Under The Lights: Claiming Alex Rios

According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, a waiver claim has been made on Blue Jays outfielder Alex Rios. If you’re not familiar with how the waiver process works following the trade deadline, I’m not going to explain the whole damn thing to you. Rather, I’ll simply explain how it works in regards to Alex Rios. Here’s what you need to know:

• Alex Rios makes a shit-ton of money ($9.7 million in 2010, $12 million in 2011 and 2012, $12.5 million in 2013 and 2014, and a $13.5 million club option in 2015). The buyout for the final year is $1 million.
• The Blue Jays are poor.

Here’s what it means for the team that claimed him:

• The Blue Jays can work out a trade for Rios with the team that claimed him.
• The Blue Jays can hand him over to the team that claimed him for free.
• The Blue Jays can remove him from the waiver wire and keep him themselves.

Rios has a full no-trade clause this year and next, so there’s somewhat of a wrench that can be thrown into this whole thing, but for all practical purposes, the Blue Jays have a chance to get out from beneath this contract free and clear. Like it never happened. Quite shocking.

At this point, it’s not known who the claiming team is, but it’s most-likely a team who could use an upgrade in the outfield who also isn’t afraid to add payroll and is in the hunt to make the playoffs. By my count, this fits the following teams (in order of likeliness by my own opinion):

• White Sox (Scott Podsednik)
• Yankees (Brett Gardner and Melky Cabrera)
• Red Sox (Jacoby Ellsbury)
• Giants (replacing Randy Winn or Fred Lewis perhaps?)
• Cubs (Kosuke Fukudome/Reed Johnson/Milton Bradley)
• Cardinals (Colby Rasmus, though this seems unlikely since he’s their future)
• Indians (Grady Sizemore*)

I can’t wait to see how this develops.
* This choice may have been added after the fact for comedic purposes.

Let’s watch some TV, shall we?

Caddyshack (AMC): You’re going to watch it on television rather than popping in the DVD so you can sit through commercials and shit? Good plan. Dumbass. NOTE: I have no idea if AMC has commercials, so my angst may be misguided. Leave me alone.

Red Sox at Yankees 2003 Game 7 (ESPN Classic): Aaron Bleeping Boone makes an appearance. Does that need a spoiler alert?

Super Troopers (IFC): Every guy loves this movie. Personally, I think it’s awesome for the first 30 minutes and then completely falls apart. My wife says the same thing about my sexual abilities, give or take 28 minutes.

Red Sox at Yankees The Real Thing: This is the only game on the schedule that matters today. Believe me, I asked around. Every other game is an exhibition of inferiors. You can watch, but it’s pretty pointless. I’ll even give you a few more to choose from.

Twins at Tigers: If the addition of Carl Pavano proves anything, it’s that the Twins have aspirations of making the playoffs. Apparently Bill Smith hasn’t looked at the standings in a couple weeks. Or his roster. I like the enthusiasm though. It’s kind of cute.

Rangers at Angels: The Rangers, on the other hand, have accepted their fate. You won’t be seeing them add any injury-prone pitchers with below-average numbers for no reason whatsoever. Respect.

Braves at Dodgers: Jayre Jurrjerrs will most likely fail in his bid to win his 10th game because Andre Ethier will hit a walk-off single in the 9th. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Enjoy your weekend, you high-fivin’ mother [bleeps]