Mystery Team (White Sox) Claims Alex Rios on Waivers- Latest: Jays Let him go to Chicago for nothing

[JohnBriggs12]

Don't have a link, but Olney suggests that the Jays might just let him go to get out from under the remaining $60 million over the next 5 years. Olney only throws out the Giants and Mets as possibles.

 

Is there any remote possibility that it's the Brewers? Hart is on DL. Rios can play CF, and Brewers do not have a CF beyond this year. Rios hasn't posted numbers worthy of his contract since 2007, but he's only 28 and getting him out of the AL East might boost his production.

 

EDIT: Title- PF

[eanelson4]

Per Buster Olney.

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

 

What a miracle for the Blue Jays. They don't have any financial flexibility and Rios appears to have been severely overpaid in the contract that he signed last April. I think it will be interesting to see what GM made that claim (if the Jays don't take him back). They probably could have traded for him before the deadline and even gotten the Blue Jays to pay some of his salary.

[nate82]

What a miracle for the Blue Jays. They don't have any financial flexibility and Rios appears to have been severely overpaid in the contract that he signed last April.

Not really. Rios doesn't get start to get expensive until 2011 when he starts making $12m in '11 and 12 and then 12.5m in '13 and '14 with a $1m buyout in '15 or an option for $13.5m. He hasn't really produced what he has been paid so far this year but I believe he still has a lot of value left in him especially if he plays in the NL or in a smaller park. His contract isn't that bad until 2011 that is when it starts to get problematic.

[JohnBriggs12]

It's risky but not ridiculous, because he can play CF too which to some teams makes him very attractive. Part of me hopes it's the Brewers but are they that bold? I wouldn't rule out Kenny Williams who is bold and the Sox could use a CF.

[eanelson4]

Not really. Rios doesn't get start to get expensive until 2011 when he starts making $12m in '11 and 12 and then 12.5m in '13 and '14 with a $1m buyout in '15 or an option for $13.5m. He hasn't really produced what he has been paid so far this year but I believe he still has a lot of value left in him especially if he plays in the NL or in a smaller park. His contract isn't that bad until 2011 that is when it starts to get problematic.

But it IS problematic. The Blue Jays (and many people around baseball) thought it would be quite tough to get rid of Rios without having to pay a chunk of that contract. For a guy that has a career .784 OPS and has never driven in more than 85 runs (granted he is still relatively young like you said), seven years and $69 million is a pretty hefty contract.

[dadofandrew]

I would not put it past Doug, but the money alone may well have kept him from doing it, as some think TOR will just let him go if a trade cannot be worked out.

[logan82]

Rios has a full no trade clause from 20009-2010. It looks like this is just a down year for him. He has a really low BABIP for one thing however his defense appears to still be pretty solid. Link The only reason I think he would be a bad pickup is because his contract runs into his age 33 season. Link

 

Alex Rios of

7 years/$69.835M (2008-14), plus 2015 club option

• 7 years/$69.835M (2008-14), plus 2015 club option

• • [li]
  signed extension with Toronto 4/4/08, re-working 2008 deal signed 2/5/08 ($3.5M signing bonus remains, 2008 salary reduced from $1.335M to $0.735M)
  
• 08:$0.735M, 09:$5.9M, 10:$9.7M, 11:$12M, 12:$12M, 13:$12.5M, 14:$12.5M, 15:$13.5M club option ($1M buyout)
  
• full no-trade clause, 2009-10
• limited no-trade clause, 2011 - end of deal (may block trades to 6 clubs)

[/li]

1 year/$4.835M (2008)

• [li]

re-signed 2/5/08 (avoided arbitration, $5.65M-$4.535M)

• $3.5M signing bonus, 08:$1.335M

• award bonus: $15,000 for All Star team
  

[/li]

1 year/$2.535M (2007)

• [li]

re-signed 2/07 (avoided arbitration, $3.1M-$2M)

[/li]

1 year/$0.354M (2006)

1 year/$0.331M (2005), re-signed 3/05

drafted 1999 (1-19) $0.845M signing bonus agent: Paul Kinzer

ML service: 4.130

[endaround]

But if he's traded as a waiver claim it might not apply. Its one of those things that's never been really tested because its a jerkish thing to do.

[jvrocksaz]

It's risky but not ridiculous, because he can play CF too which to some teams makes him very attractive. Part of me hopes it's the Brewers but are they that bold? I wouldn't rule out Kenny Williams who is bold and the Sox could use a CF.

I am hoping it is the Brewers as well... Let him play RF the rest of this year then move him to CF next year...

[logan82]

Trade Assignment Waivers

Trade assignment waivers are utilized in August as a means to gauge trade interest. Between August 1 and the end of the season, a player may not be traded without first clearing trade assignment Major League waivers. If the player is not claimed within 47 business-day hours, he may be traded to any club. If the player is claimed by another club, the request may be revoked, allowing his current club to pull him back. However, the player's current club also may 1) work out a trade with the claiming club within 48 ½ business-day hours, or 2) elect to allow the claiming club to take the player for a $20,000 fee and assume responsibility for his current contract. If more than one club claims a player, the club with the lower winning percentage has priority, but American League clubs have priority for AL players, and National League clubs have priority for NL players. Once a player on major league waivers has been claimed and the waiver request revoked, any subsequent request for major league waivers during the same waiver period is irrevocable. A player with a no-trade clause who is claimed on Major League waivers must be pulled back if the player's no-trade clause allows him to block a deal to the claiming club. However, the player may waive the no-trade clause and join the claiming club. Link

[chuckcrim]

Do you really think Mark A. would shell out that kind of money for Rios?? Braun didn't even get that kind of cash and Rios can't touch Braun.

