3B - Juan Uribe

[Villain]

[NOTE: This thread is for the player and the position. I will be making threads like this for pretty much every player/position that seems worth discussing. So, probably everyone except Adrian Gonzalez.]

Just like Howie Kendrick and Jimmy Rollins, Juan Uribe is only signed through the end of this season. He is the oldest member of the infield at the age of 36. Juan Uribe is a solid defender, very popular clubhouse presence, and for the last two seasons he was also above average with the bat. It's safe to say that the good he's done in 2013 and 2014 are enough to wipe away the bad that happened in 2012 and 2011 (whew boy, what a tire fire those years were...)

While we're here, I think Uribear deserves a little love. I've been getting a vibe that this board seems to have him underrated:

2013
Here's the slash line for you folks still attatched to old stats: .278/.331/.438
For those like me who care more about the advanced metrics: wOBA .334, wRC+ 116, 5 WAR (holy shit, right?)

2014
Slash line: .311/.337/.440
Advanced metric: wOBA .340, wRC+ 120, 3.6 WAR

For third basemen in 2013, Uribe was tied for 6th in WAR with Adrian Beltre. He was 9th for 2014. Top 10 third baseman at age 35? Not too shabby.

Also, he's not fat.

All that being said, I don't see Juan Uribe as a starting third baseman in 2016. He'll be 37. I don't care who you are, in a post-steroid era it's not realistic to expect players to keep up with the speed and rigors of a 162-game season, day in and day out, as they approach their 40s. I don't necessarily think that he should be looking at retirement, but it's just really hard to see him be the regular starter after this season.

If Uribe were to hit the disabled list tomorrow, the top two candidates to replace him in the everyday lineup would be Justin Turned and Alex Guerrero. Later in the year, hopefully Hector Olivera will be worth his big fat signing bonus.

In this thread, empanadas,

Uribear,

and the contents of Miguel Olivo's mouth.

 

[LASports96]

Uribe is an interesting case for this season. IMO, he's definitely gone after this season. I still have some skepticism about his bat going into the year always and that still is there even after his very good 2013 and 2014. One thing that is for sure is he's a great 3B, a position where a good glove is important. So for me as much as one side of me doesn't want him to start, he's our starting 3B, if nothing else for his glove. Plus, our current backup options aren't all that great, at least for now. I obviously want to see Olivera play, but I'm not counting on him being a viable option until the middle of the season, so Uribe's status will be determined at that point, until then he's the 3B.

 

[Villain]

The 3B class for next winter, from MLBTR:

Third Basemen

Joaquin Arias (31)
Mike Aviles (35)
Gordon Beckham (29)
Willie Bloomquist (38)
Kevin Frandsen (34)
David Freese (33)
Jonathan Herrera (31)
Maicer Izturis (35) – $3MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Don Kelly (36)
Jeff Keppinger (36)
Casey McGehee (32)
Aramis Ramirez (38)
Sean Rodriguez (31)
Juan Uribe (37)

 

[LASports96]

^ And that is exactly why we spent all the money on Olivera.

 

[lasportzphan]

^ And that is exactly why we spent all the money on Olivera.

Yup. Freidman doing a good job of moving pieces around for the future.

Who does not like Juan Uribe? He's adorable, my wife loves him. I'm not a fan of his plate approach, but the numbers are not all that bad as Villian displayed. This is probably his last season in LA and I do not think it's unreasonable to say that.

 

[Villain]

Turner is unproven as an everyday player but I like how Mattingly is giving them both AB's so far in the early part season. I think if they share 3rd base in order to keep each other healthy throughout 162 games then it could definitely work better than Uribe getting all the playing time.

Yeah, I'd expect that to be a thing that happens all season. Keeps both players fresh.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Alex Guerrero does with a start at 3B today.

 

[Villain]

Alex Guerrero. Holy shit, this guy.

 

[LASports96]

I'm obviously really liking Guerrero, but it sounds like he might be getting reps in LF while Puig is out which is cool for platoon purposes, but once Puig returns, I want Guerrero to cut into Uribe's playing time not Crawfords.

 

[Broncosballer32]

Alex Guerrero. Holy shit, this guy.

True, and from what I have read about him, SS is a natural position for him. I personally think Rollins is done as a pro.

His production has been pretty average to bad over the last 5 seasons or so. He is over the hill. His fielding this year has not been great. He is 36. Any fan thinking he will approach his MVP production just because he has changed scenes, are wishful thinking at best.

