What would it take to acquire Rios?

by cubsfan2883 on Dec 18, 2006 12:21 AM CST

Alexis Rios of the Blue Jays is reputedly on the block since Reed Johnson and Vernon Wells currently man the two spots that Rios would typically play.

It is said that the Blue Jays are looking for a quality pitcher.. such as LA's Brad Penny, or the A's Joe Blanton.

Rios would fit well in the Cubs OF, playing CF and batting anywhere in the lineup.

He's an above-average hitter, and one of the elite defenders in the game today.

The question is, Would you give up a guy like Rich Hill for Alexis Rios?

That would seemingly be what needed to happen to acquire Rios. I doubt that Riccardi would be willing to take a package of players such as Marmol and top prospect Pie for him especially since Pie plays the same position as Rios.

If the Cubs were to make such an agreement the rotation would be weakened.. but our lineup strengthened.

SP- Z
SP-Lilly
SP- ??
SP- Marquis
SP-ClusterFuck.

The Cubs would then need to fill the 3rd spot again, which could be solved by either looking at Zito, which doesn't seem to be a good fit in Chicago, or by expanding the Rios trade to acquire a SP. which again does not make sense.

Would you make this move?. I think i would.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation, Bleed Cubbie Blue, or Al Yellon, editor-in-chief. FanPost opinions are, however, valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Hill for Rios

Absolutely not in any case.

Why would be trade one of the best projected pitchers when that is already the weakest spot on the team.

Not only is Hill good, but his salary is controlled, and very low.

This would be the dumbest trade of the young century.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 18, 2006 12:40 AM CST 0 recs

typo

"Why would be trade one of the best projected pitchers when that is already the weakest spot on the team." =

Why would we trade one of the best projected pitchers in our rotation when the pitching staff is the weakest part of the team already?

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 18, 2006 12:42 AM CST up 0 recs

absolutely not...

...the offense is good enough for next year. I believe you sorely underrate the kind of run support this team will be able to generate with a healthy Derrek Lee, newcomer Alfonso Soriano, and Ronny Cedeno and Juan Pierre nowhere in sight.

There is no reason to make a move like this. It would cripple our starting rotation. If we had a surplus of starting pitching like LA and perhaps Philly, then this move would make sense, but we don't.

And the upgrade to the offense wouldn't be that significant, if at all.

Sorry man, this just seems like a poor idea considering the state of the team right now. If we had our 2004 rotation intact and healthy, perhaps we trade a Matt Clement for Rios, but we no longer have that luxury.

PINIELLA!

by theprognosticator on Dec 18, 2006 12:41 AM CST 0 recs

When I saw "Ronny Cedeno"...

In your post, I was concerned that you might have gotten struck in the head with a bowling ball, but reading the context in which it was used made me feel much better.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 18, 2006 12:44 AM CST up 0 recs

if I ever speak of Ronny Cedeno...

...as an asset offensively, may Al ban me from the board forever.

PINIELLA!

by theprognosticator on Dec 18, 2006 12:51 AM CST up 0 recs

I have to admit...

...that as I've been complaining about the offense, I honestly keep forgetting that we'll have Lee back. Based on what he did in the little bit of time he was back, I think we have reason to be optimistic about Lee. I know we've debated how much of a difference Lee would have made last season, but in the lineup as it is currently constructed, Lee should make a huge difference.

Jason Marquis makes me :-d~o~o~o~

by gravedigger on Dec 18, 2006 2:25 PM CST up 0 recs

And that is true EVEN IF...

... his production is only at 2004 level, not 2005 level.

My guess is that he'll be somewhere in between the two, which would be ... well, I think you'll all agree, far better than the mishmash of players who replaced him in the lineup.

by Al on Dec 18, 2006 4:27 PM CST up 0 recs

True that

I can't even remember who filled in at first for Lee -- and please, don't remind me.

Jason Marquis makes me :-d~o~o~o~

by gravedigger on Dec 19, 2006 5:26 AM CST up 0 recs

Not sure yet...

I have to think about this one for a bit, but it's because I think it'd have to take more than a guy with one good half to get Rios. [There was another post buried somewhere else that proposed some combination of Prior, Marshall, relievers/prospects.] Really, though, the talk in Toronto (where I live) has them looking for an established starter. Given Hendry's comments of late (and our dearth of established starters to trade), I don't see the Cubs being bidders, but it's an interesting thought. A more logical landing point is on the South Side. The Jays are reportedly willing to include Dustin McGowen in talks <note the vagueness>, a highly touted prospect who's been inconsistent out of the pen but has had a lot of attention in the AFL. It certainly fits with what Kenny Williams has been up to (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061216.BLAIRFINAL16/TPStory/Columnists)

[Not that it's a big deal, but no one's blocking Rios on the Jays. Last year the Jays outfield (and it was a great one) was a Johnson/Catalanotto platoon in left (with Johnson getting the bulk of the starts), Wells in center, and Rios in right. He's on the block because the Jays couldn't land Lilly and Meche.]

by GuntherNancy on Dec 18, 2006 12:57 AM CST 0 recs

I still fail to see how Rios has established...

