Dan Uggla is a second baseman. Dan Uggla is about to get expensive. Dan Uggla plays for a team that likes to exchange "about to get expensive" for "not expensive." Dan Uggla is a middle-of-the-order hitter who is under team control for the next three years.
I can't stop thinking ab...you get the idea.
Uggla's defense is a constant butt of jokes, but it's hard to know just how good (or bad) he is. According to FanGraphs, he's logged a good defensive season, an abysmal season, and an average season. So I can write without any hedging that he's either good, bad, or just alright.
Under team control for the forseeable future? Check. Plus power? Check. On a team that could conceivably trade him if the price is right? Check. So here are some questions to test the waters...
1. Would you trade Jonathan Sanchez in a Dan Uggla deal?
2. Would you trade Tim Alderson in a Dan Uggla deal?
3. Would you trade Barry Zito -- throwing in $1M! -- in a Dan Uggla deal?
4. Would you like me to just stop with the hypothetical situations and just tell us what you'd be willing to give up?
It's easy to think of Uggla as the cement-shoed goof who had ground balls bounce off of him as "Yakity Sax" played over the PA during last year's All-Star Game. That's understandable. But he's a pretty good player. A darned good player, even. I'd give up Sanchez, and I'd even trade Alderson. Alderson is a fantastic prospect, even if I'm constantly reminded of the famous Dutch pitching prospect, Tins Taapp. The only way I'd trade Alderson is if the Giants received an All-Star-level player who is controllable for at least three years. There might only one player in basebal who a) fits that description and b) is a reasonable trade target. And he ain't got no alibi: he's Uggla.
Uggla's gettin' antsy. Would the Marlins accept a one-for-one swap with Alderson or Sanchez? Almost certainly not, and I'm not sure how much more I'd be willing to throw in. That's probably why we haven't even heard whispers about an Uggla deal.
For about three paragraphs, though, I was excited to get Uggla. Open Wistful Transaction Thread