Teams still looking at adding to their hitting platoon are the Cleveland Indians and San Francisco Giants, both interested in signing Juan Uribe, although right now it’s difficult seeing the financial differences being bridged.
Uribe has 15 seasons of Major League Baseball on his arms and legs, including two World Series Rings, 192 home runs and a bunch of other pretty impressive numbers that he has been hoping gets him a deal by now, when we’re already in the second week of February. But Uribe seems to think that teams are stuck in 2013, when he last signed a contract. Things have changed, and not in his favor, especially when it’s this close to the season starting and him still being without a contract.
As Marty McFly put it when talking about a Chuck Berry song, Uribe is an oldie (almost 37) but also a goodie. In 119 games last season he still hit 14 home runs while batting .253 and posted a .737 OPS. He has two World Series runs and rings to boast (including with the Giants), and did well on the New York Mets at least in terms of power while helping them make the playoffs last season, with six home runs in 44 games. He’s still a very useful player, but it comes down to the money he’s asking for, and teams aren’t putting a lot of cash on the table for veterans at this point, certainly not paying them above market value.
He made $6.5 million last season as he played for the Braves, Dodgers and Mets last season. He’s looking for something very close to that, which is why the Indians $3 million, one-year offer is so insulting to him and why the Giants, open to signings but not ones that cost a lot of money any more, are weary of bringing back a player who did very well for them in his two years there (2009-2010).
Uribe is another one of those veterans we mentioned in the previous article (White Sox & Cubs after outfielders) that’s probably failing to adjust to a new situation in Major League Baseball, taking tips from the NFL & NBA in how veterans and their experience is being valued. From the looks of it now, Uribe is going to take a team-friendly contract when it’s all said and done. There’s just not that much demand for a 37-year old third baseman or designated hitter for the kind of money he’s asking for.