Tampa Bay Rays news and links: Reactions to the Logan Forsythe trade

Yesterday, the Rays traded Logan Forsythe, one of their better position players, to the Dodgers for Jose De Leon, a highly-touted pitching prospect who’s not far from the majors.

Here’s Marc Topkin with some facts about De Leon. Topkin also has quotes from Erik Neander, Andrew Friedman, and a smattering of Rays players, who were on the whole devastated to see Logan Forsythe leave.

Here’s the Rays introducing Jose De León to the fans.

Oh, and Ryan Romano at Beyond the Box Score called the Rays a laggard (I mean, gave good analysis on the trade), while Jeff Sullivan said that Forsythe is “basically Brian Dozier.”

Rays Links

• The trade of Logan Forsythe opens a spot at second base, and there are several possible options to fill it, including an intriguing prospect.

• Bill Chastain was asked who the best free-agent signing in Rays history was, and he answered with Fernando Rodney.
• Chastain also wrote about the in-house options for the Rays Bullpen.
• Rays Radio interviewed many of the players at the voluntary workouts. There’s much more audio in the link, but here’s one of those in-house options, Ryne Stanek. It’s interesting to hear him talk about the transition to the bullpen, throwing 100 mph, and his teammates in the minors.

• In the bottom of Steve Kinsella’s notes is the tidbit that the St. Pete city council has banned smokeless tobacco at Tropicana Field.
• Danny wrote about the details of the Shawn Tolleson signing.
• Jason Hanselman reviewed Evan Longoria.

Other Links

In two separate incidents, pitcher Yordana Ventura and infielder Andy Marte both died in car crashes.

• Josh Duggan, of Royals Review, wrote about Ventura.
• So did Joe Posnanski.
• Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com wrote about Marte.
• Salary trends in baseball.