Guerrero needs to be in the line up. Let me put it this way, Guerrero and Uribe in the line up, is more productive than Guerrero and Rollins. Meaning, Guerrero should be at SS and Rollins needs to be utility.

I know that will not happen. However, the cries for Guerrero being in the every day line up will only grow louder, and to keep ridiculing Uribe who has been a very solid Dodger since he has been here is and has been totally unfair to Uribe. That, is a fact.

 

[Villain]

True, and from what I have read about him, SS is a natural position for him. I personally think Rollins is done as a pro.

There's really no such thing as a natural position, and Guerrero is not good at defense. Period. This is known.

That was why Olivo and him had their fight. Olivo was giving Guerrero shit about sucking at defense.

His production has been pretty average to bad over the last 5 seasons or so. He is over the hill. His fielding this year has not been great. He is 36. Any fan thinking he will approach his MVP production just because he has changed scenes, are wishful thinking at best.

No one reasonable was expecting that. Rollins is here to be a stop-gap for Corey Seager. Rollins is a good defender and a notorious slow starter. He'll be fine. It's not even May.

Guerrero needs to be in the line up. Let me put it this way, Guerrero and Uribe in the line up, is more productive than Guerrero and Rollins. Meaning, Guerrero should be at SS and Rollins needs to be utility.

I know that will not happen. However, the cries for Guerrero being in the every day line up will only grow louder, and to keep ridiculing Uribe who has been a very solid Dodger since he has been here is and has been totally unfair to Uribe. That, is a fact.

I'm glad you know it won't happen, because it's a terrible idea, to be honest. Guerrero has exactly one career walk in MLB.

Yes, people are being unfair to Uribe, and now you're being unfair to Rollins. While we're at it, everyone is also being unfair to Guerrero by thinking that he can keep this up. Yes, he has a sweet swing. At no time since his signing has there been concern for his ability to hit. The concern is his ability to play defense.

 

[Villain]

Twitter reactions to Guerrero's defense yesterday:



He hit a home run, though, so there's that.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

True, and from what I have read about him, SS is a natural position for him. I personally think Rollins is done as a pro.

His production has been pretty average to bad over the last 5 seasons or so. He is over the hill. His fielding this year has not been great. He is 36. Any fan thinking he will approach his MVP production just because he has changed scenes, are wishful thinking at best.

Guerrero needs to be in the line up. Let me put it this way, Guerrero and Uribe in the line up, is more productive than Guerrero and Rollins. Meaning, Guerrero should be at SS and Rollins needs to be utility.

I know that will not happen. However, the cries for Guerrero being in the every day line up will only grow louder, and to keep ridiculing Uribe who has been a very solid Dodger since he has been here is and has been totally unfair to Uribe. That, is a fact.

Compared to shortstops around the league, his production has been adequate to good in recent years. This year he hasn't been very good but that could change and he leads the team in SB so there's that...

 

[Smed55]

Well, so much for the Uribe debate!

 

[Villain]

Well, so much for the Uribe debate!

 

[LASports96]

Bye, Uribe. I'll miss him, which is crazy to say after those awful 2011 and 2012 seasons. But he turned into a decent player and a great clubhouse guy, who all his teammates loved.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Another great move by the front office.

 

[Villain]

Bye, Uribe. I'll miss him, which is crazy to say after those awful 2011 and 2012 seasons. But he turned into a decent player and a great clubhouse guy, who all his teammates loved.

It's absolutely insane. I was ready for him to be expelled to another galaxy after his 2nd season as a Dodger. I was stunned to be in favor of re-signing him.​

 

[Villain]

Also, I have no idea why my comment was indented like that.

 

[lasportzphan]

Wow, I'll miss Juan's glove and not his plate approach. It sounds like Zach Lee is involved? We never even gave the guy a cup of coffee, we have an arm drain but now he's gone? Management must see nothing in the kid.

My off the wall theory.... The dodgers are freeing up instant dough by getting rid of Uribe and offering a legit prospect in Lee so Atlanta picks up the dough because it does not seem like we are getting shit in return.

But honestly, I don't have all of the facts on the deal. Mere speculation on my part.

 

[lasportzphan]

Okay, Atlanta is leaking info (Dodgers have not leaked much this year if anything). That said, initial Atlanta reports of Lee AND Anderson are not true. So this is making a little more sense.