Confirmed: White Sox claim on Alex Rios on waivers

[3E8]

If Rios could put up a .800 OPS for the next 5 seasons and give you fairly good defense in CF, and you don't give up much for him, would you make the deal?

Is this a trick question? Of course

[Chisoxfn]

From an absolute baseball and talent point of view, Alex Rios is essentially the player people have clamored to get for several years. There is virtually no difference between his high, medium, and low leverage situations in regards to OPS throughout the entirety of his career.

 

However, in high leverage spots, when the game is generally close and late, he has hit .305 with a .352 OBP, but to the tune of a .791 OPS. This suggests that when the situation calls for it, he has absolutely no problem going for a good solid base hit or walk, just to get himself on base so he or someone else can get him into scoring position, or so he can drive in the tying or go-ahead run.

 

In medium leverage spots, he has put up his best numbers, and this is the most likely time that he is going to swing for the fences and try and put a game out of reach. Of his career 79 home runs, 42 of them have come in medium leverage spots. This suggests that he has no problem taking more chances when the team is either trailing or winning by more than one, be it early or late. Hence, he's only put up a .329 OBP, but his OPS is the highest of all situations at a very solid .795 (only slightly higher than high leverage).

 

He's a lesser combined version of both high and medium in low leverage situations; he'll hit for power, he'll take a walk, but he obviously loses focus in games out of reach and as such, his OPS is .770 in such situations.

 

 

 

The only problem I have with acquiring a guy like Rios is the intangible factor; it wasn't long ago that his name was brought up as a potential trade candidate, and someone posted a video to him on YouTube.

 

 

(NSFW)

 

At his price, and with his ability, you have to take a chance. I would also say that his acquisition would be the beginning of the end for Jermaine Dye in a White Sox uniform. He's been the best free agent signing in White Sox history, but he's a DH at this point in his career, and his role, especially with this move, would become very easily replaced. The Sox can run out a very good platoon between LF, CF, RF, and DH with Quentin, Podsednik, Dye, Thome, and Rios if they made such a move, and they probably weaken the Tigers in the process.

 

Whether the Sox actually want to make this move or not is debatable. I think this is obviously a move to block Detroit from making a play on Rios, but if the price is right (ie free or cheap), KW won't hesitate to bring him aboard. If they start asking for Hudson or Danks, then Rios will remain a Blue Jay. It's as simple as that.

The Sox aren't going to take a chance on this type of contract because they are blocking the Tigers. Heck, the Tigers really don't have room to add this type of contract so if the Sox put in a waiver request, as has been reported, they've clearly decided that he'd fit in perfectly on this team next year and the next couple of years.

 

And if you think about it, he's a younger version of Figgins that plays plus defense out in CF (not as good of a base-stealer as Figgins but he has more pop) and if the Sox were to go after Figgins this off-season it will probably cost a signficant chunk of money (you also have to contend with other teams) and you'll be losing a draft pick. This makes sense if the Sox had initially intended on Figgins.

 

You get Rios, whose a quality player that would be unique to the Sox (they don't have many guys like Rios) and I think he'll really help this team.

[Dick Allen]

There was another rumor that said the Blue Jays also might be interested in Jason Bay this offseason as he is Canadian and a pretty good player. Swapping out Rios for him would probably please their fanbase if that plays into it at all. It would be interesting to see what kind of contract Bay could command. 5 years $60 million, 6 years $73.5 million? That's what Rios has.

[beautox]

I would love to see Rios on the south side he can anchor our outfield for years to come. Then we're only hoping on one of Danks and Mitchell pan out in the slightly near future.

 

I hope the following happens for going into '09.

Let Dye walk offer him ARB if he agrees well then you stick him in LF if he declines we get the chance for 2 picks (im assuming he declines)

sign Thome to a one year deal with a club option for year two with a 500k buy out something along the lines of 4M per.

sign figgins with the intention of him playing LF and also moving around the diamond for days of rest.

leave Getz and Beckham alone to figure out what we have in the minors with Viciedo, CJ and Morel

 

LF S Figgins

CF R Rios

3B R Beckham

RF R Quentin

DH L Thome

1B R Konerko

C L AJP

SS R Ramirez

2B L Getz

 

over 3yrs span Rios batting #2 in 221 ABs .367/.393/.670 1.063

Edited August 8, 2009 by beautox

[Dick Allen]

The Sox aren't going to take a chance on this type of contract because they are blocking the Tigers. Heck, the Tigers really don't have room to add this type of contract so if the Sox put in a waiver request, as has been reported, they've clearly decided that he'd fit in perfectly on this team next year and the next couple of years.

