Dick Allen

I think this is going to work out either very well, or go very wrong. I think its going to depend on how guys like Quentin and Beckham develop. IMO Rios is more of a complementary player, not a star, and might be more comfortable playing 3rd or 4th fiddle.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 07:48 PM) [/b] Ibanez also was a late bloomer. We are getting Rios in the prime of his career. I am very excited about this, I think this guy is going to be big. I hope so, they are committing more money to him than they gave Mark Buerhle.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 07:53 PM) He's also not the 'roider that Ibanez allegedly is. You know this how?

QUOTE (chw42 @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 07:49 PM) Raul Ibanez - 37 $11 million per year for 3 years. WAR since 2004 - 14.7 Milton Bradley - 31 $10 million per year for 3 years. WAR since 2004 - 16 Adam Dunn - 29 $10 million per year for 2 years. WAR since 2004 - 15.5 Alex Rios - 28 $12 million per year for 5 years. WAR since 2004 - 17.5 We win. If you double the financial commitment, you should win.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 07:42 PM) Several mid-30 year olds got 3 years and $10 million plus a year last year. This guy is 28. People will pay for that, with good reason. Ibanez got 3 years $31 million. In fact, Manny and Texiera were the only non pitchers to get more than $31 million. Rios is owed $60 million. He's got himself a good deal. He's not the hitter Ibanez is.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 07:35 PM) I'd guess he'd be offered at least 4/$48, possibly 4/52. He's coming off a down year, so that would hurt him (unless he rakes the 2nd half of this year...like he did in the 2nd half last year). The downturn in the market and his down season would combine and I think he'd wind up somewhere in that area. Next offseason, if the economy has sufficiently recovered, he'd be talking 5/$65 or better. I don't see that at all.

For what they have to pay Rios the rest of the year, its less than the extra cash they would have had to pay Peavy if he had approved the trade in May.

Rios is 6'5" 215lbs. He's going to lose a step or so in the next couple seasons.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 07:26 PM) And, unlike playing the FA market...we didn't have to outbid anyone...and we didn't have to lose a draft pick. Let me ask you this, if Rios were a free agent after this season, do you think there is any way he would get a 5 year $60 million deal with a $13.5 million option for a 6th? I really don't think so, but I suppose its possible.

QUOTE (BFirebird @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 07:23 PM) Hmm. Interesting. Would trading him make John Danks more difficult to re-sign? That's thinking is silly. Although I'm sure the Danks brothers would love to play together, if the Sox traded Jordan Danks to another organization where he had a better opportunity to play in the major leagues and succeed, John Danks would be happy.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 07:22 PM) Does this make Jor Danks trade bait this offseason? I don't think so. Although ideally when Rios is starting to get $12 million + a year he will be the Sox RF with Danks or Mitchell playing CF.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 07:15 PM) Cowley says Kenny was trying to get Rios before the deadline anyway. Puts the "block Detroit" stuff to rest. But when he tried to acquire him before, he probably was looking to give Toronto someone owed some money or for Toronto to send along cash, but I'm sure KW was prepared to get the contract. Its not all that much this year and with Contreras, Dye, Thome, Dotel, MacDougal, Viciedo's bonus and probably Jenks off the books or sevearly discounted, there's plenty of room for Rios' contract. KW could always place him on waivers after the season and if anyone claims him, let him go.

I think if KW didn't claim him the Tigers would. His contract is under $6 million this year and they could have put him in RF instead of Maggs and kept Maggs $18 million from vesting for next year.

Rios has talent, but lets not get carried away and think he's a bargain. Exactly how many $60 million contracts has KW doled out as a GM?

