Either my beloved WhiteSOX are poised to make a serious run at the mighty Yankees, or they are setting themselves up for a high-priced disappointing season.
But unlike when the Mets or cubs, or failed Yankee teams do this, there is a method to the SOX madness.
When the team I credit for making mostly smart baseball moves starts doing things that don't make sense at first, I need to try comparing players and situations. Those who think I don't know anything about baseball (or I just bash the Mets and cubs because it's fun) feel free to stop reading here. This is me thinking out loud.
Alex Rios does not have to hit .300 with 35-40 home runs and 100 RBI to be worth the rest of huge contract the Blue Jays wrote up and the SOX now owe (some not insignificant portion of $69 mildo)
If Rios even matches his first "delcining year" and bats .290 with 15-20 home runs and 80 RBI, or if he doesn't pop us as much, if he hits line drives or with some authority it will be an ugrade over Wise and BA. Perhaps it is the most expensive minor upgrade in history but any upgrade in center for the White Sox has significant value to the club.
I know I mock the cubs and Soriano every chance I get but the difference is Hendry gave that jackass $130 million over 8 years with the thought that he'd be a 40/40 man for a few years of that contract. The cubs billed themselves as landing the biggest free agent of 2007, virtually made him the face of the franchise and now they are stuck with a left-fielder who can never live up to the offensive promise, is crappy in the field and now, even his plus arm is questionable.
The Rios story is different (and yes I heard he pulled himself out of spring training activity due to a sore shoulder). Rios was picked up on waivers for nothing. And even if the worst case scenario is true (some folks who write for Baseball Prospectus have gone as far to say that he just doesn't care at all)...Rios, unlike Soriano can be moved one more time. No one can tell me that if the Mets, or the Dodgers or the M's are in a playoff race in and have injuries in the outfield (and remember the M's have Milton Bradley so he's bound to hurt himself in some incredibly stupid fashion)...someone would take Rios if the SOX plans with him totally collapse.
I will not be bothered by those who say for the remainder of that $60-some million, Alex Rios needs to be an All-Star. I could give a crap about him being an All-Star. I don't care about the money, because I'd rather see the SOX take a chance with him than spend $1 million too much on left-handed power that ain't what it used to be.
If the WhiteSOX are in contention at the trade deadline, they'll be buyers. Believe me, they know mid to late season ticket sails are dependent on winning. It's one of the most realistic things about following this team. They do well, people come out, they try to spend a little more to make the product even better. Sometimes it works and sometimes you end up with Albert Belle.
Rios, even at his worst offensively last year, solidified the SOX outfield. I think, in center, he can cover some of the deficiencies of an aging Juan Pierre in left and a sometimes injured and oftentimes weird Carlos Quentin in right. I think Ozzie and Walker can find a place for him in their lineup where they will get whatever can be gotten from him at the dish.
Or Ozzie will switch him around so much that Rios won't even know which way is upp the hill anymore and that'll be that.
Andruw Jones, I hope he is more part-time DH than anything else. You know the WhiteSOX plan is going off the rails if we see Jones playing a lot of centerfield.
I don't even want to think about it.
More on my excitement over the SOX in the days and weeks leading up to the start of the season. WHOO HOO!!!
