Dan Uggla was out of the Braves lineup for the third consecutive game Wednesday in Miami, having continued to struggle at the plate since his return from laser eye surgery.
Uggla is 4-for-30 (.133) with no extra-base hits or RBIs in 13 games since his return. Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez has sat both Uggla and B.J. Upton for the first three starts of this series after they combined to go 0-for-18 with 10 strikeouts over the weekend in Philadelphia.
“We have 20 games left and counting,” said Gonzalez, explaining his thinking as the Braves entered this series. “And we’re trying to put the best team on the field that we think is going to win that particular game.”
Uggla said he met with Gonzalez Monday, though he came away not sure what his manager’s plan was from here forward.
“It’s his ball club,” Uggla said. “I’ve got to respect the decision that he made. Do I agree with it? Once again and I’ve reiterated this a lot of times – no absolutely not. I don’t think we’re a better ball club with me on the bench. But he’s the manager. I’ve got to respect his decision.”
Uggla might be experiencing a little déjà vu. Gonzalez benched him for three games during the first week of last September. When he returned, Uggla hit .288 with two homers and 14 RBIs over his final 24 games.
“I’m still just as (mad) this year as I was last year but I’ve also grown up a little bit from the experience last year and held my emotions probably a little better this year,” Uggla said.
He’s been used as a defensive replacement in the first two games of this series against the team he played with the first five years of his career.
“I can put my emotions aside to win for this team,” Uggla said. “Is it embarrassing? Yeah it sucks. I’m not used to being this dude. But at the same time I’ve got to make an adjustment and produce.”
Uggla said he had hoped with a 12-game lead to use this time to get back right at the plate in time for the playoffs.
“Besides the one-game playoff (in 2012), that’s the only experience I’ve gotten in the playoffs, so this is a huge deal for me,” Uggla said. “I’ve always dreamt about playing in the playoffs. I’ve never dreamed about sitting on the bench in the playoffs. But we’ll have to see how it plays out.”
