Uggla Clobbers HR with New CLs

Sports Media 101 reports that "Dan Uggla has been notoriously streaky through his first two years with the Atlanta Braves, but getting his vision checked last month has led to enormously increased productivity and confidence at the plate. In the first 67 games he played in 2013, Uggla hit an awful .194, but with 13 homers. Entering Monday, Uggla has hit .277 with three homers over his last 12 games, and he largely gives credit to his new contact lenses." Read more and see video of his 16th HR.

Braves Uggla Still Adjusting to CLs

“As he prepared for Tuesday night's game against the Royals, Braves second baseman Dan Uggla said he is still trying to get used to the contact lenses he began wearing for the first time last Thursday,” according to MLB.com. “Uggla did not report any problems during Friday night's game against the Brewers. But after experiencing blurred vision while batting the next two days, he opted to remove the contact lenses for his final two plate appearances of Sunday's series finale in Milwaukee.” Read more.

Update on Braves’ Uggla and Wood and Their CLs

Here’s the latest on Uggla, his hitting, and his contact lenses from the Atlanta Journal & Constitution: “Dan Uggla played his first game Friday night wearing new contact lenses and already came away encouraged. He went 0-for-2 with two walks but also hit a flyball nearly 400 feet to left  center field in the fifth inning of a 2-0 loss to the Brewers. ‘I felt great,’ Uggla said afterward. ‘The way I saw the ball tonight was night-and-day different than what it’s been. To get adjusted this quick to the contacts is really encouraging.’” Read more.

In another AJC post, there was an update about Braves pitcher Alex Wood: “Like his teammate Dan Uggla, rookie left-hander Alex Wood was encouraged by his first game wearing using new contact lenses Friday night against the Brewers. ‘It was awesome,’ Wood said. ‘I could see. I didn’t have to worry about glasses or anything. It was good.’ He proved it by going out and pitching a scoreless inning Saturday as well, in the first work of his career on back-to-back days. Wood gave up a leadoff double to Rickie Weeks before striking out the side in order to strand Weeks at second. ‘He did a terrific job,’ Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. ‘The velocity was good to see there again. And the changeup he threw, the last pitch to (Norichika) Aoki might have been the best changeup he’s thrown all year. That ball just plain disappeared.’” Read more.

Uggla and Wood of the Braves Plop in New CLs

“Dan Uggla returned to the Braves lineup Friday night in Milwaukee, wearing newly fitted contact lenses and hopeful that it will make a difference in what’s been an uphill struggle at the plate,” reports the Atlanta Journal & Constitution. “Uggla entered the series against the Brewers hitting .194, with 92 strikeouts in 227 at-bats. He was diagnosed with astigmatism in spring training and tried contacts then, but he didn’t see immediate improvement with contacts and quit wearing them….He hopes to wear contacts for the remainder of the season and have laser surgery after the season. Uggla said doctors estimated he would need a two-week stint on the disabled list to recover from surgery…..Braves left-hander Alex Wood has had his own problems with astigmatism as well. The rookie reliever was fitted for contacts Thursday and was wearing them Friday in Milwaukee. Wood originally tried pitching in glasses, but had to wear regular glasses because his prescription sport goggles haven’t arrived. But during a spot start Tuesday afternoon against the Mets, his glasses kept falling off as he sweated in the heat of the day, and he eventually just put them in his pocket.” Read more.