Atlanta Braves second baseman Dan Uggla confirmed on Monday what his manager hadn’t officially put into words: The National League’s starting All-Star second baseman didn’t get the start off Sunday just because Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels was starting. He has been benched.
Uggla spoke candidly before Monday’s game versus the Rockies, saying that manager Fredi Gonzalez had called him into his office before Sunday’s game.
“He didn’t really explain anything to me,” Uggla said. “He just kind of said, ‘We’ve got to make a change. I don’t know how much playing time you’re going to get the next 29 days.’ ”
Uggla, needless to say, does not agree with the move. If he were managing, he’d stick with his guys. “I’m part of the team that got us where we are now,” he said.
But he also said, “I understand what my numbers are. I’m not blind to any of that. Numbers don’t mean anything to me.”
Both Uggla and Gonzalez say they know he can get hot at any moment in September. Gonzalez, in fact, is expecting that.
“Somewhere down the road,” Gonzalez said, “he’s going to come up with a big at-bat.”
“It’s kind of funny,” Uggla said, speaking of that very thing. “I had a go-ahead homer five days ago.”
So what’s the plan for playing time going forward?
“I don’t have a plan,” Gonzalez said. “It’s just going to be feel.”
As long as Uggla isn’t starting at second base, infielder-outfielder Martin Prado will be there. Prado hit sixth in the order Monday instead of his usual second because Gonzalez wanted some RBI potential to support the speed at the top and went 2-for-3 with an RBI on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the 6-1 win over the Rockies.
“We’re all men in here,” Uggla said. “People try to tiptoe around issues. The only thing you can ask is that people be up front with you. He brought me in. He was honest with me. He said we’ve got to make a change.”