Braves Sign Dan Uggla To Five-Year Contract Extension

It seems like ages ago, but back in the middle of November, the Braves made a bold move by trading with a division rival to pick up second baseman Dan Uggla. The Braves lost a valuable utility guy in Omar Infante and a reliever with potential in Michael Dunn, but they added a powerful bat at second base.

Once the trade was completed, the Braves got to work trying to sign Uggla to a contract extension. The veteran was set to become a free agent after the 2011 season, which was one of the reasons the Marlins made him available. Nothing got done initially, but now, on Tuesday night, word’s out that Uggla and the Braves have agreed to a five-year deal.

Uggla is currently in his final year of team control, and will be a free agent after the season unless the Braves sign him to a contract.

For the Marlins, Infante brings a cheaper and more defensively-able skillset to the team, although he’s also currently a year away from free agency. Dunn, meanwhile, is a 25-year-old lefty who threw 19 innings with the Braves last season, striking out 27 while walking 17. With a high-90s fastball and a dangerous slider, he could develop into an effective late-inning reliever.

The Marlins have evidently decided that, if they can’t re-sign Uggla to a long-term deal, the time is now to cash him in for what they can get. And so the trade rumors are blowing up, as a number of teams have interest in a power-hitting, attainable infielder.

Uggla batted .287 last year, with a .508 slugging percentage. For his career, those marks are .263 and .488. He strikes out a lot and has trouble in the field, but he’s always been able to deliver the power, which is the skill that makes him most interesting.