Intemperate Braves And Baseball Thoughts

It's "catch-all" time. There's a lot to talk about, so let's get to it:

• The trade for Dan Uggla, just as a reminder, breaks down like so:
  
  BRAVES GET:
  2B Dan Uggla: 674 PA, .287/.369/.508, 33 HR, 105 RBI, 130 OPS+, 3.7 WAR
  
  MARLINS GET:
  UT Omar Infante: 506 PA, .321/.359/.416, 8 HR, 47 RBI, 111 OPS+, 2.9 WAR
  LRP Mike Dunn: 19 IP, 15 H, 4/4 R/ER, 17 BB, 27 SO, 1.684 WHIP, 0.4 WAR
  
  It's the kind of trade that looks so good on one team's side: the Braves get a power bat they so desperately need in exchange for a utility player who had a career year and a rookie reliever who is wild, but has potential.
  
  Since the trade, Braves GM Frank Wren has tried to work on an extension with Uggla. On the 7th, the talks were said to be encouraging.
  
  

  "The early discussions we've had -- really introductory discussions -- have been very pleasant," Wren said. "I think there's a mutual desire for us to keep him long term and for him to stay long term. I think that has come through loud and clear -- both from Terry and from Dan. I think we've made it clear that's what we want to happen."

  Unfortunately, since that time, outfielder Carl Crawford agreed to a monstrous seven-year, $142 million contract with the Red Sox. Before that, Jayson Werth had signed a huge seven-year, $126 million deal with the Nationals. This might cause some fears that Uggla will demand an extension that's either out of the Braves' budget range or will cripple them down the road when Uggla's skills most likely decline.
  
  I'm really not sure that Uggla will be able to increase his demands that much. After all, the players that got those huge deals are outfielders with speed, stolen-base ability and decent defense. Uggla provides below average to horrible defense with above-average offense and no speed.


• At the Winter Meetings, Wren agreed with reliever George Sherrill to a $1.2 million, one-year deal, which includes $200,000 in incentives. The deal won't be official until Sherrill passes a physical. The former closer was downright awful for the Dodgers last season, posting a 1.926 WHIP in 31 1/3 innings. The year seems to be an aberration. If Sherrill makes the team, he'll be the third lefty in the pen, joining Eric O'Flaherty and Jonny Venters.
  
  I do believe that Sherrill will be fine. At worst, he should be a great LOOGY, something that might appeal to new manager Fredi Gonzalez.


• Wren is also working to move Kenshin Kawakami. According to MLBTradeRumors, Rob Biertempfel tweets that the Pirates are close to a deal, but the sticking points are how much the Braves will pay of Kawakami's $6.67 million salary and whether or not left-hander Paul Maholm might be included.
  
  Maholm might be an interesting reclamation project if he's included, but it will be a shame to see Kawakami go. I've defended him a lot over the past couple of years and I do believe that he shouldn't have been stuck with the 1-10 record. In fact, that should be a test case on how wins and losses don't mean too much for some pitchers. If Kawakami does move on to Pittsburgh, all I can say is: Sachiare!

Marlins Complete Sweep In Convincing Fashion

FLORIDA 6, ATLANTA 2

Kenshin Kawakami's second start in a Braves uniform didn't go as well as his first. The Japanese pitcher allowed five runs in six innings, including a three-run shot by the previously-slumping Cody Ross in the Braves' 6-2 loss to the Marlins.

Ross's home run to left field gave the Marlins an early 3-0 lead. It may have been averted if Kelly Johnson hadn't dropped a throw from Yunel Escobar in an attempt to start a double play. Jeff Francoeur had two-out RBI singles in the third and the fifth innings, but the Braves stranded two runners on base in four of the first five innings.

The Marlins added two runs in the fifth with Jeremy Hermida's triple to right-center and Ross's sacrifice fly, his fourth RBI of the game. Florida added a final run off of Jorge Campillo with a triple by Ross Gload and a one-out RBI single by Alfredo Amezaga. The Braves bullpen in total allowed nine runs in ten innings of work in the series. For the Marlins, Anibal Sanchez pitched six innings for the win.

After the game, Campillo was placed on the 15-day DL with shoulder tendinitis. His replacement will be James Parr.

