The numbers that matter with Rios are not his declining batting average or home runs, it is the salary commitment that the Jays had for the next five years. Beginning next year, his salary will jump to $9.7 million in 2010 followed by salaries of $12 and 12.5 million the following four years.
Those numbers aren’t crazy, but they are a big risk for an outfielder that has only hit 20 home runs once in his career and has never had a 90 RBI season. Rios makes up for some of that by being a very good defensive right fielder with a great arm, but he also is known for brain cramps during games and an apparent lazy attitude. While you can’t always tell what a player is thinking, Rios does not come across as a player whose head is always in the game. He also has that easy going style that makes you wonder how committed he is to hard work and just how much he cares about winning. I do not mean to be hard on Rios since he is a decent ballplayer with plenty of upside, but there is a great risk that he is not a $12 million per season player.
It is becoming very evident that the Jays will tighten with their payroll and they have holes to fill on their team. They also have two very important players in Scutaro and Barajas that will be free agents after this season. If the Rios money is used to help resign those players and fill another need then letting Rios go makes sense for the team. He may well thrive in Chicago, but with the budget that Rogers appears to be setting for the Jays he is no longer a luxury that they can afford. This team is no longer just making baseball moves. Each player transaction is now also a budget move and at this moment budget needs trump baseball needs.
An unfortunate thing when looking at the Jays and where they are going is that I have lost complete faith in JP Ricciardi. I do not necessarily mean that as in his ability to judge baseball players, but more in his desire to tell the truth to the fans. I have documented his dishonesty before, but the Rios case was another prime example.
When Rios was claimed by the Sox a few days ago Ricciardi claimed it was a non story. He hid behind the truth that many players go on waivers this time of year and that Rios was no different. It is true that many players go on waivers, but what was not true was that Rios was no different. The truth was evident when Ricciardi stopped his statement there and let the issue hang over the weekend. If it was business as usual, Ricciardi would have added that Rios would only be moved if a good baseball trade presented itself. Instead he let the half truth hang in the air and it was sad to see that Rios was surprised when the Jays let him go. Sad in that Ricciardi is obviously not being honest with his players and that is not the way to build loyalty.
Ricciardi now talks about the flexibility this salary dump gives the Jays. Of course he does not use the term salary dump, but at the moment that is exactly what it is. Maybe they will use the money in the off season to resign Scutaro and Barajas and pick up another bat for the outfield, maybe they won’t. We just don’t know and that makes it harder to care.
The problem is Jays fans no longer have someone speaking on behalf of the team that they can trust.
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Interestingly, JP in his press conference before the game was asked about whether or not players would sign as free agents in Toronto. JP feels that "money talks" and used examples of BJ Ryan, AJ Burnett, Wells and Rios as prime players who were convinced to come/stay in Toronto.
ReplyDeleteAlso, is expanding financial flexibility through allowing a player to depart with nothing in return not the same thing as a salary dump?
JP is a lame duck. Clear the shelves for the next guy.
I agree. It seems only sportswriter Mike Ulmer is on JP's cheerleading squad at the moment. Scutaro now is a must with more $$ available as a high .OBA table setter (with a little pop) and Barajas (not so much). I'd like to see Lind (who is a superior player to Rios), Wells and Snyder in the outfield next year. Snyders' 'horrific' early season slump is a first for him who is lauded as a can't miss major league star by all minor league brass.
ReplyDeleteWhen the pitching staff regains its health there is an abundance of talent which has been allowed to develop by simply playing in the bigs this year. I see very good things for the Jays next season. Cito should be kept long term as he is a cohesive force for the players during turbulent organization times. Any disruption in the clubhouse won't be initiated and festered by Clarence, a real players manager.
I'm probably the only one who'd like to see Scutaro at 3rd next year with McDonald at short, and a higher .OBA, BA guy with a gun behind the plate. Must admit Barajas is better than Zahn who wore an invisible 'free pass to 2nd base' sing around his neck. With the wealth of pitchers I'm sure a trade could be arranged. You win up the middle in this game (pitching and defense) and the Jays have a lot of ground ball pitchers.Til then the proverbial cry, "Wait till next year" must suffice, however with each passing year of futility that cry is getting weaker and weaker as evidenced in the stands.
Its unfortunate that the next dump will be Halladay. Hopefully JP will not be behind the reigns of that one.
ReplyDeleteRogers has accepted that they are a fourth place team and will pay accordingly. Barahas and Scutaro are as good as gone. This team will be gutted thanks to our friends at Rogers.