...himself as a player worth making extraordinary efforts to obtain.

He had what was possibly going to be a breakout season, but he missed too much time for there to be any definitive say-so one way or another and his previous seasons were underwhelming.

And I still fail to see how he signficantly upgrades our lineup and how that upgrade would be worth the loss incurred by the starting rotation.

This move makes zero sense. The offense isn't going to get much better with Alex Rios in the lineup. And it's yet one more RH hitter in a lineup that already desperately needs balance.

Rios is not the kind of young player a team should be falling all over themselves to acquire. Hill, as matter of fact, is.

PINIELLA!

by theprognosticator on Dec 18, 2006 1:41 AM CST up 0 recs

thank you for the echo....

i posted this under the jd drew thread yesterday. dont like to start stuff but man why cant people read ohter threads before posting the exact same thing over and over and over again. anyway i want rios. he's very young and has all the makings of a stud player. i think a package of marshall,prior, reliever, and a minor leaguer would anough to get the job done and not hurt us at all.

Here comes the nasty leftie to shut it down in the 9th......Clay Rapada!!!!

by cubsluver22 on Dec 18, 2006 6:58 AM CST 0 recs

he is

not a big enough upgrade over jones offensively to warrant giving up hill. pitchers are far too valuable to trade for a postition player that isn't monster offensively.
anyone on this board would love to have rios, but unless the jays are willing to take marshall and pie for him, or something like that, its not worth it.
the mets are apparently willing to offer heilman and millidge. i would think we could do something that rivals that, since lastings has lost some value, imo, the way the mets have been offering him in every trade proposal last year and this year.

DEJESUS!!!

by tomas21 on Dec 18, 2006 8:25 AM CST 0 recs

I would think...

... Marshall and Pie would be a comparable offer to Milledge and Heilman, maybe even an upgrade.

I like Rios a lot. If Pie has to be dealt to get him, so be it.

by Al on Dec 18, 2006 8:33 AM CST up 0 recs

Yes, very much so....

He could be my new obsession, now that Wells is staying put.....and my original proposal for Wells including Sean Marshall, Felix Pie, and relievers may be a good deal for Rios.

Check out my daily baseball blog at MLB-threeSIXTYfive

by TheBeerBaron on Dec 18, 2006 8:59 AM CST up 0 recs

Rios' Splits

Marshall and Pie might be sufficient, but before you're convinced it's the right trade to make, take a look at Rios' 2006 2006 splits:

OBP:
Home: .379
Away: .322

Slugging:
Home: .584
Away: .456

Night: .344/.393/.567
Day: .226/.267/.421

RICK SCHWAB!

by ExNorthsider on Dec 18, 2006 9:24 AM CST up 0 recs

it's not uncommon

for player's to produce far better at home. This amounts to nothing.

Recall all the people saying getting Soriano prior to '06 was a bad idea because his splits were awful due to hitting at Arlington? He kinda dispelled that myth.

by socalbob on Dec 18, 2006 8:56 PM CST up 0 recs

You know what I see making this deal happen???

Matt Murton and Neal Cotts or Sean Marshall. The LF and SP problem solved at a total cost comparable to the contract of Rios contract next year. So...do you like him that much Al?

by Damen Jackson on Dec 18, 2006 9:44 AM CST up 0 recs

Not for Murton, no.

But, I just thought of another idea, and if the Blue Jays are shopping outfielders, why not take a run at Reed Johnson?

He could play CF for a year, then become a good fourth outfielder.

And he'd cost far less than Rios.

by Al on Dec 18, 2006 9:50 AM CST up 0 recs

I think we've talk about this...

I think he's a much better match in a trade. But I have to tell you, this kid Rios really looks good. I'm surprised that they are dangling him, even for pitching. I think of a 2008 outfield of Rios, Pie, and Soriano, and see good thing in store. Ahh..wishful thinking mostly.

by Damen Jackson on Dec 18, 2006 9:55 AM CST up 0 recs

Something I thought about...

