Jim Callis of Baseball America reports that the Blue Jays agreed to sign first round pick Chad Jenkins for $1.36MM, which is $9k above slot. Callis says the college righty combines "a tremendous feel for pitching with quality stuff," specifically a fastball that touches 96 mph and a plus slider.
Blue Jays Rumors
Odds And Ends: Tate, Draft, Tejada, Jays
Some afternoon links…
- Jason Jennings of 99.9 The Fan reports that Donavan Tate left the UNC football program and appears likely to sign with the Padres.
- The Orioles expect to know within two days whether they'll sign second rounder Michal Givens, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.
- The Mets expect to sign their top pick, Steven Matz, according to Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News. The lefty could command a seven figure bonus.
- Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle says the Astros could bring Miguel Tejada back next year, though they haven't decided what they'll do.
- MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports that Jays manager Cito Gaston isn't sure he wants to manage after his contract expires at the end of next season.
- Joe Posnanski says Alex Rios has the seventh worst contract in the game. Rob Neyer's take: Ricciardi has signed players to lousy contracts, but he may be the right guy in the wrong place at this point. My take: Posnanski's too hard on the deal.
Heyman On White Sox, Mets, Bay, Holliday
Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Blue Jays asked for a player currently on the White Sox in exchange for Alex Rios before asking for a prospect and eventually settling for salary relief. Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi didn't get MLB talent back for his right fielder, but executives around the league say they understand the thought process behind the trade. Here are the rest of Heyman's rumors:
- One GM says Rios would be a good gamble at $30-35MM, but the $60MM remaining on his deal is too much.
- White Sox GM Kenny WIlliams says he's fully confident that Jake Peavy will transition into the American League and help the White Sox down the stretch.
- It's uncertain whether Gary Sheffield and Pedro Feliciano were claimed off waivers. Two AL teams were interested in Sheffield before his hamstring injuries popped up.
- Teams are claiming more cheap, young players than ever.
- The Red Sox would love Marco Scutaro, but aren't likely to get the chance to acquire him since teams with worse records would presumably claim him.
- Heyman hears that Matt Holliday could press for a no-trade clause and may not take the biggest deal he sees as a free agent this offseason.
- Some estimate that Jason Bay could make about $60MM over four years when he hits free agency after the season.
- The Nats could name a new GM by the end of the month. Acting GM Mike Rizzo is receiving praise around the league for acquiring Nyjer Morgan.
- Most execs believe John Smoltz is more likely to land in the NL.
Odds And Ends: O’s, Jays, Greene, Brewers
More links on the 80th anniversary of Babe Ruth's 500th career homer:
- Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun says the Orioles are well-positioned in case teams start shedding high-salaried corner infielders.
- MLB.com's Jordan Bastian says the Jays called up Randy Ruiz. Why didn't Travis Snider get the call? His service time probably has something to do with it.
- The Padres filed a grievance after they had to pay Khalil Greene to recover from a self-inflicted hand injury when he was on their roster last year. Now, Tom Krasovic reports that the two sides have come to an agreement, so there will be no grievance hearing.
- Via Twitter, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the Brewers designated minor league righty Nick Green for assignment to make room for David Weathers.
- Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star reports that the Royals claimed minor leaguer John Bannister from the Rangers and assigned him to AA.
- Via Twitter, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says he doubts the Yankees will trade for Bronson Arroyo.
More Reactions To The Alex Rios Trade
More reactions to the biggest deal we've seen this August…
- ESPN.com's Keith Law says the White Sox can afford Alex Rios since they have a hole in center field, salaries coming off the books and a deep enough system to afford the price of "no players."
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the White Sox are making risky, fascinating moves.
- Danny Knobler of CBS Sports doubts the Blue Jays can win next year, even with Roy Halladay around. It takes a special team to win in the AL East and Knobler suggests the Jays don't have enough talent.
- White Sox GM Kenny Williams picked up a $56 ticket for jaywalking in Seattle yesterday, according to MLB.com's Christian Caple. He committed a million times as much to Alex Rios.
- Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reminds us that the Giants at least considered a Tim Lincecum–Alex Rios swap less than two years ago.
More Rios Reactions
The world's had a few hours to digest the Rios trade and a few have made their judgments. Let's check it out, with more likely on the way:
- Mark Gonzales at the Chicago Tribune talked to Jermaine Dye, who called the move "a shock" and doesn't know what the future holds for him.
- Ken Rosenthal at FOX Sports says the White Sox have managed their payroll well enough in order to take on a contract as big as Rios's.
- Joe Cowley at the Chicago Sun-Times has an in-depth piece on the deal. Apparently Sox GM Kenny Williams had tried to acquire Rios before the deadline. Williams admits that the team went "out on a limb" for Rios money-wise, after claiming finances would be an issue for the Sox this season.
- Drunk Jays Fans sees it as "the right move for whatever direction this club might be headed in." (Maybe not safe for work/children, but entertaining as usual.)
Odds & Ends: Rios, Reds, Nationals
On this day last year, the White Sox acquired Horacio Ramirez from the Royals for minor-leaguer Paul Orlando. Today, they got Alex Rios for nothing.
- Matt Eddy at Baseball America has a useful guide to the past week's minor-league transactions.