 

And if you think about it, he's a younger version of Figgins that plays plus defense out in CF (not as good of a base-stealer as Figgins but he has more pop) and if the Sox were to go after Figgins this off-season it will probably cost a signficant chunk of money (you also have to contend with other teams) and you'll be losing a draft pick. This makes sense if the Sox had initially intended on Figgins.

 

You get Rios, whose a quality player that would be unique to the Sox (they don't have many guys like Rios) and I think he'll really help this team.

I've really liked Figgins in the past, but I'd be afraid to give him a big deal this coming offseason. Getting older, coming off a big contract year. A lot of injuries. I think some team may give him a ton of money and by 2011 will regret it.

[DBAHO]

Is this a trick question? Of course

No definitely not.

 

I just have concerns that with Rios' offensive downslopes over the past couple of seasons, whether or not he can get back to the offensive player he was.

 

Some people believe that he just needs to get out of Toronto more than anything however.

 

I find it also interesting that we didn't sign Aaron Rowand to that 5 year deal, and now we're going after someone in what could be a very similar scenario. Albeit Rowand is 4 year older though, which certainly makes a difference in their value from that perspective.

[DBAHO]

There was another rumor that said the Blue Jays also might be interested in Jason Bay this offseason as he is Canadian and a pretty good player. Swapping out Rios for him would probably please their fanbase if that plays into it at all. It would be interesting to see what kind of contract Bay could command. 5 years $60 million, 6 years $73.5 million? That's what Rios has.

The thing is if they did that, one of Bay, Lind or Snider would have to be the permanent DH, and I wonder which out of the 3 that'd be.

[SockMe]

does anyone know for sure if we got him. Buster Olney said that it was speculation that the Sox claimed him.

[Kalapse]

Figgins is 32 years old and will likely be looking for a 4 year deal worth around what Juan Pierre got in '07. Do you really want to pay a 34 or 35 year old Chone Figgins $8M-$10M annually?

[Milkman delivers]

His UZR numbers in CF last year were elite. Aside from idle speculation all we have to go on are his UZR numbers in '08, his athletic ability and elite numbers in RF.

 

I haven't read any of this thread besides this last page, but this would be great. I had no idea Rios could play CF, and well at that. This would help the team incredibly. Let's hope this goes through.

[DBAHO]

Figgins is 32 years old and will likely be looking for a 4 year deal worth around what Juan Pierre got in '07. Do you really want to pay a 34 or 35 year old Chone Figgins $8M-$10M annually?

Definitely not.

 

That's a Luis Castillo situation occurring all over again.

 

I'd look at him on an inflated 2 year deal at the most, but he'll probably get some team to pay him more for more years.

[PeavyTime]

No definitely not.

 

I just have concerns that with Rios' offensive downslopes over the past couple of seasons, whether or not he can get back to the offensive player he was.

 

Some people believe that he just needs to get out of Toronto more than anything however.

 

I find it also interesting that we didn't sign Aaron Rowand to that 5 year deal, and now we're going after someone in what could be a very similar scenario. Albeit Rowand is 4 year older though, which certainly makes a difference in their value from that perspective.

Rios is a much better defender. Rios has much more power as well as speed. Rios is probably a better all around player.

[beck72]

The fact that both players can no longer play passable defense at this point in their careers should spell the end for one of them in a Sox uniform, acquiring Rios shouldn't be the determining factor there.

 

Only 2 outfielders have more doubles than Alex Rios over the past 3 calendar years; Nick Markakis and Matt Holliday. He's also 5th in triples over that span.

I wasn't implying that both Dye and Thome should stick. I was just saying that Rios would likely be one of the "final" pieces of the rebuilding. Kenny just has to be sure that Rios is one guy to build a team around with that contract.

[SockMe]

Figgins is 32 years old and will likely be looking for a 4 year deal worth around what Juan Pierre got in '07. Do you really want to pay a 34 or 35 year old Chone Figgins $8M-$10M annually?

