 5 RBI.  Manny Ramirez went 2 for 3 with a Run, a HR, and 5 RBI.  Elijah Dukes went 4 for 6 with 3 Runs, a Triple, a HR, and 4 RBI.  Chipper Jones went 4 for 5.  Cristian Guzman went 4 for 5 with 3 Runs.  Dan Uggla, Alexi Casilla, Mike Redmonds, Aaron Boone, Kory Casto, Michael Young, Milton Bradley, Tadahito Iguchi, and Ryan Theriot each had 3 Hits.  Jason Michaels, Mark Worrell, and Ramon Vazquez each had 3 RBI.  Joe Mather scored 3 Runs.  Jeff Kent hit a pair of HRs.

Cole Hamels tossed a Complete Game three-hit Shutout to improve to 6-4 with a 3.36 ERA.  Garrett Olson went 6-1/3 Innings allowing 2 Runs to improve to 5-1 with a 3.86 ERA.    Todd Wellemeyer pitched six scoreless Innings allowing 5 Hits with 5 Ks to improve to 7-1 with a 2.92 ERA.  He beat John “Can’t Buy Me Love” Lannan, who gave up 2 Runs on 4 Hits in 6 Innings.  Jon Lester gave up 1 Run in 6-1/3 Innings with 5 Ks to improve to 4-3 with a 3.50 ERA.  Paul Maholm went 8 Innings allowing 2 Runs to improve to 4-5.  Jose Contreras gave up 1 Run on 4 Hits in 7 Innings to improve to 6-3 with a 2.76 ERA.  Josh Banks (6 Innings, 5 Hits, 1 Run – his ERA sits at 0.39) and Mike Pelfrey (6 Innings, 1 Run) took no-decisions in their pitchers’ duel.

Tuesday, June 3rd
David Murphy went 4 for 4 with 3 Runs, a Double, a HR, and 2 RBI.  Kazuo Matsui went 4 for 4 with 2 Runs.  Dan Uggla hit a pair of HRs and drove in 3 Runs.  Milton Bradley hit a pair of solo shots.  Chipper Jones, Carlos Pena, David Eckstein, Shin-Soo Choo, Eric Chavez, Alfonso Soriano, Maicer Izturis, and Travis Denker also had 3 RBI each.  Johnny Damon, Jimmy Rollins (2 SBs), David DeJesus, A.J. Pierzynski, Alexei Ramirez, Yadier Molina, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Ryan Garko, Adrian Gonzalez, Robb Quinlan, and Damion Easley (3 RBI) each had 3 Hits.  Fred Lewis scored 3 Runs.

Jeff Francis pitched 7 scoreless Innings allowing 4 Hits while striking out 5 to improve to 2-5.  Wandy Rodriguez gave up 5 Hits in 6 scoreless Innings to improve to 2-1 with a 2.38 ERA.  Adam Eaton gave up 1 Run on 3 Hits in 6-2/3 Innings with 5 Ks to improve to 2-.  Roy Halladay gave up 2 Runs in 6 Innings to improve to 7-5 with a 2.94 ERA.  Seth McClung gave up 1 Run in 6 Innings to improve to 3-2.  Randy Johnson struck out 8 to move into second place on the all-time strikeout list.  Gavin Floyd gave up 2 Earned Runs in 7 Innings to improve to 6-3 with a 3.15 ERA.  Joe Saunders gave up 1 Earned Run in 7 Innings with 5 Ks to improve to 9-2 with a 2.63 ERA.  R.A. Dickey pitched 5-2/3 Innings of scoreless relief allowing 3 Hits while striking out 6.  Brad Penny gave up 2 Run in 6 Innings with 5 Ks, but took a Loss.  Pedro Martinez gave up 3 Runs in 6 Innings for his first Win of the season.