The 100 Greatest Colorado Rockies: 75 Juan Uribe
We continue our look at the top 100 Colorado Rockies of all time in this article. Here, we look at No. 75 on our list, Juan Uribe.
Juan Uribe never turned in to the premiere shortstop for the Colorado Rockies that his early career promised but he effectively took over for Neifi Perez, when he was traded to the Kansas City Royals. In the process he became one of the best Colorado Rockies shortstops of all time with his glove and his personality.
Uribe was scouted from the Dominican Republic and became a highly touted prospect coming into the 2001 season. Uribe started in the majors that year but was sent down to the Colorado Springs Sky Sox several times during the season.
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He played 72 games in 2001 batting .300 with eight home runs. Somewhat of an impressive feat considering he didn’t hit his first big league home run until August of his rookie season.
With more playing time in 2002, including 155 games, Uribe’s value went down hitting .240 with six homers. In 2003 in an injury shortened season, he started playing the outfield. Uribe finished his Rockies career with a 2.6 WAR. He was traded to the White Sox for Aaron Miles in that offseason.
The White Sox definitely won that trade. Uribe earned a 4.0 WAR his first year on the South Side of Chicago. The next year was even better as Uribe and the White Sox won the World Series. Uribe had more success not playing in a Rockies uniform and seemed to gravitate towards good teams.
He won the another World Championship with the 2010 San Francisco Giants and then played for many Dodger playoff teams until 2015 where he played for the Mets who reached the World Series. This past season he played for the Cleveland Indians although he was let go in August before the team reached one of the most epic World Series of all-time. As of publication he is a free agent.
Uribe was never the best player on the field but he always made his team better. He performed well in the highest pressure situations. He is an affable man in the clubhouse constantly cracking jokes and dancing and one of the earliest memories kids who grew up as Rockies fans have of the shortstop position.
Hopefully Uribe is signed somewhere in 2017.
Check out the previous story in this list about number 76 Chad Bettis here.