 

 

if he still has that speed, yes.

[Dick Allen]

does anyone know for sure if we got him. Buster Olney said that it was speculation that the Sox claimed him.

Probably won't hear much until Tuesday. I'm sure if the Sox claimed him Ricciardi is acting like he'll pull him back if the Sox really want him, in an effort to get something via trade. Tuesday is the day he has to s*** or get off the pot, so if KW doesn't offer anything, that's the day the Blue Jays have to decide if they wouldn't mind just ridding themselves of the contract. Of course this could all be wrong, and the White Sox may not be the team that claimed him.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Josh Fields, or anyone else on the 40-man, CAN be traded in a Rios deal. That player has to be a PTBNL though and the trade cannot be completed until Sept. 1 when the waiver deadline is over. This is how the Reds got Micah Owings last year in the Dunn deal, as a PTBNL.

[ThunderBolt]

Retardi's a terrible GM, and Halladay is the least of his problems (I still thing he gets quite the ransom even if he waits into next year). They've been clamoring for a rebuilding year for years now and Retardi refuses to give in. Him at the helm is my biggest concern of this deal getting done. Pretty much any GM would just dump Rios, but I don't trust Retardi to do that.

He’s actually a very good talent evaluator. His weakness is his ego and his distribution of money throughout the organization. Riccardi wants to win every trade to the point, where he pisses other GM’s off with his demands, and unwillingness to make concessions.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Ricciardi can say, think, or demand whatever he wants. The real decision is going to come from ownership. If ownership will allow Ricciardi to chance a better package over the offseason then fine, but if ownership wants that contract gone NOW while they have the chance, then Rios is ours. This is NOT simply Ricciardi's decision.

[Kalapse]

if he still has that speed, yes.

Because of all those mid-30 year old speed guys in the game today? Ichiro. Now name another. (and not Abreu he's not fast, just a great basestealer, something Figgins is not.

 

This isn't the NFL where you can just cut a guy when he loses his legs at age 34 and not worry about the financial ramifications, all contracts are guaranteed in the game of baseball so you have to project what a player will be capable of in the final few years of a long term deal. That's why the Linebrink deal looked so bad at the time and a 4 year contract for Chone Figgins looks like a pretty poor investment now.

[AWhiteSoxinNJ]

Sounds like Rios can't use his NTC. From Rotoworld:

 

Alex Rios-OF-Blue Jays Aug. 8 - 1:19 pm et

 

On Saturday, Alex Rios addressed the rumors of him being claimed off waivers by another team.

 

"I can't do anything," Rios said. "If I get traded, I get traded. I'm going to have to go wherever I get traded to, but I don't know. At this point, I'm thinking that I'm staying here. That's the way I have to think about it." Now that Rios has been claimed -- likely by the White Sox -- the Blue Jays can either decide to let Rios go for nothing, work out a trade with the claiming club or pull him off waivers.

Source: MLBlogs.com

[AWhiteSoxinNJ]

White Sox have 2/3 odds of getting him. Either it's Trade, straighr claim, or he's pulled back. 2 out of 3 favor the White Sox getting him.

[maggsmaggs]

Sounds like Rios can't use his NTC. From Rotoworld:

If it's true that the Blue Jays want Bay in the off-season, there is no way they can keep Rios. Wells is pretty much untradeable and there is no way to get Bay with Rios, too. He pretty much has to Rios go at some point. The big question is does J.P. think he can net a decent return say in the off-season? With his contract and performance, I think the answer is no.

[ILMOU]

Ricciardi can say, think, or demand whatever he wants. The real decision is going to come from ownership. If ownership will allow Ricciardi to chance a better package over the offseason then fine, but if ownership wants that contract gone NOW while they have the chance, then Rios is ours. This is NOT simply Ricciardi's decision.

 

This is a good and true point. There's a chance the guy is on thin ice anyway, so I don't see him making a stand against ownership if they wish Rios' contract gone.

 

[iamshack]

Oddly enough, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Dye end up in Toronto in the off-season if Rios is traded.....

I think he has earned enough with his performance in recent years to keep him out of Canada...

 

Of course, he does love to hunt...

[chw42]

I wouldn't be able to stand watching JD's old legs getting ruined on turf. If Toronto's smart, they would DH him.