prochisox Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 A waiver claim has been placed on Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Alex Rios, according to MLB sources. At a time when most teams have very little financial flexibility, it could be within the realm of possibility that the Blue Jays will consider a trade of Rios, who still has six years remaining on a seven-year, $69.35 million contract he agreed to in April of 2008, or simply waive him to the team that claimed him. Alex Rios #15 RF Toronto Blue Jays 2009 STATS GM 105 HR 12 RBI 58 R 50 OBP .315 AVG .261 It is not yet known which team has been awarded the claim on Rios, but it may well be that Rios is on his way out of Toronto, one way or the other, because the Blue Jays may embrace the opportunity to shed his contract -- much in the same way that the Blue Jays unexpectedly allowed the San Diego Padres to take reliever Randy Myers in a waiver claim more than a decade ago. The Blue Jays, it appears, have three options, and must make a decision by next Tuesday, because the waiver period will roll through the weekend: • They could work out a trade with the team that claimed Rios. • They could pull him back from waivers, and keep him for themselves the rest of this season. • They could simply allow the team that claimed him to take him, at no cost. Undoubtedly, the decision to place a waiver claim on Rios will stun rival executives, at a time when the prices on free agent outfielders has plummeted. The most lucrative deals for corner outfielders in the most recent offseason -- other than Manny Ramirez -- were for Raul Ibanez, for three years and $31.5 million, and Milton Bradley, for three years and $30 million. "That's an incredible opportunity for the Blue Jays to get out from underneath that contract," said one team official. Part of the reason why the Blue Jays had considered trading Roy Halladay is the lack of payroll flexibility into the future, created in part by their obligation to Rios. Rios, 28, is batting .261 with 12 homers and 58 RBI this season. He has never had an OPS higher than .865, and currently has an OPS of .728. Rios is making $5.9 million this season, and he is set to earn salaries of $9.7 million in 2010, $12 million in 2011, $12 million in 2012, $12.5 million in 2013, and $12.5 million in 2014. The Jays hold a club option on Rios of $13.5 million for 2015, with a $1 million buyout. The San Francisco Giants have been looking for outfield help all season, and just 20 months ago, they mulled a possible swap of Tim Lincecum for Rios. The New York Mets also have been looking for help that won't cost them significant prospects, but leading up to the trade deadline, they hadn't expressed much willingness to take on a major salary. Rios's contract would cost any team that acquired him about $2 million for the rest of this year. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4384253 Wonder who it could be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Yankees maybe? Their OF is suspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Wow, that makes zero sense. If I'm the Jays I say thank you and let him walk. If you can get something for him even better, but worse case just say he's yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Really...yeah, let him go Toronto and you solve all of your non Vernon Wells related problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Chappas Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 7, 2009 -> 03:05 PM) Really...yeah, let him go Toronto and you solve all of your non Vernon Wells related problems. Let him walk and eat some of Wells salary in another trade and your good to go. I think it is Boston. JP is not real bright though so he will f*** it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prochisox Posted August 7, 2009 Author Share Posted August 7, 2009 If the Blue Jays are gonna give him away, the White Sox should trade for him for this playoff run and trade him in the offseason, to the Giants maybe, for a better package then what we would give up for him in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunk23 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 His defense is incredible if you put him in CF. Fangraphs thinks his contract is fair if you consider his whole game. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/rios-wells/ I wouldn't mind picking him up, but I bet it was the Mets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 QUOTE (GO CHI SOX! @ Aug 7, 2009 -> 01:13 PM) If the Blue Jays are gonna give him away, the White Sox should trade for him for this playoff run and trade him in the offseason, to the Giants maybe, for a better package then what we would give up for him in the first place. Only the team that claimed him can work out a trade for him at present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buehrle>Wood Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 QUOTE (GO CHI SOX! @ Aug 7, 2009 -> 09:13 PM) If the Blue Jays are gonna give him away, the White Sox should trade for him for this playoff run and trade him in the offseason, to the Giants maybe, for a better package then what we would give up for him in the first place. He's pretty much untradeable though. At least I thought that until today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 QUOTE (chunk23 @ Aug 7, 2009 -> 01:18 PM) His defense is incredible if you put him in CF. Fangraphs thinks his contract is fair if you consider his whole game. The problem is...his contract may be fair, but he's on a team that can't afford too many fair, or especially any unfair contracts. And they have at least 1 of the latter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iWiN4PreP Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Man Id love for the White sox to get him!! Speed + Defense, + he is a better htter then hes showing this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWarchol Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Alex Rios Claimed On Waivers, Trade Next? By Ben Nicholson-Smith [August 7 at 2:52pm CST] ESPN.com's Buster Olney hears that Alex Rios has been claimed on waivers by an unknown team. The Blue Jays now have three choices: They can let the claiming team have Rios and the $60MM-plus remaining on his contract. They can pull him back from waivers and keep him. They can work out a deal with the claiming team. One executive calls this an "incredible opportunity" for the Blue Jays to shed payroll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bighurt574 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 I'd be shocked if this was the White Sox. Without Peavy, maybe. But after taking on Peavy's contract, no way Kenny can take on Rios. