Sox acquire Juan Uribe for Miles

[PWSox87]

The sox traded Aaron Miles for Juan Uribe

 

White Sox get Uribe from Rockies for minor league star Miles

 

Dec. 2, 2003

SportsLine.com wire reports

 

CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox bolstered their infield depth Tuesday, getting Juan Uribe from the Colorado Rockies for minor league infielder Aaron Miles.

 

 

Uribe hit .253 with a career-high 10 homers and 33 RBI for the Rockies last season. He missed the first two months of the season with a broken bone in his left foot.

 

Uribe started 286 games at shortstop the past three seasons, and also made 11 starts at second base last year.

 

But he'll likely be primarily a backup in Chicago. The White Sox already have veteran shortstop Jose Valentin, and they hope to re-sign second baseman Roberto Alomar.

 

"In the short term, Juan gives us an experienced utility player who can deliver, plus defensive skills at both shortstop and second base," White Sox general manager Kenny Williams said. "In the long term, we believe Juan has a high upside as an everyday shortstop in the major leagues."

 

Uribe is a career .258 hitter in three seasons in Colorado.

 

Miles spent most of the season at Triple-A Charlotte, where he was chosen as the International League rookie of the year. The switch-hitter batted .304 and led the league with a club-record 166 hits. He also hit 11 homers and had 50 RBI.

 

Miles made his major league debut Sept. 11, and hit .333 with two RBI in eight games for the White Sox.

 

"We've identified a certain type of player we want to add to our roster, and Aaron possesses a lot of the intangibles we want," Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd said. "He's a tough, hard-nosed, aggressive kid. We think he has a chance to be a good major league player."

 

O'Dowd said the Rockies are looking to use Miles primarily at second base.

 

http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/story/6886326

 

 

 

what do u think of this tade???

COuld Valentin be going and uribe starting?

I always liked Aaron Miles though

[BrandoFan]

what do u think of this tade???

COuld Valentin be going and uribe starting?

I always liked Aaron Miles though

 

Don't count on it. Jose is not going anywhere, shouldn't've paid him in the first place. As long as he hits LH exclusively, no biggie.

 

Uribe would bring similar speed and bunting ability to Robbie, will be a terrific defensive 2B and at least a 750 OPS player (which Robbie hasnt been in 2 years now) versus lefties. You can give Willie RHP duty.

 

All at tenth of what Robbie will be asking.

[Chisoxfn]

It really says something when Brando agrees that Jose isn't worth 5 mill. All I ever did during the season was argue with ya Brando on Jose's uselessness, lol.

[quickman]

Didn't KW say the same thing about jimenez. He was suppose to be our shortstop this year. Can we ever bring up anyone in our org. Don't we believe in anyone down there. All this trade told me was Graf is gone, miles who I would have liked to see is gone, and now we won't go and get a real shortstop. Looks like part of the dodger trade is done.

[BrandoFan]

It really says something when Brando agrees that Jose isn't worth 5 mill.

 

With the way our payroll situ is unfolding, there is hardly a player we can afford to pay 5 Mill to.....save for Loaiza, Maggs, Lee and Hurt of course. Still, if you thought Jose's value topped out at 1-1.5 Mill, you were out of your mind.

 

All I ever did during the season was argue with ya Brando on Jose's uselessness, lol.

 

Lets see: improved (thanks to Santana can now be considered mediocre) defense + good overall baserunning + at least 800 OPS offense if he ever decides to hit LH exclusively == worthless? Can bunt too if I recall, tho not as proficent as Robbie, few players are.

 

Secondary numbers? Was not clutch in 2003 by any means, but his 4-year average with RISP while with the Sox is STILL over .300, including almost 350 with bases loaded.

 

Kills the Cubs. Kills the Royals. Thrives on Twins, tho not as much as the first two. The latter two will be our main opponents in 2003, so every game against them counts as two naturally...

 

And let's face it, is one of the few if not onlyveterans on this team with fire and actual clubhouse personality. Counts for something, sometimes.

[BrandoFan]

Didn't KW say the same thing about jimenez. He was suppose to be our shortstop this year

 

Jimenez was a terrible defensive 2B (let alone SS) while Uribe is considered a truly gifted if mental lapse-prone defensive SS. World of a difference, right there.

