The Scores Report - The National Sports Blog » Dan Uggla

Marlins, Braves working on a deal for Dan Uggla

Anthony Stalter — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 00:30:34 +0000

The haunting images of Brooks Conrad turning this year’s postseason into his own personal error fest may soon vanish for Braves fans. That’s because Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports is reporting that Atlanta may be on the verge of acquiring second baseman Dan Uggla.

Wait a tick, wasn’t Uggla the only player to make three errors in a single All-Star Game? Uh…yeah. Moving on…

Rosenthal writes that the Marlins would send Uggla to the Braves in exchange for Omar Infante and left-hander Mike Dunn. Not that Infante and Dunn are Neifi Perez and Armando Benitez, but really? That’s it, Marlins? That’s all you want for Dan Uggla? There’s reason to believe that Uggla won’t match his numbers from 2010 but the compensation here seems awfully light.

That said, this is just what Rosenthal is reporting. He’s a respected baseball reporter, but who knows what clubs are actually discussing at this point in the offseason. It’s early and Rosenthal may be way off in his report.

But if this were the deal that eventually goes down, the Marlins would be getting a steal.

2010 MLB Preview: NL East

Anthony Stalter — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:20:39 +0000

In order to help get you ready for the MLB season, we’re doing division-by-division rankings with quick overviews on how each club could fair in 2010. Next to each team, you’ll also find a corresponding number written in parenthesis, which indicates where we believe that club falls in a league-wide power ranking. Be sure to check back throughout the next two weeks leading up to the season, as we will be updating our content daily. Enjoy.

Next up is the NL East.

1. Philadelphia Phillies (2)
Much like the Yankees in the American League, it’s hard to find bad things to say about the Phillies. They’re the three-time defending NL East champions and considering they’re ready to bring back the same core of players that got them to the World Series the past two years, there’s no reason to doubt them. Oh, and they added Roy Halladay. Roy, I’m going to dominate your face for nine innings, Halladay. If Cole Hamels rebounds and J.A. Happ’s 2009 wasn’t a fluke, the Phillies won’t suffer a setback this season. In fact, the pitching doesn’t even have to be that great with the likes of Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez taking up the first six spots in the order. The problem, however, is that Hamels might not bounce back and Happ’s ’09 season may have been a fluke. There’s also that nagging Brad Lidge closer issue that could haunt this club as well. That said, odds are that the Fighting Phils will be right back at the top of the NL East again this season. They’re too good, too talented and too experienced to fold and they have a great chance to reclaim their title back from the Yankees.

2. Atlanta Braves (11)
A lot of pundits are high on the Braves this year – and for good reason. In Jair Jurrjens, Tommy Hanson, Tim Hudson, Derek Lowe and Kenshin Kawakami, their starting rotation is one of the best in the National League. Atlanta has the starting pitching to go toe to toe with the Phillies in the division, but the real question is whether or not they have enough offense. Top prospect Jason Heyward looks as good as advertised, but if he’s not ready to produce then Atlanta’s corner outfield situation is questionable at best. This club has a nice blend of young and veteran hitters, including Heyward, Brian McCann, Nate McLouth, Chipper Jones, Yunel Escobar, Martin Prado and Troy Glaus, but they’re one or two big injuries away from falling to the middle of the pack in the National League. This club has more than enough talent to push the Phillies in the division and as of now, are the early favorites to win the NL Wild Card. But players like Jones, Glaus and Billy Wagner have to stay healthy and produce or else the Braves will fail to live up to expectations this season.

3. Florida Marlins (18)
The Marlins are usually pretty easy to project nowadays. They’re always slightly better than what you think they’ll be, but just not as good to rank ahead of some of the more talented teams in the National League. Hanley Ramirez continues to be one of the best players in the game and his supporting cast (Josh Johnson, Chris Coghlan, Dan Uggla and Ricky Nolasco) isn’t bad either. In fact, Ramirez and Johnson are reason alone to go to the ballpark on a weekly basis. But unless players like Cameron Maybin, Jorge Cantu, Emilio Bonifacio (who was confused for Ricky Henderson for about three games at the start of last season) and prospect Logan Morrison produce, then the Marlins will fall to the middle of the pack this year in the NL. Still, while they’re not as talented as the Mets, over the last seven years they’ve won more games and have spent nearly $600 million less over that span. For whatever reason, Florida always finds a way to be competitive with their young roster and while I don’t think they have enough to succeed in the end, I wouldn’t be shocked if they made a run at the Wild Card again like they did last year.

