Confirmed: White Sox claim on Alex Rios on waivers

[AWhiteSoxinNJ]

Rios Homered again today.

[chisoxfan09]

X3

 

OK fellas, here you go. Pretty good stats. Even balance of Ground Balls, Fly outs, singles, doubles, and some HR's. Obviously he does not have as many at bats but all in all pretty good. Any opinions?

AlexRioscareerCell.bmp

Edited August 8, 2009 by chisoxfan09

[son of a rude]

Rios Homered again today.

By god.... The power of Gordon Beckham is scary.

[GreatScott82]

Wow what a crazy thing to see this afternoon. Thats a lot more money added to payroll but he would definitley solve our CF issue for many years. I'm guessing if this happens we will see a rotation between DH and OF position players between Dye, Thome, Quentin and Konerko.

 

This move would end the Thome era and perhaps the Dye era as well. Unless Dye accepts a really cheap paycut to be our DH. Anytime you can add a guy with a career .285 average, above average speed and pretty solid defense- you have found a very good thing.

 

The only thing i worry about is the money situation, but KW seems to be figuring his 2010 team in the middle of the 2009 season. . I trust him.

[GreatScott82]

Looking ahead: If the Sox do aqcuire Alex Rios on tuesday. Here is our new 2010 outlook-

 

LF- ?? (Pods/Figgins?) KW loves Figgins. I'm guessing Figgins is our new LF next year. He'll sign a 3 year deal worth about 7 mill/ season.

CF- Rios

RF- Quentin

 

DH- (Dye/Thome or Abreu?) I think KW brings Dye back as a DH at a restructured low cost. 6-7 mil for 2 seasons plus a 3rd year club option.

 

3B- Bacon

SS- Ramirez

2B- Getz

1B- Konerko

 

C- Pierzynski

 

That would give us a lineup of:

Figgins LF

Beckham 3B

Dye DH

Konerko 1B

Quentin RF

Rios CF

Pierzynski C

Ramirez SS

Getz 2B

 

Rotation: Peavy, Buerhle, FLoyd, Danks, (Torres, Hudson?) Let them battle it out in ST.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Princess Dye]

That would give us a lineup of:

Figgins LF

Beckham 3B

Dye DH

Konerko 1B

Quentin RF

Rios CF

Pierzynski C

Ramirez SS

Getz 2B

 

Rotation: Peavy, Buerhle, FLoyd, Danks, (Torres, Hudson?) Let them battle it out in ST.

 

Aside from RH-ness....I like the looks of it. Then eventually we could move out AJP for T-Flow. Get Quentin to DH if Mitchell/Danks proves ready.

 

 

 

Although,

 

For next year, I have this feeling the Sox (if this Rios thing goes through) have internally started leaning towards saving money by cutting ties with Dye and trotting Thome out for one last shot. They need a lefty bat in there, and Dye is now in his second straight year of second-half slumping.

 

 

Edited August 8, 2009 by Princess Dye

[Milkman delivers]

Aside from RH-ness....I like the looks of it. Then eventually we could move out AJP for T-Flow. Get Quentin to DH if Mitchell/Danks proves ready.

 

 

 

Although,

 

For next year, I have this feeling the Sox (if this Rios thing goes through) have internally started leaning towards saving money by cutting ties with Dye and trotting Thome out for one last shot. They need a lefty bat in there, and Dye is now in his second straight year of second-half slumping.

 

It seems to me that it's becoming more and more clear that Thome will be the guy sticking around next year. Dye will probably be offered arbitration, if it's possible to do so, and allowed to walk. I can't say I disagree with the decision, as we are going to need some power from the left side and Thome doesn't seem to have quite fallen apart yet. I'd miss Dye, but I'd also miss Thome if he left. One of them has to go if this trade happens, though.

