Report: Chicago White Sox Placed Waiver Claim for Alex Rios

Reports out of Chicago on Saturday are that the mystery team to put a waiver claim on Toronto outfielder Alex Rios was the Chicago White Sox.

Rios is in the second season of a seven-year, $69.8 million contract. He is currently hitting just .262 with 14 home runs and 62 runs batted in.

This development, though not yet confirmed by the White Sox, is intriguing because of the roster the Sox have currently.

The team has an option on right fielder Jermaine Dye after this season, and there has been dialogue about his value moving forward. He was, after all, the MVP of the 2005 World Series.

Gone after 2009 is designated hitter Jim Thome. Whether Dye could be brought back as a DH, or the potential of moving incumbent first baseman Paul Konerko to DH, are questions that have been tossed around in Chicago.

Adding Rios, a right fielder who could also play center, would give Chicago options moving forward with or without Dye.

But then there are the issues the White Sox have in center and left.

Scott Podsednik has been terrific since the White Sox brought him back a month into the season, and has re-established himself as a quality leadoff man. But he's being rented on a one-year contract.

And then in left is Carlos Quentin, arguably the most valuable player in the American League in 2008 before he broke his own hand hitting his bat after a strikeout in late August.

But he's been out with a hurt foot for most of this season, and the Sox are in a pennant race that cannot afford them time for someone to come back slowly from a lower body injury.

So would Rios give the Sox depth in center and both of the corner outfield spots?

This move is also interesting in light of the most recent move the White Sox made, trading four pitching prospects to San Diego for 2007 Cy Young winner Jake Peavy. Between Peavy and Rios, the Sox would have at least $115.2 million tied up between those two players over the next three years.

If the Sox picked up Peavy's option for 2013, that would add another $22 million to that figure.

For a franchise that's spending only $96 million on their entire roster in 2009, adding two players at an annual cost of between $25 and $29 million over the next three years seems out of character for Sox General Manager Kenny Williams.

But the team has payroll flexibility coming in the next few years, and has prospects they expect to replace many of them.

They're getting a fantastic contribution from Gordon Beckham at third base this year. Jon Gilmore is one of the top prospects in the organization, and also plays third base; a transition across the diamond to first might be in his future.

Konerko and AJ Pierzynski both have contracts that expire after 2010, as will Dye if his option is picked up this winter. Between those three players and Thome the Sox will have more than enough money becoming available to cover their new ace and a talented, yet underachieving, outfielder.