MIAMI (AP) -Dan Uggla went out to that familiar spot in the infield, got on his toes, bent his knees, put his glove to the dirt and fielded balls time and time again without error.
Too bad Dolphin Stadium was empty.
Coming off one of the worst All-Star games ever by a second baseman, Uggla took infield practice during a team workout Thursday evening, two days after making a record three errors and going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the Midsummer Classic.
He looked his casual self in the clubhouse, passing out Home Run Derby balls, jeering teammates and telling stories from New York. Now he looks to regain the prowess that has propelled the surprising Florida Marlins to within 1 1/2 games of the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies, who begin a three-game series in Miami on Friday night.
“I’m not worried about any carryover,” Uggla said. “I’ve made plenty of errors in my past, that’s nothing knew for me. … I’ve made three errors in a game plenty of times. It’s not going to be the last time. You just go with it. I’ve already forgotten about it.”
It’s been an eventful year for Uggla.
He hit his first game-ending home run, a grand slam to beat the Phillies. He witnessed the birth of his second child and participated in the Home Run Derby.
And Tuesday, he fulfilled a lifelong family dream when he played at Yankee Stadium in front of his dad, John, who grew up watching Mickey Mantle roam the same field – and those are the memories from that night that Uggla said he’ll remember.
“I was having chills, fighting back tears,” Uggla said. “I was just fortunate to be a part of it. There was so many high points the last few days, they outnumber the bad parts.”
Uggla also was sidelined nearly two weeks just before the break with a sprained left ankle after a bizarre slip while pulling up to go back to first base. But the hitting hasn’t stopped.
The two-time All-Star is batting .286 with 23 homers and 59 RBIs and is on pace to set career highs in all three categories. Despite his defensive gaffs at Yankee Stadium, his .985 fielding percentage and six errors this season ranks 10th among starting second baseman.
“So what? He didn’t fare well there,” Marlins teammate Luis Gonzalez said. “He’s still an All-Star in our eyes and in the baseball world’s eyes. He’s been a big part of what we’ve done.
“Rather it happen there than during a real game.”
Uggla’s approach, albeit successful, has always been different.
He rarely studies videotape because he doesn’t want to overthink at the plate. On a few occasions, he hasn’t been able to tell reporters what kind of pitch he hit after home runs, part of his hit-whatever-he-sees mentality that typifies the free-swinging Marlins.
The downside?
Uggla’s go-for-broke swing has provided an unwelcome breeze too often in humid South Florida. He’s struck out a team-high 96 times this season, or once every 3.13 at bats, after fanning 167 times in 2007. Still, Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez has said he’ll take those numbers if Uggla keeps putting the other pitches in the bleachers.
“He’s going to be fine,” Gonzalez said, adding that he stopped watching the All-Star game after the ninth inning and didn’t see Uggla’s errors. “You know who’s not going to make these errors? All of us right here, because we’ll never step foot on a major league field.”
Uggla is first-time arbitration eligible after this season, and the usually frugal Marlins will have to pay him more than the $417,000 he’s earning this year to keep him.
His teammates hope to see him in South Florida for years to come.
“People will forget all about that game in a few days,” left field Josh Willingham said. “Dan’s going to be remembered for much more than that game.”
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