Edited August 8, 2009 by Milkman delivers

[Princess Dye]

It seems to me that it's becoming more and more clear that Thome will be the guy sticking around next year. Dye will probably be offered arbitration, if it's possible to do so, and allowed to walk. I can't say I disagree with the decision, as we are going to need some power from the left side and Thome doesn't seem to have quite fallen apart yet. I'd miss Dye, but I'd also miss Thome if he left. One of them has to go if this trade happens, though.

 

 

Just started thinking, if Thome's back acts up in a major way next year, we lose a lot of thump in the lineup this way. We'd be forced to turn to Kotsay in a bigger role than we want him for.

 

Though such an occurrence could pave the way for Flowers to be playing every day as DH and catcher against lefties. Were he to be ready of course.

Edited August 8, 2009 by Princess Dye

[Balta1701]

If Thome's back acts up in a major way next year, we lose a lot of thump in the lineup this way. We'd be forced to turn to Kotsay in a bigger role than we want him for.

 

Though such an occurrence could pave the way for Flowers to be playing every day as DH and catcher against lefties. Were he to be ready of course.

You could say the same thing about Dye's legs, Quentin's wrist, Konerko's hand, etc.

 

You really can only have so much depth.

[beck72]

It seems to me that it's becoming more and more clear that Thome will be the guy sticking around next year. Dye will probably be offered arbitration, if it's possible to do so, and allowed to walk. I can't say I disagree with the decision, as we are going to need some power from the left side and Thome doesn't seem to have quite fallen apart yet. I'd miss Dye, but I'd also miss Thome if he left. One of them has to go if this trade happens, though.

Dye's option won't be picked up so the sox cannot offer him arb. He'll be a free agent if the sox decline which they should do.

 

I do agree that if the sox get Rios, thome is more likely to be on the sox. Dye deserves his "payday"--the most cash and the most years from another team. He won't get that with the sox. He should be able to get a 2 year deal worth $17, 18 mill. Too rich for the sox blood.

 

Thome, OTOH, would prob. do a year to year, and could get a $6 mill, 1 yr deal.

[Princess Dye]

You could say the same thing about Dye's legs, Quentin's wrist, Konerko's hand, etc.

 

You really can only have so much depth.

 

True. This time next year Thome will be nearly 40, though. The other two scenarios are possible but Thome breaking down has a little higher probability of happening IMO.

[chisoxfan09]

Does anyone think Slayer will develop a power stroke next year or beyond? In the super thread there are predictions of 25-30 HR's a year.

Edited August 8, 2009 by chisoxfan09

[Bubba Philips]

It seems to me that it's becoming more and more clear that Thome will be the guy sticking around next year. Dye will probably be offered arbitration, if it's possible to do so, and allowed to walk. I can't say I disagree with the decision, as we are going to need some power from the left side and Thome doesn't seem to have quite fallen apart yet. I'd miss Dye, but I'd also miss Thome if he left. One of them has to go if this trade happens, though.

arb would give Jermain no less thatn 9.75 million . That is his salary plus the maximum 25% off his 2009 salary. Jermaine is great but is that number doable for both the sox and Jermaine? what would it take to keep Jermaine?

Edited August 8, 2009 by forrestg

[caulfield12]

If we offered Dye arbitration, why WOULDN'T he accept it?

 

There's no way we could possibly cut this year's contract by 20%, and that would STILL give you $9.2 million BEST CASE SCENARIO, for one year of JD as basically your DH...based on his defensive play the past season. Let's say we offered $11 million and he countered for $12.5 million, certainly, based on the "most RBI's and HR's of any MLB RF" over recent periods productivity stat (maybe he's Top 3-5 for all AL OFers in production OFFENSIVELY for that time period), he will CLEARLY be awarded $12.5 to $13 million if the White Sox tried to "low-ball" him, which doesn't seem to be their style with a player as well-respected in the clubhouse and FO as JD has been for five seasons.

 

Is there any team that going to offer 2 years for $18 million or 3 years for $24-27 million on JD???

 

I highly doubt that will happen. I think it's a tough choice to keep Thome for one more year (as DH) over Dye, but the odds are higher we can pay Jim Thome $5-6 million (he's overpaid this year, for sure) rather than getting away with paying JD the same amount.

