Uribe

A dark, low-hanging cloud of off-the-field distraction has parked itself over the Dodgers in recent weeks. But that hasn't slowed what has become the club's brightest and most consistent ray of sunshine: Andre Ethier and his blazing bat. The star right fielder socked a double to right field in the fifth inning of the Dodgers' 3-2 win against San Diego on Friday before 36,870 at Dodger Stadium, extending his hitting streak to 25 games, which...

With everything that has happened in the last few days, was it nice for the Dodgers to get out of Los Angeles? Don Mattingly laughed. "Are you kidding me?" the manager said. Temperatures at Dodger Stadium were in the 60s and 70s during the Dodgers' recently completed home stand. When Casey Coleman of the Chicago Cubs threw the first pitch in what turned out to be a 12-2 victory for the Dodgers on Friday, the thermometer at Wrigley Field read 41 degrees. But what pleased Mattingly was that the team was taking shape the way he had hoped it would.

Reporting from San Francisco When Juan Uribe walked from the visiting dugout toward the mound to receive his World Series ring, the fans at AT&T Park stood and applauded. Then again, had they booed him, they would have also had to boo the home team. Waiting for Uribe in front of the mound were his former San Francisco Giants teammates. The Giants originally had planned to hand Uribe his ring in a private meeting but changed course Monday after Manager Bruce Bochy , General Manager Brian Sabean , Managing General Partner Bill Neukom and some players discussed the matter.

AT THE PLATE: With opening day nearing, free agent addition Juan Uribe is starting to hit. Uribe was two for three with a home run and a double, raising his exhibition average to .317. Jamey Carroll also had a nice day at the plate, as he was two for three with a run. James Loney scored two runs. ON THE MOUND: Jonathan Broxton pitched a scoreless inning and Matt Guerrier retired the two batters he faced, but a couple of young relievers were brutalized. Scott Elbert gave up three runs, including one on a home run by Nick Hundley.

Reporting from Phoenix ? When the Dodgers' team bus departed from Camelback Ranch on Friday, Casey Blake stayed behind. With the third baseman's absence from the lineup nearing a week in duration, Manager Don Mattingly acknowledged that Blake could be on the disabled list on opening day. Mattingly, ever the diplomat, refused to speculate on the likelihood Blake would be unavailable when the Dodgers host the San Francisco Giants on...

AT THE PLATE: Juan Uribe, overcoming the physical "tightness" he has been feeling lately, doubled home two runs as the Dodgers ended a losing streak at eight games. Gabe Kapler singled in a run and Eugenio Velez singled home the winning run in the eighth inning. ON THE MOUND: Clayton Kershaw gave up 11 hits and six runs, five earned, in 52/3 innings. Hong-Chih Kuo, Blake Hawksworth and Ron Mahay each pitched a scoreless inning. EXTRA BASES: Kershaw was the first of the Dodgers' starting pitchers to bat this spring; he struck out and had a sacrifice bunt.

In times of crisis, some people turn to God. Some visit therapists. Juan Uribe leaned on his late cousin. Or, as Uribe prefers to call him, his uncle. Not long before Uribe, 31, parlayed his World Series heroics of last fall into a three-year, $21-million deal with the Dodgers, he was dangerously close to adding himself to the long list of baseball's premature washouts. Two springs ago, Uribe was in the San Francisco Giants' camp on a minor league contract. "The toughest time of my career," he said.

The San Francisco Giants wanted to hold onto Juan Uribe ? enough to where they made the infielder a last-minute offer similar to the three-year, $21-million contract he ended up signing with the Dodgers, according to a baseball source who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation. Uribe passed a physical Tuesday to finalize his contract, which will pay him $5 million next year, $8 million in 2012 and $7 million in 2013. He will receive the final $1 million in 2014.

The Dodgers are on the verge of their fourth significant signing of what has been a surprisingly active off-season after reaching an agreement Monday with infielder Juan Uribe on a three-year, $21-million deal. One of the stars of the San Francisco Giants' run to the World Series title, Uribe is scheduled to undergo a physical examination Tuesday. If he passes, that would make the contract official, according to baseball sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal wasn't finalized.

Different time. Different team. Familiar feeling. Juan Uribe and Aaron Rowand, teammates on the 2005 Chicago White Sox, one of the most remarkable postseason units in the baseball history, are up to their old tricks, this time with the San Francisco Giants. Uribe, Rowand and the unusual cast and crew of strong-armed pitchers and role players surrounding them have given the Giants a 2-0 edge in a World Series that the Texas Rangers' fans had awaited for 39 seasons. This is eerily similar to '05, when the White Sox won two at home before going to Houston, where the Astros were involved in their first Series, which came in their 44th season.