Nov. 29, 2010
URBANARCHIVEGIANTS PAGEGIANTSVIDEOMychael UrbanCSNBayArea.com
SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants pool of candidates for the starting shortstop job in 2011 shrunk by one Monday, as free-agent infielder Juan Uribe agreed to a three-year contract with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. Reports of the deals total worth range from 17 million-21 million. A source told CSNBayArea.com early Monday that the offer from L.A. features two guaranteed years at 7 million per season with a club option for 2013 that can be bought out for 3 million, while ESPN is reporting the guaranteed value of the deal at 21 million.A second big-league source told CSNBayArea.com that the Giants were offered an opportunity to match the Dodgers offer but promptly declined.
Ratto: Just BusinessThe Giants, who recently offered Uribe arbitration and will receive a compensatory draft pick in 2011 because Uribe was a Type B free agent, had been hoping to bring back Uribe on something closer to a two-year, 10 million deal. They werent willing to go higher or longer in part because they were concerned about the way his numbers dipped throughout 2010 season.Uribe batted .249 with a .310 on-base percentage, 24 home runs and 85 RBIs during the regular season, but his on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS) fell every month from April (.839) through August (.586) before a significant bounce in September (.736) that fed Uribes reputation as a clutch performer and helped the Giants overtake the Padres in the National League West.
SOUND OFF: "I would like to be one of the first to begin the 2011 chant... U-TRADER!!" -- kmh51
Giants fans thrilled to Uribes walkoff sacrifice fly against the Phillies in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series at AT&T Park and the home run he tagged to lead them to the NLCS-clinching victory in Philly in Game 6, but Uribe batted .137 (7-for-51) in the playoffs overall, and the Giants -- though respectful of what Uribe means to fans and his teammates -- were less than comfortable with the idea of him as their everyday replacement at shortstop for departed free agent and World Series MVP Edgar Renteria.The Dodgers reportedly are looking at Uribe as potential starter at second base but could end up using him in the super utility role in which Uribe thrived during his two seasons in San Francisco.
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