Edited August 8, 2009 by caulfield12

[knightni]

Though such an occurrence could pave the way for Flowers to be playing every day as DH and catcher against lefties. Were he to be ready of course.

You really shouldn't DH your backup catcher.

[aprec32]

I thought Dye would be the one sticking around, but after seeing that lineup, we'd have to have a power left handed bat. Even if its Thome.

[prochisox]

My opinion on this is, if we do get Rios, next year we will keep Thome and Dye and rotate them much like we will the rest of this year. Pods, Quentin, Rios, Dye, and Thome for 4 spots. I just have a feeling management will end up doing this option as a "just in case" Quentin gets hurt again. If we do make the playoffs and this is a recipe for success, I can see them repeating this again for another year.

[Princess Dye]

You really shouldn't DH your backup catcher.

 

Near zero chance of it happening of course, but it would be great to get one of those backup IFs that can catch. Give us a lot of flexibility and what not.

[Kalapse]

Dye's option won't be picked up so the sox cannot offer him arb. He'll be a free agent if the sox decline which they should do.

 

I do agree that if the sox get Rios, thome is more likely to be on the sox. Dye deserves his "payday"--the most cash and the most years from another team. He won't get that with the sox. He should be able to get a 2 year deal worth $17, 18 mill. Too rich for the sox blood.

 

Thome, OTOH, would prob. do a year to year, and could get a $6 mill, 1 yr deal.

You can offer a player arbitration even after declining an option. I doubt the Sox would risk it anyway given the amount of money Dye would net in arb and what he's looking at in the free agent market in terms of annual value (significantly less than the $13M+ he'd get in arb).

[caulfield12]

Wonder if they will convert Jayson Nix to catcher now?

 

LOL. Not sure if this should be TEAL or not, but they've stuck him almost everywhere else on the diamond besides 1B and C...by the way, did anyone see where Nix's predecessor in the versatility department (Pablo Ozuna) just got released by the Phillies' organization from their AAA team (Lehigh Valley)??

[Kalapse]

arb would give Jermain no less thatn 9.75 million . That is his salary plus the maximum 25% off his 2009 salary. Jermaine is great but is that number doable for both the sox and Jermaine? what would it take to keep Jermaine?

Good luck convincing an arbitrator to lower the salary of a good baseball player, that just does not happen. Even bad players coming off bad years usually get slight raises.

[chisoxfan09]

You could say the same thing about Dye's legs, Quentin's wrist, Konerko's hand, etc.

 

You really can only have so much depth.

 

But I do see the necessity of having a balanced lineup with at least one left handed thumper or power bat if Thome's back acts up. It would really seem our 2010 lineup and above will be excessively right handed.

Edited August 8, 2009 by chisoxfan09

[beck72]

You can offer a player arbitration even after declining an option. I doubt the Sox would risk it anyway given the amount of money Dye would net in arb and what he's looking at in the free agent market in terms of annual value (significantly less than the $13M+ he'd get in arb).

If the sox decline Dye's option, he automatically becomes a free agent, and no longer a member of the WS.

[caulfield12]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_leagu...?urn=mlb,181651

 

Would KW dare go after Josh Hamilton??? It's the kind of medium-risk, high-reward move he loves (I say medium risk because we'd STILL have to give up something very decent like Hudson or Flowers in return to get Josh Hamilton, IMO)

 

I would be surprised he takes on that amount of long-term risk (if Alex Rios doesn't perform again at 800 OPS levels) versus taking a much smaller contract risk on someone like Rick Ankiel...on a two year contract.

Edited August 8, 2009 by caulfield12

[Kalapse]

If the sox decline Dye's option, he automatically becomes a free agent, and no longer a member of the WS.

You got a link? It's a mutual option, Dye makes the decision first on whether he'd like to return if he says yes then the Sox make their decision. If both sides say no then the Sox can still offer arbitration, it's been done in the past and unless something has changed in recent years that's how things work today.