Kilgore and Joel Sherman are copycats.
My guess would be the Rays would want Espinosa much more than Lombo because Espinosa can play SS (and play it well, I think) and has power and speed, and they are roughly the same in OBP. They would prefer not to lock Zobrist into SS. After all, they've not played him there until they were a bit desperate last year. They aren't shy about high K guys, either. The only real question is whether they sit tight and wait for Hak Ju Lee, get by with Ryan Roberts at 2d for a year, and play Zobrist at SS. I think the Elliot Johnson / Sean Rodriguez era is over. Morse is a nice rent a bat for a year for them, but Espinosa would be the long term piece.
As for the Nats, moving Espinosa gives you a more than adequate solution in Lombo at 2d for a year, with the possibility that Rendon or maybe Kobernus or Renda takes over eventually. Moore / Tracy with Marrero in AAA gives us plenty of coverage for 1st if LaRoche isn't re-signed. Trading Morse and Espinosa does not lock Rendon into 2d either, long term, if RZ has to be moved off 3d. There are back up infielders that can be brought in if we are concerned about depth.
Shields has been a staff leader for a playoff-caliber team for the past 5 seasons. This isn't some 5th starter. It leaves plenty of flexibility for 2015 and probably makes extension of JZ and Strasburg easier than if Grienke is signed. Greinke is getting at least 6 years and over $100MM, and has less big game experience.
Greinke has a Cy Young. Sure he doesn't have big game experience but neither did Det and he handled it pretty well. I don't think the team needs the "vet" anymore. Team made the postseason. They screwed up in the first round. They have the film. They now have the elusive experience and will be a hell of a force when they get back to the postseason. I'll take five years of Greinke at 25 Mil apiece to lock in an "on paper" WS winning rotation.
I'm not saying I wouldn't be happy with Shields, but shipping out someone like Espinosa or Lombo isn't helping. Morse's bat won't be around, but I think the team can make up that production with a healthy Zimm and Werth and hopeful improvements from Ramos, Espinosa and the Golden Child. I'd say power might be down a bit this year from last, but I think runs will be higher and with Span and Werth at the top of the lineup, there will be an awful of runs to be driven in by Harper, Zimmerman and LaRoche. I'm mindfacting LaRoche coming back by the way.
