No one will argue that 34-year-old third baseman Juan Uribe had a great season in 2013; so great, in fact, that many believe that he was absolutely robbed of a Gold Glove by 22-year-old Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado. When you realize that Uribe made only five errors in 297 chances for a .983 FPCT in 123 games compared to Arenado’s 11 errors in 411 chances for a .973 FPCT in 130 games, it’s clear to see that MLB managers and coaches flat out blew it when selecting the Gold Glove winner at third base.

The biggest injustice this awards season was denying Juan Uribe the Gold Glove that he rightfully deserved at third base. (Photo credit – Gary A. Vasquez)

Unfortunately, no one will also argue that for the first two seasons of Uribe’s ridiculous three-year/$21 million contract with the Dodgers, he absolutely sucked. So bad was Uribe that rarely did a day go by where someone in the Dodgers media corps wasn’t calling for him to be designated for assignment and sent packing.

But instead of cutting Uribe loose and much to their credit, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti and manager Don Mattingly stood by their man through the bad times and the worse times until Uribe finally turned things around in the final year of his questionable contract – and we’re talking turning things around BIG time. So drastic was Uribe’s turnaround that beat writers kidded that the Dodgers paid Uribe nothing for the first two seasons of his contract and then $21 million for his third season.

Aside from Uribe’s stellar defense at third base which was, at times, almost alien-like, his finest moment as a Dodger came in Game-4 of the 2013 NLDS when, after falling behind in the count 2-2 on two failed bunt attempts (what was Don Mattingly thinking?), he launched an 84-MPH slider deep into the Dodgers bullpen for a game-winning 2-run home run to clinch the Division Series.

Uribe etched his name in Dodger lore with his game-winning home run in Game-4 of the 2013 NLDS.
(Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

All of this being said and in spite of Uribe’s horrible first two seasons with the Dodgers (and more importantly his age), Juan Uribe is seeking a three-year contract as a free agent. Now granted, the free agent market for third basemen this off-season is rather thin, but it seems highly unlikely that any team would be willing to go more than a one-year or a one-year plus an option year (or performance bonuses) for the 34-year-old Palenque, Dominican Republic native – including the Dodgers.

There isn’t a better clubhouse guy or a better veteran presence than Juan Uribe – not one. He always has a smile on his face and keeps the Dodger clubhouse light and in stitches. Between he and Hyun-jin Ryu and Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez, it is impossible to walk out of the Dodger clubhouse without shaking your head and laughing. And while you can’t really put a dollar value on this type of thing or ignore its importance, re-signing Uribe beyond a one-plus-one contract term would be crazy – especially with the Dodgers looking for a long-term solution at third base. And with Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager on the Dodgers radar and Kyle’s younger brother Corey Seager within two years of being MLB-ready, and with the recent signing of Cuban superstar shortstop/second baseman Alexander Guerrero, and a likely contract extension in the works for Hanley Ramirez  this off-season, the Dodgers simply do not need Juan Uribe for more than one full season at third base.

If Ramirez is given the three or four-year contract extension that many believe he will get, Hanley will most likely (eventually) be moved over to third base, with Guerrero moving back to shortstop when Corey Seager is ready to take over at second base, which may happen as early as the 2015 season. If the scenario unfolds like this, Uribe would become a utility bench player, albeit a bench player with some pop – something that the Dodgers have desperately needed for years.

The bottom line is that while there may be teams out there willing to sign Uribe to a one, one-plus-one, or perhaps even a two-year contract, there aren’t any that I am aware of who would be willing to sign him to a three or four-year deal – most certainly not the Dodgers. Keep in mind that both Ned Colletti and Dodgers President and CEO Stan Kasten have made it very clear that the are planning to “get younger” in the immediate future and re-signing Uribe for more than one season goes entirely against this logic.

As much as Uribe’s teammates and Dodger fans want Uribe back, he needs to re-examine and re-evaluate his last three season very closely and make a wise decision here… and soon – because if he waits too long, even a one or two year deal will drop in value if he holds out for a three-year offer that may never come.