Rios is obviously dis-interested and dogging it this year. I've never seen a guy making about 15 mill look so unhappy. I tried to like Rios and thought he was avictim of bad luck because he was hitting the ball right at people. But it sure does look like he has shut it down.

Would this be a feasible trade? Sox pick up a good chunk of Rios's salary and ship him and Danks to StL. for Rasmus. Am I under-valueing Danks and over-valueing Rasmus? Or both the Danks for Rasmus and just DFA Rios. The next few years an OF of Rasmus, Q, and Viciedo sounds good to me. Toronto got someone to bite on Vernon Wells contract, maybe the Sox can find a taker for Rios.

Rios is obviously dis-interested and dogging it this year. I've never seen a guy making about 15 mill look so unhappy. I tried to like Rios and thought he was avictim of bad luck because he was hitting the ball right at people. But it sure does look like he has shut it down.

Would this be a feasible trade? Sox pick up a good chunk of Rios's salary and ship him and Danks to StL. for Rasmus. Am I under-valueing Danks and over-valueing Rasmus? Or both the Danks for Rasmus and just DFA Rios. The next few years an OF of Rasmus, Q, and Viciedo sounds good to me. Toronto got someone to bite on Vernon Wells contract, maybe the Sox can find a taker for Rios.

 

I don't think the Sox need to acquire a center fielder. They could use either De Aza or Lillibridge, or platoon them. Both of them would also provide an alternative to the Pierre problem at lead off. That paves the way for Viciedo in LF. They just need to get rid of Rios.

The Sox took the Rios contract without giving up anyone. If they can find someone to take him, even if they have to throw in a little salary relief, it would be worth it.

 

I wouldn't want to weaken the pitching as that is likely what will carry the Sox to Post Season play, if they are to have any chance of playing in October.

The Sox have other options in house. This is one of those "addition by subtraction" problems. Get rid of any or all of Pierre, Rios and Dunn, and the black holes they represent in the lineup, and instantly you have a better offensive team, no matter who you put in their place. And the salary relief would give you a chance to try something else next season, or even pick up a producer from an out of contention team, looking to dump salary later in the season.

Edited July 5, 201114 yr by Lillian

I would hope the Sox would consider paying a chunk of his salary in order to rid of him. If he's not traded before July 31 he'll be placed on waivers, but who's gonna pick him up? And if someone does, they're not going to do what the Sox did and just take over the contract. I know the view of a fan is very different from the view of the ones in change of the money, but right now, what's the difference between paying him to dog it and suck and paying him to not be on the team anymore?

Rios is obviously dis-interested and dogging it this year. I've never seen a guy making about 15 mill look so unhappy. I tried to like Rios and thought he was avictim of bad luck because he was hitting the ball right at people. But it sure does look like he has shut it down.

Would this be a feasible trade? Sox pick up a good chunk of Rios's salary and ship him and Danks to StL. for Rasmus. Am I under-valueing Danks and over-valueing Rasmus? Or both the Danks for Rasmus and just DFA Rios. The next few years an OF of Rasmus, Q, and Viciedo sounds good to me. Toronto got someone to bite on Vernon Wells contract, maybe the Sox can find a taker for Rios.

 

With having to try and re-sign Pujols this offseason, the Cardinals do not have room to take on any salary. Rasmus is a better player, at a much cheaper cost than Rios who is under team control for the next 3-4 years. I'm not sure why they would be want to get rid of him for one year of Danks and a high cost player like Rios. It just can't happen.

 

I don't think the Sox need to acquire a center fielder. They could use either De Aza or Lillibridge, or platoon them. Both of them would also provide an alternative to the Pierre problem at lead off. That paves the way for Viciedo in LF. They just need to get rid of Rios.

The Sox took the Rios contract without giving up anyone. If they can find someone to take him, even if they have to throw in a little salary relief, it would be worth it.

 

Lillibridge and De Aza are not everyday Major League center fielders.

 

Lillibridge and De Aza are not everyday Major League center fielders.

 

I'm not so sure that is a fair or accurate assessment. I, for one, would love to find out. Why not give them a chance?

No.

Rios isn't going anywhere unless we get equally as bad of a deal back in return. Think Bradley for Silva.

In the same world where Guillen can be traded for Logan Morrison.

 

 

Rios is obviously dis-interested and dogging it this year. I've never seen a guy making about 15 mill look so unhappy.

 

If you can see that as a fan, you don't think every scout and GM in baseball is and has been aware of the same issue? The White Sox are kind of seen as the organization of "last resort" for a lot of troubled players. If you can't figure it out playing for the Sox, there's a pretty low probability of turning it around elsewhere.

Edited July 5, 201114 yr by caulfield12

In the same world where Guillen can be traded for Logan Morrison.

 

 

Rios is obviously dis-interested and dogging it this year. I've never seen a guy making about 15 mill look so unhappy.

 

If you can see that as a fan, you don't think every scout and GM in baseball is and has been aware of the same issue? The White Sox are kind of seen as the organization of "last resort" for a lot of troubled players. If you can't figure it out playing for the Sox, there's a pretty low probability of turning it around elsewhere.

I agree that scouts and GM's can see it as well. However, alot of GM's and managers have huge egos and think they can get through to a player and get them to perform at high levels. I'm with in that it will be vey hard to trade Rios but it only takes one. I guess they could always use him as a 4th OF and give guys rest every now and then, assuming they could even get a guy like Rasmus. It's not ideal to have your 4th OF being the highest paid but, if that's best for the team ,so be it. Isn't Manny still the highest paid Dodger this year?

This off-season was the time to do it. Me and Dick Allen were very vocal on "selling high".

