Atlanta Braves infielder Alberto Callaspo was going to be traded to the Dodgers for 36-year-old Juan Uribe, and then he wasn’t after exercising his no-trade clause. And then he changed his mind and now he’s a Dodger and Uribe is with the Braves.

Simple, right?

But why all the confusion about going from a third place sub-.500 team to a first place team?

“Because that was a surprise to me,” Callaspo said about the trade during an impromptu press conference prior to Wednesday night’s game against the very team that just traded him. “At that time I [didn’t like the idea] and decided to go home and get my stuff. But the next day I [knew] I was going with the best team, so I’m going to go.”

New Dodgers utility infielder Alberto Callaspo met with the media prior to Wednesday night’s game.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Callaspo, a 10-year MLB veteran, is a natural third baseman, the same position that Juan Uribe found himself the odd man out at and third on the Dodgers depth chart behind Justin Turner and Alex Guerrero, and the likely landing spot of Cuban superstar Hector Olivera in a few short weeks. So where does the 32-year-old Maracay, Venezuela native see himself fitting in?

“I talked to [Dodgers manager Don] Mattingly and I told him I play second, third, first – anywhere I’m going to be available for him,” Callaspo said. “I’m just going to be waiting for my chance. I’ll be here.”

Dodgers President of Baseball Operations was a bit more definitive on the role that Callaspo will play with his new team.

“Obviously from our stand point Cas (Callaspo) was a guy that fits our current roster really well – switch-hitter, can play third base, second base, first base, so that added versatility kind of extends our bench a little bit,” said Friedman. “He’s just that kind of coming of the bench, being a left-handed presence for right now with [Carl] Crawford out.

“We’ve been lacking a left-handed presence, we’ve been playing with a shorter bench for a month now,” added Friedman. “So having versatility if and when we go back to that only helps. So kind of spot-starting at first, second, third serving as a layer of depth and a pinch-hitter off the bench.”

Across the diamond, new Braves third baseman Juan Uribe was in the starting line-up. Does he have any hard feeling about being traded by the team he loved playing for?

“I’m very happy and very excited,” Uribe said through an interpreter. “I want to thank the fans [for] the way they treated me, they treated me very well. I really enjoyed being with the Dodgers.”

Prior to Wednesday night’s game the Dodgers offered a video tribute to the man that is affectionately know as Papi. It was met with a standing ovation.

Former Dodgers third baseman Juan Uribe tips his hats to Dodger fans who gave him a standing ovation prior to Wednesday night’s game against his former team.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

We “luh ya Papi.”