Per rotoworld:

According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, trade talks involving Jose Lobataon are "picking up."

The Rays re-signed Jose Molina over the winter and acquired Ryan Hanigan from the Reds, so the assumption is that Lobaton will be moved before the start of the season. Topkin writes that the Diamondbacks, Indians, Rockies, White Sox, Mets, and Nationals are among the clubs who have interest or have a need behind the plate. The 29-year-old hit .249/.320/.394 with seven home runs and 32 RBI in 100 games last season.

Would I like to have him? Yes.

 

Would I be willing to give up anybody valuable for him? No.

Would I like to have him? Yes.

 

Would I be willing to give up anybody valuable for him? No.

Yup.

I know this has been beaten to death, but if you're not making a run at the pennant don't you have to see what you have with Phegley for a season?

Would I like to have him? Yes.

 

Would I be willing to give up anybody valuable for him? No.

 

This, or just say no.

Conor Gillaspie would be at the upper range of prices I'm willing to pay

I know this has been beaten to death, but if you're not making a run at the pennant don't you have to see what you have with Phegley for a season?

 

I think you always need to be looking to buy low on talent. If the Rays aren't getting any good offers for Lobaton and the Sox can get him without giving up anybody in the long-term plans, you have to make that move. Maybe Lobaton turns into something. Maybe a contender's catcher goes down mid-season and you can flip him for a better prospect. Getting Lobaton doesn't mean that you can't still get a good look at Phegley.

Its so disappointing that I am excited about the possibility of Jose Lobaton. We might as well see if Gillaspie can catch. I feel like Lobaton's ceiling is rather "Gillaspian".

Its so disappointing that I am excited about the possibility of Jose Lobaton. We might as well see if Gillaspie can catch. I feel like Lobaton's ceiling is rather "Gillaspian".

 

But it's Gillaspie type production at the black hole of offensive efficiency we know as a "White Sox catcher."

Conor Gillaspie would be at the upper range of prices I'm willing to pay

 

No way. Highest I would go is Snodgrass or Nester Molina.

No way. Highest I would go is Snodgrass or Nester Molina.

 

Gillaspie doesn't have a future on this team with Davidson in the organization. Even if Davidson doesn't pan out, a slashline of .245/.305/.390 isn't going to cut it at 3B in the AL.

Considering Gillaspie may well be DFA'd by midseason if the Sox can't move Keppinger, you'd have to consider Gillaspie for Lobaton. That said, a llow level pitcher may be more enticing for the Rays, and I'd be glad to give one up. Snodgress? Eh, sure.

I would try and eat some of Keppinger's contract and send him out, but yeah, Gillaspie would work. There's no way I'd give up Snodgress, and I'm not even that high on him.

Hopefully they really loved Keppinger and we can pay a lot of his contract for Lobaton.

If you believe Hahn and his plan for the future then where does Loboton fit in with this team? He said he wants to look at long term fixes and not one or two years. That was the reason for not signing AJP again. I think we may be looking at Phegley and Flowers as the platoon at catcher. Now if we start talking a trade or free agent signing for a starting pitcher that throws right handed then we might actually have something to discuss.

No way. Highest I would go is Snodgrass or Nester Molina.

Molina yes, Snodgress no. Snodgress could be an effective lefty reliever soon. But screw it, Lobaton sucks.

Edited February 5, 201412 yr by Stan Bahnsen

I wouldn't give up anyone even remotely interesting for Lobaton. He's not a solution. If we were a contender and needed a platoon partner then it would be different. I would definitely not come even close to what the Rays would consider fair value & really only a contender type should. And for them the price might be worth it.

No way. Highest I would go is Snodgrass or Nester Molina.

Those two are on different levels. Molina has, at this point, zero trade value. Sondgress has some, he's a legit prospect, and I'd be hesitant to trade him for Lobaton.

 

The Castros and Jasos of the world seem like pipe dreams at this point, so I'd absolutely "settle" for Lobaton. At the very least he can take a walk.

The Castros and Jasos of the world seem like pipe dreams at this point, so I'd absolutely "settle" for Lobaton. At the very least he can take a walk.

 

True, but maybe not by June or so. I'll be ticked if we don't have a different catcher by the trade deadline.

 

True, but maybe not by June or so. I'll be ticked if we don't have a different catcher by the trade deadline.

 

May as well see what the guys can do. You may end up pleasantly surprised. Or get what you expected and be ticked.

True, but maybe not by June or so. I'll be ticked if we don't have a different catcher by the trade deadline.

 

Maybe, maybe not. Lobaton could also emerge with regular playing time, something he's never really gotten. Or perhaps he can still be the ~.230/.320 hitter he's been the last 2 years and the Sox still end up making a trade in June or so.

 

Pretty much if it comes at the sacrifice of a guy like Keppinger or Gillaspie it really wouldn't hurt the team to give him a shot since those guys don't have a future here anyway.

 

Now if the plan is to keep the Keppspie platoon with hopes that they can build trade value while Davidson gets some seasoning then I'd be curious as to what else the Rays might want. If they'll take the Simon Castros or Nestor Molinas of the Sox org then I still see no risk in bringing him in.

Gillaspie doesn't have a future on this team with Davidson in the organization. Even if Davidson doesn't pan out, a slashline of .245/.305/.390 isn't going to cut it at 3B in the AL.

I disagree he can play a solid CI and he still has the potential to be a 2WAR player. At the very least he is a respectable solution off the bench and left handed something this team sorely lacks. I posted in another thread but a bench for '14 and 15 of Danks, Garcia & Gillaspie and possibly Nieto is very respectable and cheap, capable of producing 1.5-2WAR.

Gillaspie isn't a proven stiff yet, so no use selling low. If he has a good year, we'll have more currency. If not, then that will be that. Things are looking good for the new team so far, except at C and probably SP where we are thin (I hope we put some young guys in the pen, and they develop and can start in a year or 2). Not bad for 1 year into rebuilding.

No use using assets for mediocre players at this point.

 

Lobaton hit .249 with 7 homers. That sucks. Yes, not as much as Flowers, but it still sucks. You can't give talent for that.

I will also note that the Nats are considering this guy...more reason why I believe Nieto will be on the ML roster, as making a trade will be difficult.

Edited February 6, 201412 yr by GreenSox