It turns out that the rumors are true. The White Sox have claimed Alex Rios off of waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays.Can the White Sox take on a contract this big? What does this mean to the future of the team? Will this make the Sox a non-player in the off-season?
All I can be sure about, st this point, is that this pretty much spells the end of the Jim Thome era on the South Side. Konerko and Dye may not be far behind, unless the Sox suddenly have money to burn and can play the same lineup shift games that Boston apparently does.
Rios is signed until 2014, and is set to make close to seventy million dollars between now and then. This is a player who fell far below expectations this year. Maybe a change of scenery will do some good. I just hope that Rios performs up to these lofty expectations in Chicago.
Kenny Williams has a good track record with these things, but this and the Peavy deal are real gambles. If they work out, Kenny looks like a genius. If they don't, this will make Todd Ritchie seem as harmless as Andy Gonzalez. It looks like an albatross ready to hang around the neck, but I'll wait to pass judgement until I see him play for the White Sox.
9 comments:
Dude, you guys may have made a serious steal there... Rios is awesome, he really is. I have watched him play a few times against the Rays this year and he just didn't seem into it. A few years back, even last year, he was amazing. He can be a .300/30/100 guy, especially if he is in a pennant chase. I would look for big things from him down the stretch, then maybe they trade him next year.
I know he can put up amazing numbers, but what troubles me is the underwhelming numbers this year. I'm hoping that it has to do with the uncertainty that the Jays entered the season with. Hopefully, a change of scenery will do wonders for his down year.
The Sox don't typically take on big contracts like that and with the last two moves, they have taken on two huge contracts. Kenny hasn't really steered the Sox wrong with moves that he's made since 2004, so I will reserve judgment until I see him play in a Sox uniform.
I'm a Jays fan. While some people are pissed around here that the Jays got nothing in return, I would have paid an extra $10M in transfer cash just to rid the team of this cancer.
Perhaps you saw this little interaction with a Toronto fan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt9hRCthV8E
You will never see a baseball player with more talent who doesn't give a crap about the game. He stopped doing anything as soon as he signed the big bucks.
This is exactly why I have my reservations about the deal.
I think you will be happy - i wanted to the Mets to get him bad - he would be ideal for our park - color me jealous -
Steve, as someone who gets to watch every Jays game (in Canada, they are stuffed down your throat ALMOST as much as the Yankees/Red Sox) I can honestly say that most Jays fans are thrilled with him gone. His and Wells contracts were killing the Jays.
Last year, Rios was amazing. This year, below average. Next year? I predict really, really good again. I think you'll be pleased.
But kiss Dye gone for sure, and probably Thome too.
With this and the Peavy trade, the White Sox are banking on these guys to be cornerstones.
Rios might actually fulfill his potential in Chicago and Kenny Williams knows he has a relatively young player locked up already as opposed to bidding on a potential free agent in the open market who may or may not cost more.
This is exactly why I have my reservations about the deal.
I had reservations about AJ Burnett when the Jays signed him, but something about the Jays clubhouse and Halladay's influence helped him.
Perhaps this will happen for Rios in Chicago. In Toronto his partner-in-crime and best buddy was Wells. You can see how they colluded in being the most overpaid duo to ever wear our uniform, lets just hope he doesn't find a similar comfort zone in Chicago. Stay on his ass and maybe you'll get your money's worth.
The way Ozzie runs the clubhouse, Rios better think twice before acting up. If he plays nice, he'll have fun. If not, he'll wish he were on the Nationals.
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