4. New York Mets (20)
If I were a Mets fan, I would have tried to take a bath with one of my kitchen appliances by now. I don’t mean any disrespect – I’m just concerned with their well being after watching this team underachieve over and over and over again. Every year this club has talent and every year they find a way – whether it be through poor managing, injuries or what have you – to screw it up. The Mets have enough star power in David Wright, Jose Reyes (when healthy), Jason Bay, Johan Santana, Francisco Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran to succeed, but bad luck, incompetence in the front office and poor fundamental play always sinks this club. Then again, bad luck won’t have anything to do with why the Mets will fail this year. Simply put, they don’t have enough starting pitching to succeed. There’s no guarantee that Santana will be 100% all season and after him, the rest of the rotation is under whelming to say the least. Sorry Met fans, but the torture looks like it’ll continue for at least another year.

5. Washington Nationals (29)
There are plenty of people high on the Nationals this season, but I’m having a hard time taking a leap of faith. I realize the additions of Jason Marquis, Brian Bruney, Matt Capps and Ivan Rodriguez filled needs, but let’s not confuse these players with Catfish Hunter, Johnny Sain, Dennis Eckersley and, well, Ivan Rodriguez in their primes. I think this club has improved, but some publications believe they’ll finish third in the division and I just don’t see it. Stephen Strasburg isn’t quite ready to save the day yet and therefore the rotation is still similar to the one that allowed 874 runs last year. Marquis should help, but the end of the rotation is scary and Capps might be the only reliever that winds up with a sub 4.00 ERA by the end of the year. While there is hope on the horizon in the form of Strasburg, the Nats just don’t have enough overall talent to get out of the basement of the NL East.

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Are the Giants getting closer to acquiring Uggla?

Anthony Stalter — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:30:48 +0000

One potential move that has taken a backseat to the Roy Halladay sweepstakes at the winter meetings this year is a deal that could make Dan Uggla a San Francisco Giant next season. According to FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal and MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro via their Twitter pages, the Giants and Marlins are heating up discussions involving Uggla.

Uggla is the right-handed bat that the Giants desperately need. They acquired Freddy Sanchez at the trade deadline last year, but he could potentially move over to third base (moving Pablo Sandoval to first) in order to make room for Uggla, who hit .243 last year with 31 dingers and 90 RBI. San Francisco is already a contender (and I use that word loosely) with its pitching, but in order for the G-Men to make a serious run at the postseason they need more pop in their lineup outside of “The Panda.”

The question now becomes: What do the Giants need to part with in order to acquire Uggla? They’ve already traded one top prospect away in Tim Alderson to acquire Sanchez, and they have zero plans to deal pitcher Madison Bumgarner or catcher Buster Posey.

The problem is that the Marlins would no doubt ask for Bumgarner in a deal for Uggla. The bigger problem is that Giants’ GM Brian Sabean might just pull the trigger on the deal because 1) he’s Brian Sabean and 2) he’s willing to do anything to acquire a player he absolutely covets, and Uggla fits the bill. (Remember, this was the same man that traded Joe Nathan, Francisco Liriano and Boof Bonser for one year of A.J. Pierzynski.)

I’m sure Sabean would love to trade Fred Lewis, Kevin Frandsen (who I’m absolutely convinced is hated by the organization) and a couple of second-tier prospects in order to acquire Uggla. But that’s not going to work for Florida. They’re in the market for young talent, not talent that has never developed and by the looks of things, never will.

If Sabean pulls off a deal for Uggla and is able to retain Bumgarner and Posey, then kudos to him. If he winds up trading Bumgarner, well, then the man just traded away his No. 1 pitching prospect for a guy that hit .243 last season.