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G&T Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Diamond club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSqwert Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 There's already a thread on this in the Diamond Club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan1 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 I don't think it's us, to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chw42 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 I don't know what to think if it was us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bighurt574 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 QUOTE (GO CHI SOX! @ Aug 7, 2009 -> 03:13 PM) If the Blue Jays are gonna give him away, the White Sox should trade for him for this playoff run and trade him in the offseason, to the Giants maybe, for a better package then what we would give up for him in the first place. His trade value is minimal, at best. If only one team put in a waiver claim for him, that basically means only one team would even take him (and his contract) for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunk23 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 7, 2009 -> 08:23 PM) The problem is...his contract may be fair, but he's on a team that can't afford too many fair, or especially any unfair contracts. And they have at least 1 of the latter. I'm sure the Jays would love to move him simply to free up some payroll to resign Halladay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chw42 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 7, 2009 -> 03:23 PM) The problem is...his contract may be fair, but he's on a team that can't afford too many fair, or especially any unfair contracts. And they have at least 1 of the latter. Like Vernon Wells... Riccardi looks really stupid right now. He's paying Wells $20 million to suck on both offense and defense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 QUOTE (bighurt574 @ Aug 7, 2009 -> 01:43 PM) His trade value is minimal, at best. If only one team put in a waiver claim for him, that basically means only one team would even take him (and his contract) for free. That's not what it means. Teams are able to put in waiver claims based on order of record. If the Washington Nationals wanted to put in a waiver claim on him, they'd have every shot to do so, and no other team would have the chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Please use the Diamond Club thread. I'm closing this one, leaving it sitting here temporarily so that folks see it and see where to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan1 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 You know, I wouldn't mind this if we could afford him, but it makes far more sense for next season than it would for this season. You're obviously not going to sit Pods. You're not going to sit Dye, Thome or Quentin either. Ozzie would have to work his magic and in order to have Rios play every day, one of CQ, Dye, and Thome would have to sit. And then you det yourself up well for next year if you want Rios in LF and Quentin in RF, with one of Thome/Dye DHing. Then you go an get Figgins for CF and you've got yourself a nice lineup. Or you could even keep Pods and keep him in LF with Rios in CF... Pods LF Beckham 3B Quentin RF Dye/Thome DH Konerko 1B Pierzynski C Rios CF Ramirez SS Getz 2B or Figgins CF Beckham 3B Quentin RF Dye/Thome DH Konerko 1B Pierzysnki C Rios LF Ramirez SS Getz 2B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chw42 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Aug 7, 2009 -> 03:52 PM) You know, I wouldn't mind this if we could afford him, but it makes far more sense for next season than it would for this season. You're obviously not going to sit Pods. You're not going to sit Dye, Thome or Quentin either. Ozzie would have to work his magic and in order to have Rios play every day, one of CQ, Dye, and Thome would have to sit. And then you det yourself up well for next year if you want Rios in LF and Quentin in RF, with one of Thome/Dye DHing. Then you go an get Figgins for CF and you've got yourself a nice lineup. Or you could even keep Pods and keep him in LF with Rios in CF... Pods LF Beckham 3B Quentin RF Dye/Thome DH Konerko 1B Pierzynski C Rios CF Ramirez SS Getz 2B or Figgins CF Beckham 3B Quentin RF Dye/Thome DH Konerko 1B Pierzysnki C Rios LF Ramirez SS Getz 2B Rios would be the best defensive outfielder on the team if we get him. You definitely stick him in center. I don't think Figgins can play CF. He's played left before, if I remember correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan1 Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 QUOTE (chw42 @ Aug 7, 2009 -> 03:54 PM) Rios would be the best defensive outfielder on the team if we get him. You definitely stick him in center. I don't think Figgins can play CF. He's played left before, if I remember correctly. Figgins has played 244 career games in CF compared to 36 in LF and 27 in RF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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