Getting to know Mets infielder Juan Uribe

In an effort to improve their lineup, the Mets acquired Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson from from the Braves. Uribe figures to be the team's regular third baseman, at least so long as David Wright remains sidelined by the condition of his back. The latest news on that front is that Wright is scheduled to resume baseball activities in New York next week, but Uribe should be a capable replacement at third if Wright isn't able to make his way back.

Uribe was signed by the Colorado Rockies as an amateur free agents before some of the Mets' 2015 draft class was born. After making his professional debut in 1998, he moved up the Rockies' minor league ranks and made his major league debut in 2001. He spent three season with the Rockies before they traded him to the White Sox. He spent five seasons there—and was part of a World Series championship in 2005—before hitting free agency and signing with the Giants before the 2009 season. And he was part of the Giants' 2010 World Series championship, too. Being part of a World Series team does not necessarily make a player great, of course, but Uribe has been a part of two of those teams.

When Uribe hit free agency following his stint with the Giants, he signed with the Dodgers. He remained there for a few years before the Dodgers traded him to the Braves earlier this season. He had an up-and-down time in Los Angeles, and for some insight on that, here's what Eric Stephen of True Blue LA had to say about Uribe:

It is impossible not to love Juan Uribe if he plays for your team. Uribe first came to the Dodgers with a disaster of a contract (3 years, $21 million) and his first two years in Los Angeles were beyond terrible. Yet, he endured and was a solid teammate, and starting in 2013 started to rebound. He reclaimed the third base job, hit a game-winning home run to win the NLDS, and was very productive for the next two years. The turnaround from reviled to beloved was astounding. Uribe might not have his old range, but still has magical hands on defense and is a poster boy for accurate throws to first base. You will absolutely love Uribe, regardless of his production, and he still has enough left in the tank to produce. His tenure will be marked by leather shirts, a generally hilarious wardrobe, and likely several pictures of Uribe with a cigar in his mouth for no real reason at all. Enjoy the ride.

Uribe's career numbers don't jump off the page. He's hit .257/.303/.421 in fifteen season in the big leagues. But he's been a better hitter over the past few years—especially since he turned things around with the Dodgers—than he was earlier in his career. Since the beginning of the 2013 season, Uribe has been an above-league-average hitter. The Mets don't have many of those, and he is an upgrade over what the team has had. And while a player's likability is not his most important trait, it sounds like Uribe could quickly become a fan favorite—assuming he continues to hit the way he has over the past two-plus seasons.