Juan Uribe to play first base as Dodgers face Cubs

PHOENIX – Juan Uribe will play first base Monday, as the Dodgers look at him as a potential backup for Adrian Gonzalez.

Uribe, 33, has played in 1,399 games over a dozen major league seasons and has never played first base.

“But, as you know, one has to do what they’re told,” he said.

Particularly Uribe, who is in danger of being released. Uribe is still owed $8 million, but that probably alone wouldn’t stop the deep-pocketed Dodgers from cutting him.

Uribe hit .199 over his first two seasons with the Dodgers. However, he remains an adequate fielder, leading the Dodgers to believe, or hope, that he could have some value as a utility man.

There isn’t a single projected starter in the lineup for the Dodgers, who will play on television for the first time this spring. Prime Ticket will televise the game against the Chicago Cubs, which starts at 12:05 p.m. The game can be heard in Spanish on 1020 AM.

Dodgers lineup: Dee Gordon SS, Skip Schumaker 2B, Jerry Hairston Jr. RF, Juan Uribe 1B, Nick Punto DH, Alex Castellanos CF, Ramon Castro C, Alfredo Amezaga 3B, Tony Gwynn Jr. LF. Chris Capuano P.

Relief pitchers available: Kevin Gregg, Matt Guerrier, Shawn Tolleson, Paco Rodriguez.

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