FOX Sports South checks in with play-by-play announcer Chip Caray to get the latest on the Braves.
FOX SPORTS SOUTH: The Braves are second in the majors in strikeouts, but the underrated part of their game is the ability to draw walks. They are second in the NL behind the Reds. How key is that as far as the success of the offense?
CHIP CARAY: I'm not a big stats person, but at the end of the day you want to get as many people on base, which gives other people the chance to drive them home, however they do it.
One of the concerns we've had with the Braves offense, because of the all-or-nothing nature of it, was whether or not they would make enough consistent offense to get guys in.
Walks are great. Getting on base is important and if guys are walking, if it prolongs the inning and guys are hitting behind them, it's a fantastic thing, especially with two outs. At the end of the day, I'm a guy who has always believed you can get four walks in a row to score a run, but it's a lot easier to get a walk or two walks and have a guy hit a double.
Getting on base, for me, is great as long as you're not giving up outs. But a lot of the guys in our lineup were brought in here drive in runs, no walk. So I guess it's a double-edged sword.
FSS: What's amazing in those walk numbers is those walk numbers if that Dan Uggla, who is first in the NL in strikeouts, is second on the team in walks behind Justin Upton. So he's getting on base, he's just doing it differently than people want him to right now.
CC: He's one of those all-or-nothing players -- either you get on base or you don't. I know it sounds silly to say it that was, because there are really only two options.
But the times he's not getting on base, more often than not, he's striking out and the times he is getting on base, he's talking a base on balls. But to me the bigger key is how many times do the Braves walks turn into runs scored?
Compared to making an out it's a lot better alternative to striking out, grounding out or flying out.
FSS: We saw Uggla show signs in May of breaking out of his funk and while he's still a source of power, he's struggling to find consistency. Are you seeing any encouraging signs with him of late?
CC: I think that's the big question: is the Dan Uggla of 2013 what he in 2012 and 2011? I don't know. I really don't know.
He can hit the ball a long way but as we saw Thursday night against the Dodgers, when the situation dictates hitting the ball to the right side and shortening your stroke and putting the ball in play, that isn't his game. At least it hasn't been the last year and a half or so.
Is this what we're going to see out of Dan? I don't know. That's why we watch, that's why they play the game. Everybody would love to see Dan Uggla be the 30-home run, 90-RBI guy that hits .270, hits .280 that he was with the Marlins.
To be honest, we haven't see that much out of him the last couple of seasons. Whether or not he can get back there is an open question. If he can do that, it's a huge part of this club's offense.
Remember, he was a No. 4-5 hitter for this ball club just a couple of years ago and now he's hitting at the bottom of the batting order and it's been out of necessity. Hopefully he'll able to, at least offensively, be more productive than he's been.
