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Slugging 2B Uggla surprised he’s back with Marlins
By STEVEN WINE, AP Sports Writer
Mar 2, 3:38 pm EST
JUPITER, Fla. (AP)—Dan Uggla(notes) did everything but pack.
He accepted the likelihood he would be traded this winter by the Florida Marlins. He embraced the notion of a fresh start with a new team. And he worked out like crazy.
“I was trying to prepare myself as best I could if I was going to be with a new organization, so I could be in shape and not be the guy who comes into spring training out of shape,” Uggla said. “So I’m in that much better shape than I was last year.”
The team benefiting will be the Marlins. Unable to swing a deal for the slugging second baseman, the Marlins brought him back and gave him a $7.8 million, one-year contract.
It has been five years since baseball’s thriftiest team paid a player so much money.
“I was a little surprised when we got the deal done,” Uggla said. “Pleasantly surprised. Very happy to be back. I thought there was a strong, strong possibility I was going to be traded.”
The $39 million, four-year contract the Marlins gave ace Josh Johnson(notes) in January was unprecedented for the franchise. But Uggla’s deal was the bigger surprise because he was coming off a so-so season.
“It’s good to have him back,” shortstop Hanley Ramirez(notes) said. “He’s a guy who can hit 30 home runs, and he brings a lot of energy every day.”
Uggla has been a consistent run producer, with home run totals of 27, 31, 32 and 31 in his four major-league seasons, and RBI totals of 90, 88, 92 and 90.
He’s the first second baseman ever to hit at least 30 homers in three successive seasons. The only other second baseman to hit at least 20 homers in his first four seasons was Joe Gordon of the Yankees in 1938-41.
That kind of power can be pricey. To keep Uggla, the Marlins gave him a raise from $5.35 million in 2009, pushing their payroll above $40 million for the first time since 2005.
“We’ve had to make some moves in past years that have been financially driven,” president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest says. “In terms of keeping Dan, that’s 121 home runs in four years. There are not many guys who can do that. He also brings some toughness to this team. He plays through injury, and it’s good to have that continuity.”
Still, Uggla had his struggles last year. He batted .243 with a slugging percentage of .459, both career lows. He hit .225 with runners in scoring position, and .143 in the late innings of close games. His zone rating among second baseman—measuring his ability to reach grounders—was the lowest in the majors, and his 16 errors were second-highest.
He’s a hitter known for extremes. He walked 92 times but also had 150 strikeouts, increasing his four-year total to a whopping 611. The Marlins ranked first at his position in both categories. Only three teams had a lower batting average at second base, but only three teams had more home runs.
“People can have different opinions on what kind of year I had,” Uggla says. “It was a decent year. There were some areas where I didn’t do so well.”
Uggla’s attributes can be difficult to measure. He plays with the sort of pugnaciousness to be expected from someone who spent five full years in the minors before breaking into the big leagues after the Marlins acquired him as a Rule 5 draft pick in 2005.
In other words, his uniform is often the dirtiest on the team.
“If a guy is out there hustling every play like he does, he’s got my heart,” Johnson says. “If you battle for me, I’m going to battle for him.”
Uggla will be in his familiar No. 5 spot in the batting order when the Marlins open their exhibition season Wednesday against the University of Miami. Manager Fredi Gonzalez says he would take the season Uggla had in 2009 again this year, and he’s willing to live with the high strikeout total as a tradeoff for Uggla’s run productions.
“I don’t want him to doing anything to change,” Gonzalez says.
That includes keeping the same uniform.
By STEVEN WINE, AP Sports Writer
Mar 2, 3:38 pm EST
JUPITER, Fla. (AP)—Dan Uggla(notes) did everything but pack.
He accepted the likelihood he would be traded this winter by the Florida Marlins. He embraced the notion of a fresh start with a new team. And he worked out like crazy.
“I was trying to prepare myself as best I could if I was going to be with a new organization, so I could be in shape and not be the guy who comes into spring training out of shape,” Uggla said. “So I’m in that much better shape than I was last year.”
The team benefiting will be the Marlins. Unable to swing a deal for the slugging second baseman, the Marlins brought him back and gave him a $7.8 million, one-year contract.
It has been five years since baseball’s thriftiest team paid a player so much money.
“I was a little surprised when we got the deal done,” Uggla said. “Pleasantly surprised. Very happy to be back. I thought there was a strong, strong possibility I was going to be traded.”
The $39 million, four-year contract the Marlins gave ace Josh Johnson(notes) in January was unprecedented for the franchise. But Uggla’s deal was the bigger surprise because he was coming off a so-so season.
“It’s good to have him back,” shortstop Hanley Ramirez(notes) said. “He’s a guy who can hit 30 home runs, and he brings a lot of energy every day.”
Uggla has been a consistent run producer, with home run totals of 27, 31, 32 and 31 in his four major-league seasons, and RBI totals of 90, 88, 92 and 90.
He’s the first second baseman ever to hit at least 30 homers in three successive seasons. The only other second baseman to hit at least 20 homers in his first four seasons was Joe Gordon of the Yankees in 1938-41.
That kind of power can be pricey. To keep Uggla, the Marlins gave him a raise from $5.35 million in 2009, pushing their payroll above $40 million for the first time since 2005.
“We’ve had to make some moves in past years that have been financially driven,” president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest says. “In terms of keeping Dan, that’s 121 home runs in four years. There are not many guys who can do that. He also brings some toughness to this team. He plays through injury, and it’s good to have that continuity.”
Still, Uggla had his struggles last year. He batted .243 with a slugging percentage of .459, both career lows. He hit .225 with runners in scoring position, and .143 in the late innings of close games. His zone rating among second baseman—measuring his ability to reach grounders—was the lowest in the majors, and his 16 errors were second-highest.
He’s a hitter known for extremes. He walked 92 times but also had 150 strikeouts, increasing his four-year total to a whopping 611. The Marlins ranked first at his position in both categories. Only three teams had a lower batting average at second base, but only three teams had more home runs.
“People can have different opinions on what kind of year I had,” Uggla says. “It was a decent year. There were some areas where I didn’t do so well.”
Uggla’s attributes can be difficult to measure. He plays with the sort of pugnaciousness to be expected from someone who spent five full years in the minors before breaking into the big leagues after the Marlins acquired him as a Rule 5 draft pick in 2005.
In other words, his uniform is often the dirtiest on the team.
“If a guy is out there hustling every play like he does, he’s got my heart,” Johnson says. “If you battle for me, I’m going to battle for him.”
Uggla will be in his familiar No. 5 spot in the batting order when the Marlins open their exhibition season Wednesday against the University of Miami. Manager Fredi Gonzalez says he would take the season Uggla had in 2009 again this year, and he’s willing to live with the high strikeout total as a tradeoff for Uggla’s run productions.
“I don’t want him to doing anything to change,” Gonzalez says.
That includes keeping the same uniform.