Alex Rios Claimed...

[tarheelblue89]

A waiver claim has been placed on Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Alex Rios, according to Major League Baseball sources.

MLB sources indicate the White Sox are most likely the team awarded the claim on Rios, but the Blue Jays have not confirmed it. In any case, it may well be that Rios is on his way out of Toronto, 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.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4384253

For Buster Olney's take and reasons why the Sox would do it...

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4385680&name=olney_buster

BTW, I love it

[tarheelblue89]

OFFICIAL.......Alex Rios is now a Chicago White Sox, per ESPN and MLBTV.

I'll get a link when one is available

[tarheelblue89]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090810&content_id=6354958&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

:crazy::driving::sifone::seeya::auto:

[Epistaxis]

The majority of Sox fans I know are happy about this acquisition, as it only cost a lot of money rather than having to give up talent plus money.

It doesn't make sense for THIS year, but Kenny is thinking long term with this move.

He isn't the best CF, but he can play the position, and Quentin has underperformed and been hurt. A lot.

JD is aging, still productive, but aging. And the Scotty Pods experiment will likely end after this year. He is a really bad outfieder. Not Soriano bad, but still bad.

Kenny pretty much laid it out, saying they are now over budget, and made a plea to Sox fans to get out there and buy tickets.

Hope they do, they have a good product.

[tarheelblue89]

I still feel like he may be able to do something for us this year. His numbers aren't THAT bad. I mean that are bad but you get my point. The .264 is bad but not BAD. His does have a good amount of RBIs (62), his only numbers that are truly below his career avg. are his OBP and his Slug.

I think the biggest upside of the trade is that he is still 28 years of age. Plus he is a true OF, he can play all three positions if asked to, and he can play all three of them better than Dye, Pods, and CQ can play one.

Dye said that he was shocked and apparently everyone in the clubhouse was as well. I really hope we keep Dye next year, Thome will probably be the odd guy out. I think they will try to keep Pods as a backup, which I think he won't want especially if he finishes the season strong. Plus there are rumors that Kenny wants to go out and get Chone Figgins. If that happens then Pods would be out at the end of the season.

I love the trade, Rios is a five tool guy and he has been hitting the ball better as of late.

Is it a bad thing if your GM starts collecting TOO much talent???

[Epistaxis]

Never.

But Sox fans will have to expect some major changes in the future, and some may not like it.

Thome, Dye, Pods, even Konerko may be out.

The craziest thing I ever heard was a CSN poll that said 78% of Sox fans would rather have Pods leading off than Figgins next year.

W

T

F

?

They need to get that infield playing better defense too. WAY too many errors, making the pitchers work harder than they should have to.

[tarheelblue89]

Ummmm what??? 78% of Sox fans are stupid than, lol.

I heard a caller on the Score yesterday than made me laugh. He said that his was a team that when they are batter you are very excited to watch and then you say "Oh sh*t they're in the field."

Becks for some reason is staring to play some poor defense, which makes me think he needs to be moved over to short. Which would make sense for next year if we do get Figgins, Figgins at third Becks at Short and move Alexi over to Second with Getz as a every other day guy.

I think Konerko will be back for sure. I mean the only way he is not playing first base for us next year is if he moves to DH and Dye moves to first.

[Epistaxis]

Dunno man.

Heard a lot of birdies talking about wholesale changes being necessary to balance the budget.

We'll see.