2012 was the worst season of Dan Uggla’s career. He set career lows in home runs (19), batting average (.220), and slugging percentage (.384). If he hoped for sunnier days in 2013, he is starting off on the wrong foot. The Braves’ second baseman has just two hits and a whopping ten strikeouts in 18 spring at-bats.
Uggla says he isn’t worried. Via the AJC:
“I’ve never been one of those guys that starts off hot, in spring training especially,” he said. “There’s always an adjustment period—getting the timing, figuring out how to stand in the batter’s box again. (The at-bats) have been pretty bad, to say the least, but they are always bad in the first couple weeks of spring.”
Uggla did lead the league in walks with 94 last season and with the Braves’ lineup now stacked with talent, they are less reliant on him for power production. Still, both parties are hoping he can revert to his 2008-10 levels of production.
