Atlanta Braves leave Dan Uggla off their playoff roster

Second baseman Dan Uggla is being paid $13 million this season by the Atlanta Braves, so you’d think he would have a prominent role against the Dodgers in the National League division series starting Thursday night. You can imagine the Dodgers going over scouting reports, discussing how to neutralize the Braves’ highest-paid player.

They needn’t worry. The Braves have left Uggla off their playoff roster because he isn’t one of their best 25 players.

Uggla is hitting .179 this season (and he weighs 205 pounds, so he truly isn’t hitting his weight) and has struck out 171 times in 448 at-bats. In other words, he’s a pretty bad player.

“Yesterday might have been one of hardest days I’ve had as a major league manager,” Braves skipper Fredi Gonzalez told reporters when announcing the Braves’ roster. “We feel like we put our best 25 out there to face the Dodgers.”

Elliot Johnson, acquired from the Kansas City Royals in August, will start at second base for the Braves during the NLDS. If the Braves advance past the Dodgers, they can add Uggla back to the roster for the championship series.

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