Snobs vs. Slobs

White Sox GM Kenny Williams was ticketed yesterday for jaywalking while crossing a street near Safeco Field. He was on his way to the park, talking on his cell phone.

Apparently, he told the cop that people in Chicago cross streets wherever they please—I can attest to this, having jaywalked every time I’ve been back to Chicago. The officer, apparently, told him that Seattle isn’t like that.

I suspect Williams will pay that $56 ticket soon.
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Wait, what? Ken Williams did something else yesterday?

The White Sox made a waiver deal for two-time All-Star (I know he sucks this year, but he has played well before) outfielder Alexis Rios. Rios has played a litte centerfield in his career, but mostly played in right to make room for Vernon Wells (and his contract). Career, he’s 90 FRAR, with 14 FRAR this year. Sixteen days younger than I (I’m 28), Rios is theorectically in the prime of his career.

Because she’s the best transaction columnist working today, Christina Kahrl saw this one coming and laid out the possibility of the White getting him (subscription required to read the whole thing):

Given the White Sox’ need for a starter at the position, you have to wonder, if they have claimed him and they do wind up with him, whether they feel that he can help them initially to help cover not just for Carlos Quentin’s bad wheels and slack production since coming back from the DL, but more importantly that they’re seeking a long-term solution to Scott Podsednik’s limitations as a placeholder in the middle pasture. Adding Rios not only helps the Sox now, it would arguably give them their starting center fielder for several seasons to come. Jermaine Dye’s under contract for 2010, and Quentin’s under contract, so if they add Rios, center’s the obvious long-term spot for him. It’s a massive overpayment for a starting center fielder, but the market’s going to only have an aging Mike Cameron and perhaps Marlon Byrd or Endy Chavez to offer. That’s a starter on the wrong side of 35 and a couple of placeholders. Supply and demand’s a bit of a snaggy/nasty problem when there’s a limited supply, and you harbor higher ambitions involving winning the AL Central.

(Emphasis is mine.)

Rios is as good a free agent-type player (as in, won’t cost the Sox any prospects in a trade) as the Sox can get going forward. He’s better than Cameron, Byrd or Chavez. He’s got a better upside than a 31-year-old Chone Figgins (who, by the way, has been playing in the infield for the last few years). He’s not Willie Mays, but he’s the best of what’s available.

But, this is a big development for two reasons:

1. This move shows that Williams and Reinsdorf are absolutely committed to winning. And willing to spend the money to do so.


2. Williams and Reinsdorf know that Scott Podsednik isn’t the solution.

The second development is kind of fun because of the problems inherent in the Sox looking for help this offseason. Realizing that Pods isn’t the solution going forward is very important. Williams all too often falls in love with free talent (see Dotel, Octavio or MacDougal, Mike for recent examples), signing scrap heap guys and keeping with them even after they’ve turned into a pumpkin.

(For now, I’m going to ignore the possibilities of the Sox letting Dye go, as Dye is also a free agent.)

As for the first development… For all the complaints about owners, Reinsdorf is opening his wallet up for this team. The Sox are not the cheapskate team that waived the white flag for so many years. It’s a winnable division and putting the proverbial money where the team’s proverbial mouth (aka Guillen) is.

Jose Contreras, Pods, Dotel, Dye and Jim Thome all come off the books next season. Contreras probably won’t be back. Pods probably won’t come back—at least as a starter. Dye is willing to give a discount, but he might not stick around. Thome is older than dirt, though he has his usefulness. Dotel is a volatile bullpen arm, so the team doesn’t need to bring him along.

Rios isn’t much of a player. He’s an average player making awesome player money.

No question, $62 million is a lot of money to that type of player. And with Jake Peavy now being a part of the team, the Sox are looking to win right now and that may be a difficult thing.

This team isn’t super young. It doesn’t have a ton of a future. Only Gordon Beckham and John Danks are current roster fixtures under the the age of 25. Tyler Flowers (23 years old) is the catcher of the future and Jordan Danks (also 23) may be an important piece in the outfield of the future. Dayán Viciedo (20) is the future of the the third base position, but he’s a bit of a wild card.

The point is this: This isn’t a team at the rebuild side of the success cycle. This is a team in win-now mode and moving to get a major league centerfielder is smart.

Does this mean the Sox lose some big pieces in the offseason? Possible. Losing Dye will really hurt the team, leaving Pods, Rios and a very fragile Carlos Quentin in the outfield. Making Quentin a DH (i.e. losing Thome) and putting Rios in left helps the defense, but is a major step down in offense. Williams needs to identify the chaff (Pods) from the wheat (Dye) in making moves this offseason.

So, overall, the Sox need to make the correct moves going forward in regards to Rios. There’s a lot of money tied up in Peavy and Rios. The move makes the Sox better right now, but the question remains: How much better?

Flags fly forever, folks. If Rios is an upgrade over Pods (likely) and the Sox get somewhere in the playoffs…