- Tough break for the Nationals: According to Chico Harlan at the Washington Post, prized young arm Jordan Zimmermann has a torn ligament that will likely require up to 18 months to repair. Speculation, but perhaps this could further press the Nationals in the Stephen Strasburg negotiations?
- Ken Davidoff at Newsday likes the Alex Rios move for both teams.
- Game of Inches analyzes some metrics and sees the Rios move as a big win for J.P. Ricciardi.
- Reds GM Walt Jocketty tells MLB.com's Mark Sheldon that talks have fallen off between the team and first-round selection Mike Leake. Last week's above-slot signing of Mike Minor by the Braves didn't help matters.
White Sox Acquire Alex Rios
According to the New York Times' Tyler Kepner (via Twitter), the White Sox have acquired Alex Rios from the Blue Jays. It's a straight waiver claim, so the Blue Jays will receive nothing in return. Says Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi:
"This allows us to get out from under a contract and do more to address our club."
Check out Ken Fidlin's article from the Toronto Sun for more Ricciardi quotes on the move.
The 28-year-old Rios is due roughly $60MM more on the seven-year contract he signed last April, which will take him through the 2014 season with a club option for 2015. Rios is hitting .264/.317/.424 in 479 plate appearances for the Jays this season. With the Jake Peavy acquisition already in the books, that means White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf has taken on more than $100MM in future contracts for the Sox.
To lose Rios' fat contract is a major relief for the re-building Blue Jays, while the Sox add a relatively stable long-term piece to their outfield. This could also potentially spell the end for Jermaine Dye as a member of the Sox, as he has a mutual option after this season and it's not clear how he'd fit into the picture. If he is retained, Rios could potentially play center field.
Alex Rios Claimed; Trade Next?
MONDAY, 5:26pm: According to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian, Blue Jays manager J.P. Ricciardi has just called a pre-game press conference. Bastian wonders if it'll involve news on the Rios situation. Stay tuned.
SUNDAY, 5:01pm: Ken Rosenthal says that Jays have to let Rios go, regardless of what kind of return – if any – they receive. Freeing up $58.7MM over the next several years is too valuable of an opportunity. As Rosenthal points out, $12MM this offseason (Rios' approximate average salary) could have bought Bobby Abreu, Orlando Hudson, Russell Branyan, and Adam Everett, while leaving $800K to spare.
6:52pm: Mark Gonzales of The Chicago Tribune spoke to White Sox GM Kenny Williams, who abided by league rules stating he can't comment about specific players placed on waivers. He did offer up this, though:
"I’m not confirming or denying any interest or any claims or any thing, but if these things get out on a daily basis, boy, it’s going to be a heck of an August around here in terms of how many players you claim and how many you don’t claim. It will make your head spin if you follow each report. A lot of players getting claimed every day. Why is this a big deal?"
1:50pm: According to ESPN.com's Buster Olney, we should know by "early Tuesday afternoon" where Rios is headed.
SATURDAY, 1:34pm: MLB.com's Jordan Bastian asked Rios about the waiver claim before Saturday's tilt with the Orioles. It sounds like everyone is still in the dark. "I can't do anything," said the outfielder. "If I get traded, I get traded. I'm going to have to go wherever I get traded to, but I don't know. At this point I'm thinking that I'm staying here."
For what it's worth, Rios is 2-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI since the waiver claim was reported.
FRIDAY, 10:02pm: Olney is now reporting that the White Sox "are most likely the team awarded claim on Rios, but the Blue Jays have not confirmed it." The Sox face a mutual option on right fielder Jermaine Dye after the season, and could also consider using Rios in center field if they acquire him.
8:44pm: Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times reports that the Mariners did not put the claim in on Rios.
7:58pm: John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that "someone high in the front office" confirms that the Reds did not claim Rios.
6:16pm: Henry Schulman of The SF Chronicle says that vice president of baseball operations Bobby Evans "hinted strongly" that the Giants are not the team that claimed Rios.
4:41pm: Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports that the Red Sox didn't claim Rios, either.
4:39pm: Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears from a high-ranking Mets official that the Mets did not claim Rios. J.P. Ricciardi didn't get into specifics with MLB.com's Jordan Bastian and just said it's normal to place players on waivers.
2:52pm: ESPN.com's Buster Olney hears that Alex Rios has been claimed on waivers by an unknown team. The Blue Jays now have three choices:
- They can let the claiming team have Rios and the $60MM-plus remaining on his contract.
- They can pull him back from waivers and keep him.
- They can work out a deal with the claiming team.
One executive calls this an "incredible opportunity" for the Blue Jays to shed payroll.
Arroyo And Harang Clear Waivers
Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang cleared waivers, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Both pitchers have large contracts through 2010 and club options for 2011 with $2MM buyouts. Arroyo makes $9.5MM this year and $11MM next year; Harang makes $11MM this year, and $12.5MM next year. The Reds would likely have to take on salary in any trades involving the starters, who can now be traded to any team.
Arroyo, 32, has allowed 159 hits in 144.2 innings and a career-high homer rate has led to 25 longballs. He's struck out 82 and walked 55, so it's no surprise that teams were unwilling to pick up his contract.
Harang, 31, has struck out 132 and walked just 38, but he's been about as hittable and homer-prone as Arroyo.