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Five MLB trades that don’t need to happen

Anthony Stalter — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:05:16 +0000

I get it – baseball trades are fun. They’re fun to speculate about, they’re fun to debate and they’re fun to analyze. But just because a club needs a bat, an arm or is just looking to shrink salary, doesn’t mean that a trade needs to happen.

I’ve compiled a list of five trade rumors and where they originated. I then discuss why each of them makes sense, but why they also don’t necessarily need to happen.

Rumor #1: The Red Sox will trade for Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Why it makes sense: Boston is growing impatient waiting for Jed Lowrie to recover from a wrist injury that has held him out since mid-April. They’re also tired of watching Julio Lugo (who is equally bad offensively as he is defensively) make a mockery of the game whenever he trots onto the field. While Nick Green has done well filling in for Lowrie while he’s been hurt and for Lugo while he continues to work on being the most overpaid player in professional sports, the Sox feel they could do better with Wilson. (There’s also a rumor making the rounds that Boston wouldn’t have to give up any top prospects in order to acquire Wilson – they just would need to take on the rest of his salary.)
Why it doesn’t need to happen: Wilson is excellent defensively, but he brings very little to the table in terms of offense. He’s also overpaid himself, as he’ll make $7.25 million this year and $8.4 million in 2010 despite being limited at the dish. While waiting for Lowrie to return to the field has been a slow death for the Sox, he’s cheaper than Wilson and gives the team a better overall player at the position (when he’s healthy, of course). Plus, Green has played well and Boston might be better served holding onto prospects in order to make a more productive move around the trade deadline (i.e. adding another bat in case David Oritz plans on hitting south of .200 all season) than one involving Wilson.

Rumor #2: The Giants will trade for Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla (Sun-Sentinel)
Why it makes sense: The Giants are playing better than most expected this season, but they’re doing it all with pitching. They’ve surrendered the fewest runs this year (233), but have scored the third fewest (248) themselves. San Fran might not be able to catch the streaking Dodgers in the NL West (as of this writing, the Giants are seven games back of L.A. in the division despite being six games above .500), but if they continue to play well, the Wild Card is certainly attainable. But they need offense – badly. While Uggla’s batting average has been atrocious all season, he does have 11 home runs and 40 RBI so the thought is that he could add much-needed pop to the Giants’ lineup.
Why it doesn’t need to happen: Yes, the Giants do need offense. But don’t forget that they play in a pitcher’s park so even if they did acquire Uggla, who knows how his power would translate to AT&T Park. And his average is death so if he’s not going to hit home runs, he’s not worth acquiring (and don’t forget that his defense is brutal, too). The Giants’ current starting second baseman is Emmanuel Burriss, who has zero pop and has struggled at the plate despite tearing it up in the spring, but he has an outstanding glove and he’s young. It’s rumored that the Marlins would be looking for young pitching in exchange for Uggla, but it’s not worth it for the Giants to give up a young arm like Jonathan Sanchez (even though he’s struggling) to acquire Uggla while there are still options within the organization (and I don’t necessarily mean Burriss, who has been brutal, but Kevin Frandsen, who has been absolutely hosed by the organization this season). Plus, the Giants aren’t one bat away from making a deep postseason run – they’re two or three bats away. Acquiring Uggla isn’t going to change that. The Giants have also been linked to players like Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko and I would say the same thing about them as I do about Uggla – those players aren’t worth giving up young arms with the Giants still a year or two away from seriously competing. Unless they could get a young bat in a deal, San Fran GM Brian Sabean should stand pat and continue his rebuilding plan.

