One day after the Tampa Bay Rays traded catcher John Jaso to the Seattle Mariners, they have signed a replacement, Jose Molina, according to a tweet from SI.com's Jon Heyman:
Jose Molina Signs With Tampa Bay Rays
@SI_JonHeyman
Jon Heyman Jose molina signs with #rays. Solid pickup. They know their defense down there.
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Perhaps the least-known of the catching Molina brothers, Jose will be in his 13th major league season in 2012; he began in the Cubs farm system but was released before making any sort of impact there. He wound up getting a World Series ring with the Angels in 2002 and another with the Yankees in 2009. He's spent the last two seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays and, as Heyman notes, has a reputation for playing solid defense.
Last year, Jaso and Kelly Shoppach split time as Rays catchers. Shoppach didn't really hit at all -- .176/.268/.339, although with 11 home runs -- and it's possible the Rays will promote Jose Lobaton to split time with Molina.
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