Trying to make sense of the White Sox, boggles the mind. And just when you think you know them, they pull a 1-2 punch like this, acquiring RHP Jake Peavy and OF Alex Rios, adding gobs of payroll after previously crying poor.

As Ken Rosenthal writes, “Nice bluff.”

[GM Ken] Williams’ additions of right-handed Jake Peavy in a trade and outfielder Alex Rios on a waiver claim increased his team’s payroll by approximately $5.5 million for this season alone.

The years ahead? Hoo boy. Peavy is owed $48 million between 2010 and ‘12, plus a $4 million buyout or $22 million club option for ‘13. Rios is owed nearly $60 million between ‘10 and ‘14, plus a $1 million buyout or $13.5 million club option for ‘15.

Yet, neither move was outlandish. The White Sox have managed their payroll well, keeping their long-term commitments to a minimum. Starting next season, Rios can take the salary slot of designated hitter Jim Thome, who is earning $13 million. Peavy can take the slots of right-handers Jose Contreras and Octavio Dotel, who are earning a combined $16 million.

The bigger question is whether the White Sox invested in the right players. Both moves come with considerable risk, even though Peavy and Rios both are 28 and just entering their primes. Peavy might face difficulty adjusting to a pitching in a hitter-friendly ballpark in the hitter-friendly American League. Rios has yet to fulfill his 30-homer, 30-stolen base potential. Still, Peavy already is a Cy Young Award winner, Rios a two-time All-Star.

Granted the White Sox gave up nothing, merely taking on the $60 million still owed Rios by Toronto.

Buster Olney adds, “Put it this way: If Alex Rios became a free agent today, what would he get? Answer: Maybe not even half what he is owed. Maybe the best he would do would be a two-year, $20 million contract, or three years at $30 million. Maybe.”

That’s a risk most teams wouldn’t take. Just when the White Sox started acting more like the Twins, they went back to acting like the Yankees again. Of course, that thinking helped Chicago win a World Series in 2005. The Twins haven’t won it since 1991.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 11th, 2009 at 11:18 am and is filed under Around MLB, Twins thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.