It's a good question, Al, and I would love to see it happen. Johnson's the type of guy that Cubs fans would love from the moment he put on the pinstripes. He's a versatile, dynamite defender who never quits and has put up very solid numbers at the plate. That said, I don't see him going anywhere. Unless the Jays are confident that Russ Adams will be an offensive catalyst (and they shouldn't be, after his failures the last two years), they'll need Johnson in the lead-off spot. Plus, the reason they're shopping Rios is for established starting pitching. You're must less likely to get that from dealing Johnson, who doesn't have Rios's high ceiling. Despite the comment in that article I posted above, it's not like the Jays have a real logjam in the outfield. They have a talented (but untested) prospect in Adam Lind and [gulp] Matt Stairs on the roster, but nobody else. Unless they get a Vasquez or Santana, I'd be surprised if they made a deal. But they really need some SP, so it's worth poking around.

by GuntherNancy on Dec 18, 2006 10:10 AM CST up 0 recs

STOP INCLUDING RICH HILL IN ANY

TRADE PROPOSALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HE IS NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, GOING TO BE TRADED. DO YOU UNDERSTAND??!?!??!?!!???!?

Check out my daily baseball blog at MLB-threeSIXTYfive

by TheBeerBaron on Dec 18, 2006 8:53 AM CST 0 recs

Exactly

Not only do most of us think he shouldn't be traded, Hendry had so much faith in Hill he wouldn't even trade him last year when he was sucking terribly. Now Hill has the potential to make Hendry look like a genius (what with the Lilly signing eating a rotation spot), Hendry knows the rotation needs Hill.

Rich. Hill. Is. Not. Going. Anywhere.

Jason Marquis makes me :-d~o~o~o~

by gravedigger on Dec 18, 2006 2:27 PM CST up 0 recs

gah

I meant Marquis, but I'm sure you all knew that by now.

Jason Marquis makes me :-d~o~o~o~

by gravedigger on Dec 18, 2006 2:28 PM CST up 0 recs

Rios Contract

Anyone know his contract status?

by GuntherNancy on Dec 18, 2006 9:08 AM CST 0 recs

Played for the minimum in 2006.

As a veteran of three full seasons, is arbitration-eligible. Likely not eligible for free agency for at least two more years.

by Al on Dec 18, 2006 9:25 AM CST 0 recs

Sign me up

Rios might be a real stud. I'd be surprised if Toronto would really want to move him, however. At least not until they can see what they have in him. It's not like he's costing them anything.

It's not that I don't think we should try, but if they happen to be willing to move him, they'll likely want a bigger chunk of talent than we can afford to give up.

by JodyDavis on Dec 18, 2006 11:44 AM CST 0 recs

rios....

dont u just love people who oppose everything. rios is very young and is truly very very promising. rios is another example of players that kinda get buried within baseball's other happenings , maybe because of where he plays. some examples of these types are maybe players like aram( if anyone would have known he would turn out the way he did u think we would have gotten him for bobby hill)well u get the point there are several examples like this. point being u cant wait until rios turns out to be vernon wells etc before u trade for him u gotta take an educated type chance on him. and yes i saw the splits posted and with that u gotta realize that most teams dont play alot of day games. alot of their day games are day after night game or get a way (day) games. if i were to work until 10 or 11 pm and get back up in the morning and get ready for a 1 pm shift i'm probably not gonna be 100% fresh and rested. gotta remember all the time changed too. trading someone like prior, marshall, jacque jones, a reliever and a minor leaguer for rios wouldnt hurt us but would be giving up quality in return. and rios has a couple years of years until he can be a free agent so he wouldnt cost alot. why would the jays do this u ask. they are in alot worse situation than we are. they have the bosox and yanks to deal with and are in the AL. they need pitching bad. marshall is major league ready as is a couple of are relievers we could stand to spare. jones is only a 5 or 6 million dollar player and is descent and will be off the books in a year or 2. they need a right fielder we need a center fielder. they need pitching we have some to spare. even below average or young unproven young pitchers are worth more than a outfielder. pitching is going up by the day good or NOT. you basically have 2 choices grow ur own or pay the piper. if they make that trade with us they wont be paying that dearly and like it or not hendry has kinda created a logjam at the starter position this offseason.

Here comes the nasty leftie to shut it down in the 9th......Clay Rapada!!!!

by cubsluver22 on Dec 18, 2006 8:38 PM CST 0 recs

Whoa.

You probably made some good points there -- but I couldn't find them. That single paragraph is unreadable. Try formatting your comments before you post. Thanks.

by Al on Dec 19, 2006 4:07 AM CST up 0 recs