Rumor #3: The Cardinals will trade for Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Why it makes sense: Manager Tony La Russa desperately wants to add another bat to the lineup to help protect Albert Pujols and upgrading the left side of the infield while Troy Glaus and Khalil Greene continue to miss time is a necessity as well. Tejada would cover both needs as he’s hitting .344 with six home runs and some feel as though he can play third base if needed, although he has never actually played there before.
Why it doesn’t need to happen: First and foremost, there’s no guarantee that the Astros would want to trade within their own division. Plus, despite currently being three games under .500 and in last place, Houston is only four games back of the Brewers in the NL Central, so they’ll hang onto Tejada if they feel as though they have a shot at the playoffs (however slim those hopes may be). But looking at this from the Cardinals’ perspective, acquiring Tejada doesn’t make as much sense as going after someone like Cleveland’s Mark DeRosa, who is also rumored to be available. Tejada will earn $13 million in 2009 and is set to become a free agent in 2010. Chances are, St. Louis wouldn’t re-sign Tejada in the offseason and they’d probably have to pay Houston a premium because it would be a trade down within the division. Throw in the fact that Tejada isn’t that great of a defensive player and adding him makes little sense. A guy like DeRosa would still give the Cards a quality bat, a better defender who has actually spent time at third base, and cheaper player to boot.

Rumor #4: The Padres will trade Adrian Gonzalez (ESPN.com’s Buster Onley)
Why it makes sense: It doesn’t make sense unless you look at it from the view of the Padres’ front office, who wants to cut team salary significantly. (That’s why San Diego has been actively shopping Jake Peavy.)
Why it doesn’t need to happen: This is more of a notion than a rumor. As previously noted, the Padres want to cut salary but they’ve been unable to move Peavy, so speculation has it that they could wind up dealing Gonzo if the right trade comes along. But while cutting salary is important to the front office, GM Kevin Towers can’t just give up a young slugger like Gonzalez in a cost-cutting move. Obviously Towers would get a couple of prospects in exchange for Gonzo, but would he be willing to take a lesser deal just to free up some money? If so, that would be incredibly disappointing for a Padre fan base that has embraced Gonzalez and hopes that he’ll still be around when San Diego eventually is competitive again (whenever that might be).

Rumor #5: The Red Sox will trade Brad Penny (Boston Globe)
Why it makes sense: With John Smoltz set to come back soon from a rehab assignment, Penny will be expandable to the Red Sox, who have discussed moving him to the pen (despite his unwillingness) when Smoltz returns to the mound. Boston seemingly has an abundance of starting pitching and if they could get a couple of prospects or a position player of worth in exchange for Penny, why not move him?
Why it doesn’t need to happen: A lot has been made about Boston’s pitching depth, but things could go from good to ugly at the drop of a dime. Dice-K has been brutal and has already made one trip to the DL. Josh Beckett started off slow, recovered to pitch incredibly well over the last month but then was shelled yesterday in Philadelphia. Smoltz is set to return from his rehab assignment, but who knows how he’ll pitch once he faces major league batters again. So essentially yes, the Red Sox do have a ton of depth. But that could vanish in a heartbeat and while Penny has looked good in his last three starts, teams aren’t going to be willing to overpay for the 31-year old’s services – especially knowing that Boston has an abundance of arms. In the end, holding on to Penny for depth and in case of injuries to other starters might be worth it in the end. Of course, if some club offers a top prospect in exchange for Penny (which is doubtful), then all bets are off.

Five Deep Sleeper Teams for the ’09 MLB Season

Anthony Stalter — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:10:22 +0000

I know this guy (I’ll stop short of calling him a friend but wouldn’t hesitate to pick up the phone if he called) that at the start of all the major sporting seasons will throw out his list of “sleeper teams” to watch out for.

What’s funny about this guy is that he knows if he’s wrong he’ll never be called out because hey, they were just sleeper teams anyways right? But if he’s right, well hell, he’ll look like some kind of sports sleeper team Nostradamus.

This is the same guy that’ll pick a No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 every year in the March Madness Tournament, so on the rare chance it happens he’ll have the opportunity to say that he called the upset of a lifetime. The funny thing is that he would have been wrong the previous 34 years of predicting 16’s over 1’s, but that would be beside the point.

Anyway, this piece is dedicated to him – the “Sleeper Team Guy.” For fans, there’s nothing like predicting a perennial loser (i.e. the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays) to rise from the ashes and make a postseason run no matter what sport it is. And with Opening Day right around the corner, I think it’s a perfect time to hand out some potential sleeper candidates of my own.

