The Los Angeles Dodgers stayed busy Monday, as they appear to have secured the services of free-agent infielder Juan Uribe for the next three seasons at a cost of roughly $21 million.

Uribe helped lead the charge for the World Series champion San Francisco Giants in 2010, belting 24 home runs and playing three infield positions well defensively.

Uribe’s loss makes the Giants’ quest to add a shortstop even more urgent, and it likely spells the end for Ryan Theriot (a fellow middle infielder who was a serious candidate to be non-tendered this winter anyway) in Dodger blue.

In terms of its on-field impact, though, how important is this signing? Are the Dodgers gaining serious ground on the Giants? Did they just steal a key cog in San Francisco’s success?

There are a lot of angles to cover in dissecting the two teams’ off-season activities so far, and it really is tough to say which team would be stronger if the season started tomorrow.

Read on to see just what it all means.

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