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Uggla's hit streak

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by MankyJimy, Aug 13, 2011.

  1. MankyJimy

    MankyJimy Active Member

    No way do you move someone that hot down in the lineup. They should move him up to third.
     
  2. KYSportsWriter

    KYSportsWriter Well-Known Member

    He's not hot. His average is still around .230, last I checked.
     
  3. MankyJimy

    MankyJimy Active Member

    ???? He's hit .370 with 15 homers since July 5. How is that not 'hot'? He was batting .173 when the streak started.
     
  4. Uggla really is a remarkable story. After signing a huge contract, he was one of the worst -- probably THE worst -- everyday player in the MLB this year until the streak started. (Adam Dunn might have an argument).

    Then he goes on a ridiculous tear.

    He's supposed to be a good guy. I think this is a neat story.
     
  5. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    He'll only get another game or two, if he's lucky, for two reasons: 1. He's right-handed and 2. He's slow.

    If he reaches 36 games, that would place him in the top 10 all-time for hit streaks. But if you look at the guys in the top 10, they all were either lefty, which means they have a two-step advantage out of the batter's box, very fast where they can beat out a bunt or a slow-roller, or both.
     
  6. I wouldn't say he's slow. He's not a speedster, but he has extended the streak on two separate occasions with infield singles.
     
  7. Den1983

    Den1983 Active Member

    I agree completely. I think a lot of people don't want to see him break it because it's such a treasured record. If he was to do it, there'd be TONS of people saying, "Well, if Dan freaking Uggla can do it, just how nice of a record is it?"

    I guarantee Kostya Kennedy doesn't want to see it broken.
     
  8. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    He's stolen 20 bases. In his career. Out of 36 attempts. 6 is his high, from his rookie year, out of 12 attempts.

    He had a couple of double-digit stolen base seasons in the minors. But that's a whole different ballgame.

    The guys in the top ten all-time either stole a good amount of bases (over 20) on a regular basis in their prime, or could bat lefty. Granted, some of them played in the dead-ball era, where stolen bases happened more often. But you still would have to think they had some speed.

    The lone exception, though, was DiMaggio. He only had four steals the entire 1941 season. But that was attributal to the stolen base not being used as frequently, and DiMaggio's spot in the lineup. He didn't need to steal bases. The Yankees had enough power all around him.

    Yet, DiMaggio is acknowledged as an excellent base runner.
     
  9. From the AJC ...

    Gonzalez said he planned to hit McCann third on Sunday, with Dan Uggla remaining in the fourth spot and Freddie Freeman dropping to fifth. He said he would probably give Chipper Jones Sunday off, so he didn’t tip his hand if he planned to drop Jones down to sixth in the order.
     
  10. Armchair_QB

    Armchair_QB Well-Known Member

    As Colonel Sanders once said, "DON'T FUCK WITH THE RECIPE!"

    Not only do you not move him down, you don't move him up. The guy's hit in 33 straight games batting in the four hole.

    You. Don't. Move. Him.

    That said, talk about him breaking DiMaggio's record is nuts. He's still 23 games away from even equaling it. That's almost a month of games. Just getting to 40 would be a remarkable run.
     
  11. sgreenwell

    sgreenwell Well-Known Member

    Uggla's streak certainly is the most bizarre in recent memory. I think Pedroia had a 20ish-game streak earlier this month, which is to be expected with him - doesn't take a huge amount of walks, has always hit for a high average. Uggla even getting into the 30s is the equivalent of those no-hitters by guys like Bud Smith and Jose Jimenez.

    I always thought that if a guy was going to break it in the modern era, it would be Ichiro - best combination of speed, hitting ability and lack of patience, meaning he's going to put the ball into play as opposed to talking a walk. With him on the back nine of the career, I'm not sure who the next-best option is. Ellsbury? No one really jumps to mind.
     
  12. prhack

    prhack Member

    I'd love to see him get to 45 and break the NL record. Would be a nice book-end of sorts: Gene Garber ends Rose's streak (and draws his eternal ire) by daring to actually challenge him with a pitch, then another Brave comes along and takes the record from him.
     
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