Edited July 5, 201114 yr by SoxAce

If he's not traded before July 31 he'll be placed on waivers, but who's gonna pick him up? And if someone does, they're not going to do what the Sox did and just take over the contract.

 

If somebody makes a waiver claim on Alex Rios, they MOST CERTAINLY will be taking over that entire contract. You can bank on that.

This off-season was the time to do it. Me and Dick Allen were very vocal on "selling high".

I was shot down everytime I mentioned it. I just wanted out of that contract so bad, and although I didn't think he would be this bad I figured on a .700 - .750 OPS, and for what we are paying him that is unacceptable.

If somebody makes a waiver claim on Alex Rios, they MOST CERTAINLY will be taking over that entire contract. You can bank on that.

Which means no one will claim him with the intention of taking over the contract. I think we're stuck with him.

This idea of relying on De Aza and Lillibridge as platoon everyday starters for the White Sox in CF is a bad idea. Neither guy, imo, is good enough to be productive over a large, extended sample size. And to be frank, we are trying to win a division and this isn't the type of move that helps you win the division.

 

In terms of getting Rasmus, I can't imagine the Cards would be interested in moving him and if they were to move him, my guess is it would be pretty pricey.

This idea of relying on De Aza and Lillibridge as platoon everyday starters for the White Sox in CF is a bad idea. Neither guy, imo, is good enough to be productive over a large, extended sample size. And to be frank, we are trying to win a division and this isn't the type of move that helps you win the division.

In terms of getting Rasmus, I can't imagine the Cards would be interested in moving him and if they were to move him, my guess is it would be pretty pricey.

Continuing to give Rios 4 or 5 ABs per game isn't going to help us win a division either.

Continuing to give Rios 4 or 5 ABs per game isn't going to help us win a division either.

I'll continue to give AB's to the guy that plays the best CF defense on the squad, isn't old or past his prime, and has an extended history of major league success. By all means, Rios isn't amazing, but he is the best CFer the Sox have. And without commenting on what he did over the weekend, the past two weeks he's been hitting the ball hard, albeit without much luck.

 

Sure he's had a lousy first half of the season, but permanently benching him in favor of De Aza and Lillibridge would be a far worse decision, imo.

I'll continue to give AB's to the guy that plays the best CF defense on the squad

That's arguable right now. I think Lillibridge would play better out there although Rios has the potential to be the best defender. But that's just it. He's all potential and whatever decent defense he gives us is negated by the incredibly awful offensive numbers he is putting up.

What is the White Sox record in games Lillibrige starts?

 

Rios starts?

 

When both Rios and Lillibridge are in the same starting line-up?

I'll continue to give AB's to the guy that plays the best CF defense on the squad, isn't old or past his prime, and has an extended history of major league success. By all means, Rios isn't amazing, but he is the best CFer the Sox have. And without commenting on what he did over the weekend, the past two weeks he's been hitting the ball hard, albeit without much luck.

 

Sure he's had a lousy first half of the season, but permanently benching him in favor of De Aza and Lillibridge would be a far worse decision, imo.

 

Lillibridge is the best defensive CF we have on the roster, IMO. Also, I can't remember the last time I saw Rios hit a ball hard. Everything seems to be weakly hit, as pitchers are throwing him slow stuff away and he's flying open so fast. This has been nearly a full season slump for Rios, and when you think about it, he's been absolutely mediocre appoximately 75% of his time with the Sox. I think you get just as much production from a platoon of De Aza and Lillibridge the rest of the way.

I'm sure the Cardinals are just going to say "f*** it, let's get worse, get older, pay more money and still try and win the Central."

Something I've noticed about Rios lately is that it seems to not be a natural instinct for him to hustle. It's like he had to remind himself to run a pop up out in Colorado the day after he got benched. Then in Chicago, he had a soft hit up the middle (that Castro almost fielded) where he was jogging to first the second he hit the ball.

I'm sure the Cardinals are just going to say "f*** it, let's get worse, get older, pay more money and still try and win the Central."

 

Especially when they have a great 4 outfielder tandem now with Pujols back. Rasmus isn't going anywhere, and let me also say he'd drive us nuts. He swings and misses a ton.

Lillibridge is the best defensive CF we have on the roster, IMO. Also, I can't remember the last time I saw Rios hit a ball hard. Everything seems to be weakly hit, as pitchers are throwing him slow stuff away and he's flying open so fast. This has been nearly a full season slump for Rios, and when you think about it, he's been absolutely mediocre appoximately 75% of his time with the Sox. I think you get just as much production from a platoon of De Aza and Lillibridge the rest of the way.

 

 

Does anyone realistically see Guillen benching Rios and asking for DeAza?

 

Seems KW's ego is in the way with both Rios and Viciedo. You know he'll never countenance a permanent/long-term Rios benching....Swisher and Linebrink were admitted KW disasters, but he's never going to allow himself to look that bad as to eat the Rios contract, not yet.

 

And you just can't see any way that Rios stays on the team but sits day after day. That would be an absolute disaster for the clubhouse.

 

It's ironic, because bringing in Rios basically forced Dye to the bench, and ended his career in unceremonious fashion.

Something I've noticed about Rios lately is that it seems to not be a natural instinct for him to hustle. It's like he had to remind himself to run a pop up out in Colorado the day after he got benched. Then in Chicago, he had a soft hit up the middle (that Castro almost fielded) where he was jogging to first the second he hit the ball.

 

 

DJ's getting on him all the time about not even moving a step when a pickoff play's coming at 2B or when Edwin is on the mound taking forever and he's just disinterestedly almost not even paying attention to what's going on.

 

 

I'm sure the Cardinals are just going to say "f*** it, let's get worse, get older, pay more money and still try and win the Central."

Getting Danks, or both of them, is getting older?