[sheethead]

It's risky but not ridiculous, because he can play CF too which to some teams makes him very attractive. Part of me hopes it's the Brewers but are they that bold? I wouldn't rule out Kenny Williams who is bold and the Sox could use a CF.

Didn't Wise make a perfect game saving catch a couple weeks ago? Pods can play until late inning substitution.

[eanelson4]

I am hoping it is the Brewers as well... Let him play RF the rest of this year then move him to CF next year...

The last thing the Brewers need (or can afford) is an overpaid outfielder to go along with Suppan and Bill Hall. Unless Rios got his career turned around in Milwaukee, it would probably be tough to get rid of him without paying part of his salary because he would be coming up to those big salary years. Why take on that liability for a seemingly average outfielder?

[RyDogg66]

Can we change the thread title? It looks like the Brewers claimed Rios and is very misleading. Take out the arrows as there has been no transaction and Toronto can still pull Rios back.

[crewcrazy]

Can we change the thread title? It looks like the Brewers claimed Rios and is very misleading. Take out the arrows as there has been no transaction and Toronto can still pull Rios back.

 

Done and Done.

 

There's speculation out here in New York that the Mets may be the team that claimed him, with eyes on having him long-term (with their 2009 season looking over, with all their injuries). They may have the financial flexibility to pull it off long-term, but considering they just traded for Jeff Francoeur it would be a little odd. Then again, Omar Minaya has made quite a few unconventional moves this year.

 

It could also be the Giants, who were linked to Rios in all kinds of trade talks before the non-waiver deadline, IIRC. It'll be interesting to see if the Jays pull him back or try to work out a deal. Rios is still affordable right now, but long-term his contract combined with Vernon Wells' really ties their hands. Whoever the team is, I don't think we'll find out unless a deal is actually struck. Players get claimed and pulled back all the time in August, since a lot of GMs like to put most of their 25-man roster on waivers after July 31 just to see who they can deal.

 

Edit: I noticed that there were two threads on this, so I just merged the two since both threads had good posts.

[Invader3K]

MLB Trade Rumors' latest updates say the Mets did not claim him, and neither did the Red Sox (not that they would make any sense, but we can't have rumor speculation without a Boston tie-in, can we?).

[SeriesFinale]

People here in SF seem to think it must be the Giants since they need the bat and they almost dealt him for Cain or Lincecum before last season and picking up a contract like that has Sabean all over it (not to mention they can afford it), but I can't imagine he'd get all the way through the AL teams and then most of the NL

[TwinsBrewersWorldSeries]

my first reaction was: Wow, which team is dumb enough to do that (claim Rios).

 

Props to Toronto, and i'd say good riddance if I was their GM. Jettison Rios, and complete a contract extention for Halladay with the money saved. Might even save the GM his job.

 

I wonder if the mystery GM would place a waiver claim on Bill Hall or Jeff Suppan?

[brewdude15]

Now according to MLB Trade Rumors, the Giants "strongly hinted" they aren't the team that claimed Rios.

 

So...Mets? Negative.

Red Sox? Nope.

Giants? Nada.

 

Whodunnit?

[Brewcrewin07]

Watch it be the Cubs, even if they supposedly can't spend any money because of the sale. That's my gut feel.

[Vgmastr]

Tom Verducci on MLB Tonight said that he doesn't know what club claimed him, but that Rios didn't make it past the AL teams, so it was someone in the AL according to him.

[nate82]

Teams you can eliminate: Nationals, Pirates, Cardinals, Cubs, Astros, Dodgers, Red Sox, Giants, Mets, Tigers, Indians, Angels, A's, Mariners, Rangers, Reds, Orioles, Padres, Rays, Braves, Diamondbacks, Twins and Marlins

 

Maybe list: Brewers (you can probably add them to the nope list), Yankees, White Sox, and Royals.

 

I think I got every team.

 

Why the Royals? Because their GM is a moron and is probably a deal he would make.

 

White Sox? Because they were looking for another OF to go along with Quentin and others and have Dye be their DH.

 

Yankees? Well they are the Yankees and they didn't really make any moves during the trading deadline to acquire anyone they have been way to quiet since the offseason. Plus with Gardner, Cabrera, Swisher, and Damon as your main OF that is not a lot of depth and two of the players are AAAA type of players. Rios would become Damon's replacement then.

[JJHardy7]

I hope you're not stating that Cabrera is a AAAA player. I think he'd fit alright in the Brewers OF right now...

[eanelson4]

If we are talking AL teams only, I see the most likely destinations (in no particular order) as: New York, Detroit, Chicago, and Texas.

 

I really hope the Brewers didn't pick him up.

[nate82]

I hope you're not stating that Cabrera is a AAAA player. I think he'd fit alright in the Brewers OF right now...

Oh I am and I don't see the love for him at all.