Ever had a kidney stone? I have. In fact I have had a few. They suck and are very painful. It is very similar to watching this offense right now. Not quite as bad, but very close.
Today’s game was almost a copy of the last two. The Braves get guys on and can’t get them in. The Giants continued to hit home runs and…sigh, I can’t go on.
I have been around here long enough where I feel Alex won’t mind if I do this. This is about the point where Mac would say, “FREE TOMMY LA STELLA!”
I know the Braves are not ones to panic. They are very patient and give guys the chance to succeed. They will move guys around in the order, give them days off, spend hours trying to fix them and so on. It may be time to face the facts on Dan Uggla. His bat speed has slowed to the point where you can’t even say he has a slider speed bat. Last year he sucked, but when he got a hit it was a double or a home run, now they are only bloop singles. Romiro Pena is a nice role player, but not an everyday guy. Tyler Pastornicky, frankly, isn’t much better than Uggla right now.
La Stella was an 8th round pick of the Braves out of Coastal Carolina in 2011. He has done nothing but hit since he was drafted. He doesn’t have a lot of pop, but neither do any of the Braves options at second base right now. His defense isn’t, let’s say, Lemmer-esq, but again, neither are the Braves other options right now.
I’m not sure the Braves can find a taker for Uggla. Maybe the can “fake DL” him or something. Let him work on learning to pitch, focus on selling his condo or something. In 15-20 days if La Stella has been an upgrade, cut Uggla lose. If not, what have you lost?
I’m not saying La Stella is the answer to the Braves woes at the plate, but he couldn’t hurt.
FREE TOMMY LA STELLA!!!
My wife counted and Fredi said, “You know” 34 times in his post game interview.
In his defense, we do know
I don’t get to see the games live and I can only imagine how painful they must be to watch right now. Uggla is toast. I have no idea how good La Stella is and if his game will transfer, but the jury should be through deliberating.
Thanks, Phils. Still in first, somehow.
Barves.
Is Uggla the official BJ whipping boy? Its not just him but its easy to say it is.
Absolutely. I held off because, unlike Dank Lob or Frenchy, he has not exacerbated matters by saying something stupid about how his being terrible is actually okay (like Kolb’s “Leadoff walks don’t bother me. I’m a groundball pitcher. I can get the double plays.” or Jeffy’s “If on-base percentage is so important, why don’t they put it up on the scoreboard?”).
But Uggla has been so dreadful for so long that I have no choice in the matter.
I’m going to pretend that it’s still football season and not grind the enamel off my teeth by watching this poor excuse for an offense.
OK. This must be partly my fault, since the Braves haven’t won since I got to see a game at Turner Field. Problem is, I don’t know how to undo that.
@9, Go back in time and kill Hitler. It’s the only way.
@10, co-sign. I’ll chip in for the time machine.
It will only work if you kill Hitler with one of those foamy tomahawks.
@9 It’s also my fault too, they haven’t won any game since I started watching the 1995 World Series games again. I have no clue how to undo that too.
Btw, I love how Klesko flipped his bat every time he hit a homerun. I am sure McCann would love it!
@7 Judicious use of authority noted. I agree, Uggla is trying and he isn’t making excuses but this is a results oriented business. The dude just flat out sucks right now.
I know what else Mac would do at a time like this.
Adam is right. Problem fixed.
We may indeed want to bring back the doghouse again.
This offense blows.
Blows isn’t appropriate. It’s too nice of a term for this bunch.
We were +30 in run differential a week ago. Now we’re +9.
15 — And yes, Mac would put up endless Phil Collins videos during a slump.
No, no, this is my fault. We haven’t won at the Ted since I volunteered to recap. I won’t take the fall for losing to the Fishies though, since I volunteered Friday afternoon.
Gotta change the mojo, so… time for Phil Collins?
Hall & Oates?
Cannibal Corpse?
Everyone needs to lick their bats until the slump is over.
It’s all my fault. The Braves suck since I got married. Divorce? She will understand.
My wife says all baseball players play worse when they get married. So who else on the team got married besides Uggla? I know he was sucking before he got married but maybe he was just trying to get a head start.
Freeman got engaged, I think.
@25 – LOL! Dude you are a REAL fan. BTW congrats.
Mark Bradley column over at ajc.
“But it does make you wonder why the Braves’ two hitting coaches get less than half the results of one Roger McDowell.”
@28 Thank you!
Ububba at @23 is absolutely right. Game thread is up.