W - Anibal Sanchez (1-0)
L - Kenshin Kawakami (1-1)
HR - Cody Ross (1)

THREE STARS

GOLD
RF Cody Ross, Florida - 3-3, HR, R, SF, 4 RBI

SILVER
2B Dan Uggla, Florida - 2-3, 2B, 2 R, BB

BRONZE
P Anibal Sanchez, Florida - 6 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO

Photo By John Bazemore

Bullpen Woes Continue As Marlins Smack Around Braves

FLORIDA 10, ATLANTA 4

The Braves managed to get a not-so-sharp Derek Lowe off the hook, but the bullpen was unable to hold off the Marlins as the Fish scored six runs in four innings of Braves bullpen work in the 10-4 win.

The Marlins scored four runs off of Derek Lowe, courtesy of seven hits and five walks. They scored in the first inning with a Dan Uggla single. The Braves responded in the bottom of the inning with Omar Infante's sac fly after Kelly Johnson tripled to lead off the frame.

Florida then tacked on three in the top of the fifth with an RBI single by Cantu and a two-run double by Uggla. The Braves got the runs back with a Casey Kotchman double, Martin Prado's fielder's choice groundout to the pitcher and Omar Infante's bloop hit that dropped into the Bermuda Triangle in center. This took Lowe off the hook for the loss.

Buddy Carlyle held the Marlins off the board and Hayden Penn was able to do the same for the Fish against Atlanta. Peter Moylan came on in the seventh for his first back-to-back outing of the year. He allowed a single to Jorge Cantu then struck out Dan Uggla for the first out. Jeremy Hermida was intentionally walked to get to Cody Ross, but the slumping outfielder was plunked on the backside on the first pitch to load the bases. Moylan got Cameron Maybin to strike out swinging, but he walked Ross Gload, forcing in a run. Eric O'Flaherty came on and got Emilio Bonaficio swinging to limit the damage.

That didn't last long, though.

After Rafael Soriano had a perfect eighth, Blaine Boyer started the inning for the Braves. Five batters later, he had allowed two runs and only recorded one out. Jorge Campillo attempted to put out the fire, but he was tagged for two RBI singles after a strikeout. He was able to escape further damage, but the damage had already been done, so to speak.

W - Hayden Penn (1-0)
L - Peter Moylan (0-1)

THREE STARS

GOLD
2B Dan Uggla, Florida - 2-4, 2B, R, 3 RBI

SILVER
C John Baker, Florida - 2-6, 2 R, 2 RBI

BRONZE
1B Jorge Cantu, Florida - 2-5, 2 R, BB, RBI

Photo by John Amis

EDIT: Changed link to Baseball-Reference.com boxscore

Braves Hooked By Fish; Volstad Wins Pitching Duel

FLORIDA 5, ATLANTA 1

Marlins starter Chris Volstad, making his sixteenth career start, stymied the Braves for seven innings, and the Marlins produced runs off of Braves starter Javier Vazquez and reliever Jeff Bennett to earn a 5-1 win.

Volstad allowed just three hits, the biggest one being a home run by Kelly Johnson on a first-pitch fastball leading off the fourth inning. That was the first hit the Braves got in the game. Atlanta's only other scoring opportunity came in the bottom of the sixth inning. After pinch-hitter Martin Prado doubled to left-center and Kelly Johnson flied to left, Escobar drew a walk. Chipper Jones was barely thrown out at first base on a tapper to the right of the mound; that moved the runners up. Brian McCann then smoked a liner to first base that Ross Gload got his glove on and was able to keep from going to right field.

The Marlins scored three off of Javier Vazquez in the third inning and two runs off of reliever Jeff Bennett in the eighth. Third baseman Emiliano Bonaficio and catcher John Baker scored two runs. Both were driven by Dan Uggla on separate occasions. The second baseman drove in three runs on the day.

Javier Vazquez pitched his second straight quality start in a losing effort. His 12-strikeout effort was the sixth such game of his career and the 38th game where he struck out 10 batters or more.

Vazquez had a typical game tonight. He allowed hits all at the same time and he struck out a lot of batters. As long as he keeps doing that, he should be able to win ball games. Even Braves fans had to tip their caps to Volstad in this one. He made few mistakes and was able to pitch out of the few jams that he got in. Hopefully, the Braves will do better against Andrew Miller tonight.

W - Chris Volstad (2-0)
L - Javier Vazquez (0-1)
HR - Kelly Johnson (3)

THREE STARS

GOLD
P Chris Volstad, Florida - 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO

SILVER
P Javier Vazquez, Atlanta - 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 12 SO

BRONZE
2B Dan Uggla, Florida - 2-4, 3 RBI

Photo by John Amis

EDIT: Added tags. W-L-S-HR tally