Getty Images From Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times comes word that the Rays are planning to exercise catcher Jose Molina‘s $1.8 million club option for the 2013 season. It was that or pay a $300,000 buyout.
Molina batted .223/.286/.355 with eight home runs and 32 RBI in 102 games this season for the Rays while playing his usual brand of steady defense. He had a .281/.342/.415 slash line in 2011 with Toronto.
The 37-year-old brother of Bengie and Yadier seems likely to serve as a backup for Tampa Bay again in 2013, but he could take on a more involved role if the Rays can’t find themselves a front-line catcher on the open market this winter. There won’t be many available.
Molina has a .618 career OPS against righties and a .662 OPS against lefties, so a platoon is a possibility.
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- raysfan1 - Oct 30, 2012 at 10:08 PM
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No brainer
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- vincecully - Oct 30, 2012 at 10:23 PM
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That’s the first picture of Jose where I can see a resemblance to Yadier.
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- Gardenhire's Cat - Oct 30, 2012 at 11:49 PM
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The headline is a bit off, as Molina’s option is $1.8 million regardless of the buyout.
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- Rockie D. Bull - Oct 31, 2012 at 10:36 AM
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I am not in favor of this move, Keppinger would have been a better choice to move to catcher than resigning the lame, over-the-hill, washed up (except for the Rays) Molina. The Rays need a better answer at catcher and it is not the ancient Jose.
