Dan Uggla hit 21 home runs and drove in 87 runs in his 2005 season with the Smokies.
Louisville native Dan Uggla went to high school in Columbia, Tennessee and played his college ball in Memphis before being selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 11th round of the 2001 MLB Amateur Draft.
His first three years in the minors were full of good and bad moments like any typical prospect, but in 2005, the 25 year-old put together his best overall season with the Tennessee Smokies by posting huge numbers. Uggla slugged over .500 and blasted 21 home runs while being named a Southern League All-Star.
The strikeout problem that will plague him for most of his career began to surface as he struck out over 100 times while drawing only 52 walks.
Despite posting huge numbers, the Diamondbacks, stocked with infield talent, left Uggla unprotected heading into the Rule 5 Draft.
It was with the eighth pick that the Florida Marlins selected Uggla to fill their hole at second base.
Uggla made the All-Star team as a reserve in just his first professional season. By the end of the season, the Marlins rookie second baseman had posted historic numbers. With a .282 average, 90 RBIs and a record-breaking 27 home runs, he finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting losing to his teammate Hanley Ramirez.
For four more seasons, Uggla posted solid power numbers. He hit at least thirty home runs every season from 2007-2010. However, his batting average slipped dramatically from 2007-2009 peaking at .260 and falling to .243 before bouncing back in 2010 with a career best .287 average while slugging over .500 and winning the Silver Slugger Award for his position.
Dan Uggla has struggled since joining the Braves, but their offseason acquisitions may relieve some pressure. Photo: AP/ John Bazemore
The Braves then traded for the slugger and locked him down with a lucrative five-year, $62 million contract extension.
Coming into the 2013 season, the soon-to-be 33 year-old Dan Uggla has a lot to prove to the baseball world. Dropped in the lineup and benched at times in 2012, Uggla posted career worsts in batting average, slugging, and OPS. It was not all doom-and-gloom for Uggla in 2012. He did draw a career high in walks with 94.
During his time in Atlanta, the Braves have relied on Uggla to provide most of their power production, but with the acquisitions of Justin and BJ Upton combined with the emergence of Freddie Freeman, some of that pressure may finally subside.
The former Tennessee Smoky could very well be the x-factor for Atlanta’s season. If he can produce like he once did, their lineup could become the best in the National League to go along with their solid pitching rotation. If he struggles again, he could find his name synonymous with the trade deadline.
Jonathan Reed is a broadcast and media associate for the Smokies Radio Network. You can follow Jonathan on Twitter here: @jon__reed
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