 

Jimenez was one of the stupidest baserunners in the game, while Uribe is very efficient even if not exactly speedy.

 

Jimenez couldn't bunt. Uribe can.

 

Offensively, Jimenez was much better versus RHP, but Uribe is still improving and already hits lefties pretty well. His success against righties will largely determine whether he is a steal or not. And if Willie starts hitting righties (I believe he will be a revelation next season), Uribe will be a nice platoon player who makes next to nothing.

[winninguglyin83]

Uribe is definitely worth Miles.

 

Miles was a career minor leaguer and very ordinary fielder.

 

We got him as a rule 5 guy. I believe he's played 7 or 8 minor league seasons and never reached the bigs until last fall..

 

Uribe might be a bust because he's got terrible plate discipline.

 

But you gotta figure Ozzie recommended this move because he saw the guy play in the NL the last two seasons and figures he has potential.

 

It's not going to win the division, but it's a plus move.

[BrandoFan]

Miles was a career minor leaguer and very ordinary fielder.

 

Jimenez-esque baserunning instincts. Fielding? Possibly even worse than either Graffanino or Jimenez. Hitting? No way to tell at this point. Could be 650 OPS, could be 750.

 

 

Uribe might be a bust because he's got terrible plate discipline

 

Aginst lefties, he's more than passable. He is also young, Colorado made him learn at the bigs, idiots. I like him platooning with Willie Harris and pushing each other.

[winninguglyin83]

AGain, here is what ESPN.com's minor league guru said about Uribe two years ago when he was considered a top prospect:

 

Steve B. writes: What's your opinion of shortstop Juan Uribe of the Colorado Rockies? His progress this season was very impressive as he posted a good average and power numbers, and he draws rave reviews for his fielding. But I'm concerned about his plate discipline (eight BB and 55 SO in 273 AB). Is he a future All-Star or do you think he'll struggle once NL pitchers figure him out?

 

 

Uribe hit .336 with a .586 slugging percentage at Coors Field, but just .269 with a .469 slugging percentage on the road. His OBP splits were .356/.298. Obviously, the thin air helps him tremendously, but while his OBP is weak on the road, he still showed some pop there. He's a better hitter than Neifi Perez, at least, and given his age (just 21), he has a lot of development time ahead of him. His defense is excellent, so he'll stay in the lineup for a long time even if he doesn't improve offensively. As you point out, strike zone judgment is his biggest weakness. If Uribe doesn't improve his plate discipline, I wouldn't expect him to improve much. But even mild progress will help him, and given his age, that is quite possible. It wouldn't surprise me to see Uribe make some All-Star teams, though whether he develops into a genuine star, or just a Coors Field-boosted player, depends on the strike zone judgment.

 

last season he had something like 17 walks in 316 at bats, so his strike zone command has remained horrible.

[BrandoFan]

With the way our payroll situ is unfolding, there is hardly a player we can afford to pay 5 Mill to.....save for Loaiza, Maggs, Lee and Hurt of course. Still, if you thought Jose's value topped out at 1-1.5 Mill,  you were out of your mind.

 

 

 

Lets see:    improved (thanks to Santana can now be considered mediocre) defense + good overall baserunning + at least 800 OPS offense if he ever decides to hit LH exclusively == worthless? Can bunt too if I recall, tho not as proficent as Robbie, few players are.

 

Secondary numbers? Was not clutch in 2003 by any means, but his 4-year average with RISP while with the Sox is STILL over .300, including almost 350 with bases loaded. 

 

Kills the Cubs.  Kills the Royals.  Thrives on Twins, tho not as much as the first two. The latter two will be our main opponents in 2003, so every game against them counts as two naturally...

 

And let's face it, is one of the few if not onlyveterans on this team with fire and actual clubhouse personality. Counts for something, sometimes.

So yeah, we over-paid, but it could've been worse-- KOCK, White, Konerko, Navarro, Clayton, Parque, etc.

[quickman]

Jimenez was a terrible defensive 2B (let alone SS) while Uribe is considered a truly gifted if mental lapse-prone defensive SS. World of a difference, right there.

 

Jimenez was one of the stupidest baserunners in the game, while Uribe is very efficient even if not exactly speedy. 

 

Jimenez couldn't bunt.  Uribe can.