QUOTE (GO CHI SOX! @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 06:48 PM) So who was scouting this guy? Is it possible another move is coming? It probably was the Jays and they decided they would rather have nothing.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 9, 2009 -> 11:42 PM) I don't think there is any doubt that we failed with Javy. I have a feeling we did improve his mental makeup a bit, and perhaps the Braves were able to turn the corner with him on his mechanics. There is no denying that he has been an absolute horse this year, experience a renaissance of sorts. Granted he is pitching in a pitcher's park, in a weaker league. But anyone who wants to rip on Javy needs to have the same concerns with Jake Peavy. Their situations are quite similar. Similar? I've never read where Peavy is a mental midget like I've been reading about Javy for years.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Aug 9, 2009 -> 03:17 PM) Unless he drops down... I know our Charlotte options suck but at this point I'd rather try something new and have it fail than keep running the "Full" Count out there. Contreras had a nice streak of starts earlier, then started dawdling around and couldn't throw a strike. He was great today, then gave up 4 runs but one was a broken bat hit, another a swinging bunt, and of course the 2 walks. He's a far better option than Torres or Whisler or Egbert or even Hudson at this time.

QUOTE (beckham15 @ Aug 9, 2009 -> 03:15 PM) thome hasnt hit lefties that well thats the reason he isnt in the lineup today Lefties have touched up Huff this season. Thome is so streaky, I hate when he sits when he's really hitting.

He looked great through 4. He was awesome until the all star break. Let him go a couple more. He still has it when he throws strikes. Its not like the guys they bring up from AAA do better.

QUOTE (knightni @ Aug 9, 2009 -> 01:40 PM) Thome is very popular and well-liked. It's just that Buehrle, Konerko, Pierzynski, and Dye have been on the team longer and are also great guys. Jim Thome has been washed up 1000 times on this board since he's been a White Sox. That's a conservative figure. People can't wait until he's gone. He didn't get anywhere near the love a washed up Ken Griffey Jr. got when he became a White Sox.

It all depends on if KW really wants Rios, or if he's just prepared to take him, and if the White Sox are the team who claimed him. If he really wants him bad, he may throw a middle of the road prospect or 2 Toronto's way who have decent minor league stats and/or a guy like Wise to let the Blue Jays save a little face, and not make it look like they are giving him away.

QUOTE (knightni @ Aug 9, 2009 -> 01:35 PM) Dye won the White Sox nomination for the Roberto Clemente Award this year and is on the United Way commercials. My comment had nothing to do with Dye. It was about Thome, and how he really has never caught on here. He's been a good player, and very under appreciated.

I do think the White Sox, as soon as the Thome and/or Dye eras run their course, will try to get away from the DH-only type of player, at least for a year. It would be a nice way to rest regulars while keeping their bats in the line-up.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Aug 9, 2009 -> 09:35 AM) Are you sure about that? I thought that there was a long run of teams 'blocking' other teams who had made a claim, or had worked out trades with a team if a player had cleared waivers. Randy Myers comes to mind, Padres claiming him so Atlanta couldn't, and they got stuck. How did they know Atlanta wanted him? Just askin, i don't know. Yes. I think when the waiver is awarded, you can see who it was that was awarded the claim, but for instance you can't go in the system and see the Tigers claimed him, so you can put in a claim. Teams block others because they hear the rumors and talk to GMs so they pretty much know who is looking for what. Its an educated guess when trying to block waiver claims.

Thome would probably be cheaper, and this year he has 3 less homers but more RBI in 82 less AB. He has a higher OPS, neither are getting any younger. BTW, throw out Thome's last year in Philadelphia when he was injured, and he's only had 1 season since 1993 with an OPS less than Dye's current .867. That was last season when it was .865. Considering what kind of guy Thome is, its amazing how little he has been appreciated relatively speaking since joining the White Sox. His 3 seasons before this one, were the 3 highest homer seasons for a LH hitter in franchise history. Ventura is tied with Thome's 34 total of 2008. He gets on base, has had some huge hits, doesn't say anything stupid and is heading to the HOF. Dye might outproduce him the next couple of years, but the difference in probable paychecks and not knowing how Dye would adjust to being a DH or even if it was something he would be a party to, makes the decision pretty easy.