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The acquisition of Alex Rios from the Toronto Blue Jays yesterday was yet another bold stroke from White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams in an effort to keep fan interest up in a tough economic climate, and reshape the team to rely less on power and more on speed and gap hitting.

The move was an obvious salary dump by the Blue Jays, who signed Rios to a huge seven-year contract in 2008 worth approximately $70 million. Now, with both the economy and the Blue Jays tanking, the Sox simply placed a waiver claim on the 28-year-old outfielder, and did not have to give up any players because the Jays were desperate to get financial relief.

Chicago will have to pick up his salary – $5.9 million prorated for the remainder of this season, $9.7 million next year, $12 million in 2011 and 2012, $12.5 million in 2013 and 2014 and a $13.5 million team option for 2015, with a $1 million buyout.

The question I have heard the most about the deal is "who will be the odd man out?" between left fielder Carlos Quentin, center fielder Scott Podsednik and right fielder Jermaine Dye in the remaining 49 games of the season.

My answer is: It will change each day. If you remember last year when Ken Griffey Jr. joined the Sox for the last two months of the season, he played about 4 days a week, splitting his time between center field and designated hitter. I believe it will be the same type of deal this year, with the right-handed hitting Rios having the ability to play all outfield positions and to spell Jim Thome as the designated hitter against some left-handed starters.

The toughest job will belong to Manager Ozzie Guillen, who must fill out the lineup card and deal with the consequences.

Rios is also a good insurance policy for Quentin, who rejoined the lineup a few weeks ago after missing two months of the season due to plantar fasciitis.

 Next season, Rios should be Chicago's starting center fielder. He has a nice blend of speed (112 stolen bases and 36 triples in his career) and power (81 home runs, 195 doubles) to go along with a .285 career batting average that puts him in the category of young Sox players such as Gordon Beckham and Alexei Ramirez that have more of an all-around game.

Williams pulled the trigger on the Rios deal just days after trading for ace pitcher Jake Peavy, as the Sox attempt to win another AL Central championship. Three games back of Detroit, but playing poorly in its last five games (1-4), both of these moves have generated a lot of buzz in Chicago as Williams battles to fill up U.S. Cellular Field despite an economy that makes it much more difficult to fork over $23 for parking and $20 to $60 for a ticket.

I was going to post just what was above, but now I want to add one more thing. After sampling Chicago sports talk radio and some of the newspaper articles about how Dye, Podsednik or Quentin might have to cope with sitting on the bench more, or maybe not be on the team next year, I say this: Get over it. Do you think Williams would have added Rios if the Sox were in first place by 10 games? If you want to play, you have to produce. Dye had a horrible September last year, and has been in a slump in the past few weeks this season. Pods has been a feel-good story, but will he run out of gas? And Quentin is obviously not 100 percent. If Rios comes through with some clutch hits down the stretch, the fans will cheer him on just as much as the other guys. 

- Tom