Below are five deep sleepers to make a postseason run this year in baseball. Most pundits assume that none of the five will finish better than third in their respective divisions, which is why I can get away with calling these teams “deep sleepers.” If any of them make the playoffs, I’ll wax poetically about it in my sleeper teams piece next year. If none even sniff a postseason berth, then in honor of “Sleeper Team Guy” don’t expect me to admit I was wrong. Yeah, that’s right – accountability is for losers.

1. Florida Marlins

What to Love: I’ll be completely honest – I want to make sweet, sweet love to this team. I want to take them out to a nice Mexican dinner, treat them to some fried ice cream and then take them back to my place so I can show them my rare collection of Roy Orbison collectable plates and hopefully top off the night by making some bad decisions. Hanley Ramirez, Cameron Maybin, Jorge Cantu, Dan Uggla and Gaby Sanchez comprise one of the most promising lineups in all of baseball and the young rotation of Ricky Nolasco (thanks to regular reader “T-Bone” for pointing out that I had somehow forgot Nolasco originally), Josh Johnson, Chris Volstad, Andrew Miller and Anibel Sanchez screams of potential as well. This club will be fun to watch this year and its youthful ignorance could carry them all season.

What to Hate: Young teams like the Marlins have a tendency to explode out of the gates, only to run out of gas after the All-Star Break. Their inexperience will come into play at some point this season, whether it’s at the start, end or throughout. The Fish also play in the toughest division in the NL, which features the defending World Series champion Phillies, the stacked Mets and the veteran infested Braves. But the bottom line is that Florida finished a mere 5.5 games back in the Wild Card race last year and should only be better this season.

2. San Francisco Giants

What to Love: Take a look at the starting pitching and tell me your Mickey Mouse watch doesn’t go from 6:00 to midnight. 2008 Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum is a freak and anyone waiting for him to suffer a sophomore slump needs to get a grip; “The Franchise” is the real deal. Believe it or not, No. 2 Matt Cain has just as much potential as Lincecum, but his record is always brutal because the Giants never give him any run support. Randy Johnson might be 89 years old, but he was a solid offseason addition to a rotation that also features a young, emerging arm in Jonathan Sanchez. Ironically, Barry Zito is the worst of the group, but even he could turn in a decent year now that he’s a No. 4. Position players-wise, Pablo Sandoval, Travis Ishikawa and Emmanuel Burriss are having solid springs and if they can produce, they’ll add to a lineup that features steady bats like Bengie Molina, Randy Winn and Aaron Rowand, who should be better now that his rib injury has healed.

What to Hate: Even though players like free agent acquisition Edgar Renteria should help, the lineup looks pitiful on paper. The starting pitching is solid, but the G-Men ranked second to last in runs scored last year and will rely mostly on unproven players again this season. This club better hope that Sandoval, Ishikawa, Fred Lewis and Kevin Frandsen produce this year or else the starters will have to pitch shutouts all season.

3. Texas Rangers

What to Love: There’s no doubt about it – the Rangers will score runs again this year. Ian Kinsler hit .319 with 18 dingers, 71 RBI and even swiped 26 bases last year. He’s entering his prime and at only 26, Texas can probably count on solid production from him for years to come. Josh Hamilton, who was easily the best story in baseball last year, will once again join Kinsler in the lineup. Hamilton hit .304 with 32 home runs and 130 RBI and will be the centerpiece of the Rangers’ offense again this season. Toss in quality bats like Michael Young, Hank Blalock and emerging youngster Chris Davis and the Rangers’ lineup is stacked.

What to Hate: The starting lineup makes you want to jump for joy but the starting pitching makes you feel like you’re hooked up to one of those diabolical contraptions in the “Saw” movies. None of the top four starters – Kevin Millwood, Vincente Padilla, Matt Harrison and Brandon McCarthy – had an ERA lower than 4.74 last year and Millwood even posted a 5.07 mark as the supposed ace. Unless young prospects Derek Holland and Neftali Feliz get the opportunity to shine (which is doubtful because the club doesn’t want to rush them), then the Rangers will once again have one of the worst pitching staffs in all of baseball.

