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.
Dan Uggla Signs Five-Year Contract Extension With Braves
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.
Ken Rosenthal reports that Uggla’s new extension will be worth $62 million, giving him the highest average salary all-time for a second baseman, narrowly edging out Chase Utley. Uggla rejected a four-year offer worth $48 million from the Marlins shortly before the trade, so it seems that fifth year might have sealed the deal. The 30-year-old has been one of the league’s most productive middle infielders since arriving in the Majors in 2006.
Uggla is now under contract through 2015, by which point he will be 35 years old. There are valid concerns as to how well he’ll hold up in the long term, but for now, the Braves are just happy to have him for more than one season.
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