Juan Uribe: 2015 NL Champion Mets Big Time Utility Player (2015)

Juan Cespedes Uribe Tena was born March 22nd, 1979, in the Dominican Republic. 

The right-handed infielder would go on to play second, third & short stop in his long career. Uribe began playing professionally in 1997 at just 18 years old.

MLB Career: In 2001 Uribe would debut with the Colorado Rockies, hitting 11 triples with 15 doubles 8 HRs & 53 RBIs while batting .300 in 72 games. The next year he batted just .240 & struck out 120 times as the Rockies everyday short stop playing in 155 games.  After one more season in Colorado he was traded to the Chicago White Sox for Aaron Miles.

Uribe played five seasons for the White Sox hitting over twenty HRs & driving in 70 plus runs three times. In the White Sox 2005 World Championship team Uribe batted .252 with 16 HRs 23 doubles & 71 RBIs. 

2005 Post Season: In the ALDS win over the Boston Red Sox, Uribe homered in Game #1 driving in three runs in the Sox 14-2 rout. He hit safely in every game of the series sweep & drove in another run in the clinching 5-3 game #3 victory. In the ALCS he hit safely in four of the five games against the Anaheim Angels.

2005 World Series: In Game #1 of the World Series victory over the Houston Astros, he doubled in a run in the 2nd inning off Roger Clemmens in the 5-3 Chicago win.  

In Game #2 his 2nd inning RBI sac fly put Chicago ahead 2-1 in their 7-6 victory. 

In the 9th inning of Game #4 he made a leaping catch diving into the stands for a pop fly off the bat of Chris Burke for the second out in the 1-0 win clinching the series.

In the posts season Uribe collected 12 post season hits. 

In 2009 Uribe signed a two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants. That season he batted .289  with 26 doubles 16 HRs & 55 RBIs. Uribe put up his best power numbers in the Giants 2010 Championship Season with career highs in HRs (24) & RBIs (85) with 24 doubles although his average fell to .248. 

2010 Post Season: In Game #4 of the NLDS against the Braves, Uribe's fielder's choice in the 8th inning brought home Aubrey Huff with the game tying run. The Giants won the game & clinched the series. 

In the NLCS win over Philadelphia, Uribe's 8th inning HR in Game #6 HR off Ryan Madson at Citizens Bank Park, broke a 2-2 tie & was the game winning run. The Giants won the series four games to one, advancing to the World Series. Although he had just three hits Uribe drove in three runs in that NLCS.

2010 World Series: In the World Series win over the Texas Rangers, in Game #1 Uribe hit a three run HR off Darren O'Day at San Francisco, in a wild 11-7 Giants win. 

In Game #2 he drove in two more runs in in Matt Cain's 9-0 shut out. The Giants would win the series in five games as Uribe had his second championship.

Uribe's next stop was with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he spent parts of five seasons making two more post seasons. In L.A. he became more of a reserve player in those years.

2013 Post Season: In 2013 he had another fine post season, hitting two HRs against the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS. In Game #4, with LA down 3-2, he hit a two-run 8th inning HR off David Carpenter which proved to be the game winner & series clinching win. He would drive in three more runs in the NLCS loss to the St. Louis Cards.

In 2015 he went from the Dodgers to the Atlanta Braves, then on July 24th he was traded along with Kelly Johnson to the New York Mets. He & Johnson would play key roles in participating to the Mets NL Championship.

Mets Career: At first when the deal was made the team was criticized for not making a bigger deal, that all changed on July 31st when they acquired Yoenis Cespedes.

Walk Off Hit: In just his second game as a Met, Uribe delivered a pinch it, walk off single off the Dodgers Kenley Jansen for an exciting 3-2 Mets win. 

Just two days later he hit his first Mets HR, which came in a 7-6 loss to the Padres. 

In August he began to get more playing time. On August 5th, he hit a HR off the Marlins Dave Phelps in a 8-6 win in South Florida. In his next game he homered off The Rays Jake Odorizzi putting up the Mets first run in a 4-3 win.

In mid-August he drove in runs in three of four games, hitting his fourth Mets HR in that time as well.  

On August 22nd he had two hits with a HR & two RBIs in a 14-9 Mets win at Coors Field. On August 30th, his 6th inning two run double off the Red Sox Wade Miley, put the Mets ahead in what would be a 5-4 win. For the 

Mets big month of August where they took over first place, Uribe was a huge contributor, hitting 5 HRs & driving in 13 runs.

On September 10th, he had a big three hit, three RBI Day in a 7-2 Mets win at Atlanta. 

On September 18th, in the subway series he came into the game as a pinch hitter in the 7th inning & hit a two run HR off Chasen Shreve helping the Mets in a 5-1 win over the AL New York team. 

Sadly, on September 23rd he suffered a chest contusion & missed out on the final days of the season. He had to be left off the initial post season roster for the NLDS & NLCS.

2015 World Series: Uribe was activated for the 2015 World Series & as often did, made the most of being on the big stage.

In Game #3 he collected a 6th inning pinch hit single off Franklin Morales, bringing in Juan Lagares for the Mets sixth run of the game. Uribe would score on David Wright's two run single.

In 2016 he was let go to free agency & closed out his career with the Cleveland Indians, playing until August when he was released by the AL Champions.

Career Stats: In his16 year career he batted .255 with 199 HRs 1568 hits 323 doubles 43 triples & 816 RBIs. Uribe struck out 1224 times with 388 walks, a .301 on base % & .719 OPS in 1826 games.

Uribe played 917 games at short stop 644 at third base & 228 at second base with seven games in the DH spot.

Uribe has won two World Series titles, played in three World Series & played in six post seasons. He also won two defensive Player Awards.

Family: Juan & his wife Anna have four children.