GDT 8/14/2013: Phillies @ Braves

[The Chosen One]

Batting average doesn't matter. His obp is lower than i'd like, and thats disappointing, but batting average is archaic. I'm more concerned over whether or not he eats too much garlic than I am with his batting average. He strikes out too much, and his obp is lower than normal for him, but batting average just takes up a spot on his baseball card at this point. We as a people have WAY more accurate measure of his productivity than batting average. Now, you could say that those way more accurate measures are also lacking, and i'd agree with you, but don't tell me about batting average. You're smarter than that.

I don't normally care about batting average but .180 for a starting second baseman getting 15 million is unacceptable. His OBP would be higher if his batting average was better.

[jpx7]

I'm more concerned over whether or not he eats too much garlic

That's not possible.

[tvsportscaster]

Word on the start time?

Still raining, they're a long way from starting.

[parkvadawg]

That's not possible.

Agreed no such thing

[The Chosen One]

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.

[chopdrew]

I don't normally care about batting average but .180 for a starting second baseman getting 15 million is unacceptable. His OBP would be higher if his batting average was better.

Well, you're not wrong about his numbers. .305 obp is unacceptable. But you guys act like he's not trying, like he's sitting at home counting his money and laughing evilly. I hope this LASIK helps. If it doesn't, I'll be ready to give up on him too.

[The Chosen One]

Well, you're not wrong about his numbers. .305 obp is unacceptable. But you guys act like he's not trying, like he's sitting at home counting his money and laughing evilly. I hope this LASIK helps. If it doesn't, I'll be ready to give up on him too.

Never said he wasn't trying. I know he cares because he drops an f-bomb after every strike out. However he is the highest paid player on the team and this isn't little league where you get A for effort.

[Braves1976]

Well, you're not wrong about his numbers. .305 obp is unacceptable. But you guys act like he's not trying, like he's sitting at home counting his money and laughing evilly. I hope this LASIK helps. If it doesn't, I'll be ready to give up on him too.

I don't recall ever questioning Uggla's effort. I love that he always hustles to first, etc. Now I have questioned BJ for not hustling, but not Uggla.

[tvsportscaster]

Tarp is coming off, no start time yet.

[chopdrew]

Never said he wasn't trying. I know he cares because he drops an f-bomb after every strike out. However he is the highest paid player on the team and this isn't little league where you get A for effort.

BJ makes more than him. Not that THAT helps his case...;)

[tvsportscaster]

8:55 First pitch

[ESP47]

Batting average doesn't matter. His obp is lower than i'd like, and thats disappointing, but batting average is archaic. I'm more concerned over whether or not he eats too much garlic than I am with his batting average. He strikes out too much, and his obp is lower than normal for him, but batting average just takes up a spot on his baseball card at this point. We as a people have WAY more accurate measure of his productivity than batting average. Now, you could say that those way more accurate measures are also lacking, and i'd agree with you, but don't tell me about batting average. You're smarter than that.

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.

[Braves1976]

Lincecum sure isn't what he use to be, he looks rather bad against the Nats so far tonight.

[AUTiger7222]

8:55 first pitch

[chopdrew]

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.

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.

[bravesnumberone]

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.

[AUTiger7222]

Lol. Is this where someone tells me about "situational baseball" again? That's quaint, like when my grandma used to take the phone off the hook during lightning storms so the house wouldn't get hit. Situational baseball does not exist over the course of 162 games, and people that advocate one player over another because of their ability to "put it in play" miss the point. I don't dispute that uggla's been hit & miss this year, but scratch singles don't impress me, regardless of situation. Mickey Mantle once said about Pete Rose that "if he (Mantle) had gone to work every day trying to hit scratch singles, he'd have worn a skirt." Don't confuse "contact" with production.

Dan Uggla has an OPS of just .696 this season. Sorry but that is pathetic. No arguing about it. Pastornicky is capable of posting an OPS close to that.

[AUTiger7222]

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.

I miss him too but I've seen it so many times that I'm sick of it. I'm sick of all these rain delay shows. Why can't they show something different?

[50PoundHead]

Yeah, if they couldn't move him. Listen, the guy hit 21 hr blind. He walks a good bit, and his eyesight is an issue. As a guy who's eyesight went pretty much midseason playing college ball, I completely identify with that whole "duck out of the way of a curveball" thing. I sympathize with the guy. The guys hit 76 hr's as a Brave. That's not bad at all. And that in and of itself is value.

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.

[chopdrew]

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.

So they would've cut him, knowing they'd still have had to pay him for three years, OR, they would've traded him to some team and ate 80 cents on the dollar to get rid of him?