4. Cincinnati Reds

What to Love: The Reds have quietly amassed one of the better young lineups in the National League. The headliners are Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce, but the offseason addition of Willy Taveras was key and hopefully he can team with Jerry Hairston Jr. to form a decent 1-2 punch at the top of the order. Edwin Encarnacion is also a possible breakout candidate and this club has a couple of nice young pitchers in Edinson Volquez, Homer Bailey and Johnny Cueto. (Assuming Dusty Baker doesn’t ruin their arms, that is.)

What to Hate: The Reds are kind of a poor man’s Marlins when it comes to young sleeper teams. I want to get in bed with the Marlins and share my deepest feelings. I want to get in bed with the Reds too, but I want to make sure they know that I have a big day the next day and therefore it would be best if they left after we were done so I can get some sleep. Cincy doesn’t have the talent that Florida does and unless they get breakout performances from a slew of players, than the Reds will likely sink to the bottom of the NL Central once again this year.

5. Kansas City Royals

What to Love: The addition of Coco Crisp and Mike Jacobs to a lineup that already features Jose Guillen and breakout candidate Billy Butler was solid. The offense is above average and the top of the rotation is pretty good with Gil Meche (14-11, 3.98 ERA) and Zach Greinke (13-10, 3.47 ERA) leading the way. The No. 3 spot in the rotation belongs to youngster Kyle Davies, who hasn’t allowed a run yet in spring training. KC also plays in a division of uncertainty, with the Indians, Tigers, White Sox and Twins all entering 2009 with plenty of question marks.

What to Hate: The offense is good, but it’s probably only above average at this point. The lack of stars on this club is staggering and for as good as the starting three could be in the rotation, the Royals don’t have a No. 4 or No. 5 at this point. The AL Central isn’t a powerhouse, but the division still features a ton of talent and two teams in the Tribe and Tigers that could bounce back in a major way after disastrous ‘08 campaigns.

2009 MLB Preview: #19 Florida Marlins

Anthony Stalter — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:00:27 +0000

Click Here to see Previews of all 30 MLB Teams

Offseason Movement: The Marlins made a series of trades this offseason, including sending first basemen Mike Jacobs to the Royals for reliever Leo Nunez, starting pitcher Scott Olsen and outfielder Josh Willingham to the Nationals for infielder Emilio Bonifacio, and closer Kevin Gregg to the Cubs for Jose Ceda. All three moves were made in hopes of helping the club down the road and get compensation for players that had already reached their ceilings.

Top Prospect: Cameron Maybin, OF
The Marlins essentially handed Maybin a starting job before spring training started – and for good reason. The 21-year old is one of the most exciting prospects in baseball and a rare five-tool player. Maybin has it all – speed, average, power – but he will need time to develop and patience should be shown. At least playing in Florida he’ll see some quality at bats and nobody is behind him so the pressure should be off.

The Big Question: Can all of the young talent come together and produce?
Cameron Maybin, Hanley Ramirez, Jorge Cantu, Dan Uggla and Gaby Sanchez comprise one of the most promising lineups in all of baseball. But is it too much expected out of guys like Maybin and Sanchez at this stage in their careers? There’s no doubt that both players are the real deal, but they’ll have to produce if Florida expects to put a winner on the field in ’09. The Fish finished just 5.5 games back of the Wild Card last season, so a postseason appearance isn’t out of the question. But a lot has to come together in order for that to happen.

Outlook: If you’re a true baseball fan, how could you not like what this young club brings to the table? Hanley Ramirez is an absolute stud, while Cameron Maybin and Gaby Sanchez are two of the most promising players in the league. The starting five is solid as well, led by Ricky Nolasco and followed by promising arms Josh Johnson, Chris Volstad, Andrew Miller and Anibel Sanchez. All five of those pitchers have a bright future ahead of them and all are young and healthy. The Rays gave inexperienced, small market teams hope next year. Is it out of the question for the Marlins to make a postseason run this year? Absolutely not, although young teams tend to fade after a hot start so it’ll be interesting to see how the Fish play after the All-Star Break. And considering they’ll have to compete with the Phillies, Mets and Braves all season, it’ll be tough for the Marlins to emerge as a playoff team. But one thing is for sure – this club has loads of potential.

Projection: 4th NL East