 

Offensively, Jimenez was much better versus RHP, but Uribe is still improving and already hits lefties pretty well. His success against righties will largely determine whether he is a steal or not. And if Willie starts hitting righties (I believe he will be a revelation next season), Uribe will be a nice platoon player who makes next to nothing.

Brando,

 

Inknow what Jimenez truned out to be. I jsut think its funny that KW is saying the same thing two years in a row. Well see.

[cwsox]

It really says something when Brando agrees that Jose isn't worth 5 mill.  All I ever did during the season was argue with ya Brando on Jose's uselessness, lol.

Personally, I am stunned.

[Chisoxfn]

Personally, I am stunned.  

Brando...I gotta say though, i do agree a lot with your post on Jose. He isn't the worse, I just gripe because of what he gets paid.

[BrandoFan]

Brando...I gotta say though, i do agree a lot with your post on Jose.  He isn't the worse, I just gripe because of what he gets paid.

The thing about Jose is that people loved him a little too much when the team was winning and he was one of the best clutch hitters (especially against Cubs, Twins and Royals, 3 of our biggest rivals) we had for 3 straight years.

 

But when the team was losing and he finally fell to Earth in clutch situations, people turned on Jose more than I ever remember them turning on anyone. As if he was supposed to be this all-star, all-around SS who would single-handedly beat teams and transform everyone around him into winners with his magical leadership......Guess what? You want Garciappara, Jeter, A-Rod production and a ton of intangibles? Be prepared to shell out 15-25 Mill a year. Simple as that.

 

(Of course Jose didn't help his cause by insisting on hitting RH all these years when he could probably bunt for higher OPS from the left side, lolol )

 

People point to his .240 BA, and I point to a solid 810 four-year cumulative OPS, very good clutch indicators in that span and solid RBI production for a #2/7 spot hitter.

 

People point to relative lack of steals, and I point to all the times he took second without benefit of a steal on a dirt bounce or went from 1st to 3rd (including a few times on a bunt), scored from second on a single and from 3rd on one of Borchard's shallow pop ups...You get the idea.

 

People point to 20 errors. I point to his range (second among all SS in ZoneRating), ability to turn a tough DP and make a forceout on a play where some SS safely go to 1st or don't make a throw at all in fear of getting an error..........or the simple fact that, as the recent geocities soxnotes link by Sox fan Jim proved, unlike say Jimenez or Crede, most of his errors are harmless-- as far as error can be harmless, anyway.

 

Again, if you were hoping he would take less than 2 Mil, you were simply kidding yourself.

[Pastime]

Well, I wanted the Sox to make a move - any move.

 

However, I had my sights set for something a "wee bit more exciting."

 

But at least a move was made, which proves that Kenny is still breathing.

[YASNY]

With Ozzie and Joey Cora around for Uribe to relate too, this could really be a steal in the long run. Even Valentin might contribute in this area. If he had all-star potential prior to 2002, now at age 24 you would figure he still has potential. Now I'm not saying this guy will make the AL all-star team as a SS. To many big bats at that position, but he could turn out to be a very quality pick up.

 

Or he could be a bust. As for losing Miles, I've always liked the guy. He impressed me in spring training last year. My thoughts were that he might just have been a late bloomer. But, most people in here never thought he had much of a shot because it took him so long to become a solid minor league hitter. The fact that he stepped up from AA to AAA and still had a solid season impressed me. It showed that 2002 was not a fluke season. It will be interesting to see how he does in the NL.

[SuperSteve]

I like it, I like it alot.

[elrockinMT]

Didn't KW say the same thing about jimenez. He was suppose to be our shortstop this year. Can we ever bring up anyone in our org. Don't we believe in anyone down there. All this trade told me was Graf is gone, miles who I would have liked to see is gone, and now we won't go and get a real shortstop. Looks like part of the dodger trade is done.

At first blush I do not like this trade of Miles for Uribe. However, reading other posts I agree that Miles is a career minor leaguer and limited to 2B. However, his bat and aggressive nature make him a player that could make a difference. Uribe on the other hand comes with the same analysis that was associated with D Jimenez. KW raved about Jimenez and he is raving about Uribe. I gues we will see what affect our new manager has on this type of player. I have concerns though that Kenny Williams undervalues our talent and overvalues someone elses in cases like this. But, what is done is done and I hope Uribe can raise above my suspicions.