Braves1976 (08-14-2013), bravesnumberone (08-14-2013)
parkvadawg (08-14-2013)
This season convinced me batting average was overrated considering CJ and Freddi are our only average guys. Every one else has been closer to 200 than 300. But I repeat, Ugglas's .180 for how much he is getting paid is unacceptable. Bj doesn't even walk.
Tarp is coming off, no start time yet.
8:55 First pitch
What on earth are you talking about? First you say batting average doesn't matter, then you say his obp is lower than you'd like. Now considering Uggla is one of baseballs walk leaders....what other useless stat out there would he need to improve to get his obp up to his career norms?
You say playing for 1 run is foolish. So why does it matter if he strikes out too much? Swing for the fences if 1 run innings and batting average don't matter.
You're coming at everyone as this statistical know it all and then you're turning around pointing out Uggla's faults...which all in turn point directly at the very statistic that you're saying doesn't matter.
Lincecum sure isn't what he use to be, he looks rather bad against the Nats so far tonight.
8:55 first pitch
weso1 (08-14-2013)
The statement "batting average doesn't matter, but his obp is low." isnt at all contradictory. I understand how on base percentage is calculated.
I do think playing for one run is foolish. At any point. A team should be fighting to keep an inning from ending, regardless of who the pitcher is.
I'm probably Uggla's biggest supporter. I think his HR's, RBIs, and runs scored are undervalued. But if he's going to keep up his current contact rate, he's gonna have to walk a lot more.
Do you think batting average matters? If so, please never address me again.
Since there was a rain delay, we probably lose.
The one plus of the delay was them showing the Chipper documentary. Makes me miss him even more.
Braves1976 (08-14-2013)
The point being, he's effing blind. His trend line was in steady decline before his eyes started bothering him. My point is this (and others have decried your Moneyball comparison) is that a Moneyball team would have brought him in for a year and then let him walk because he was going to get too expensive. If you look at the A's, that's what they did consistently in the early-2000s after they had to break up their core (the 3 stud pitches, Giambi, and Tejada). If a team is supposedly hamstrung by budget issues, you don't roll the dice with a guy like Uggla. And unfortunately, Uggla doesn't get any points for what he's done in the past. This ain't golf where you get a handicap based on what you've done before. The game is played in real time and space.
As for sympathy, I sympathize with pretty much every player when they are trending downward as fast as Uggla is.
AUTiger7222 (08-14-2013), Braves1976 (08-14-2013)