RealGM

37 doubles, 21 homers, 93 RBI and 28 steals. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Rios ≠ Wells. I can't understand why people are so intent on lumping these guys together. Rios is better and importantly, much cheaper.

I know the guy's braincramp plays can be frustrating, but he is still a very good player, and it would be foolish for the team to donate him to whoever claimed him on waivers.

OPS+:

Wells:
96
132
105
104
129
85
121
86

Rios:
85
84
120
122
111
92

They're pretty equal. Wells two best seasons are easily better than Rios' two best seasons, and Wells' season last year is easily the best either of the two have had the past two years and its barely worse than Rios' career best. Rios gets bonus points for being younger.

Rios' season this year is still below average no matter what he's currently on pace for.

He's most likely not getting to 93 RBI. Those are ESPN's simplistic projections based on remaining games left, a system that would project 162 HR if a guy hits a HR on opening day. ZIPS projects he'll finish with 19 hr, 79 rbi, and a .753 OPS (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?pl ... osition=OF), that makes more sense to me.

But your point still stands. Rios hasn't been nearly as bad as people want to believe. It's just misplaced anger rubbing off from the Wells hate. And while we're on the subject, Wells wasn't nearly as bad as he was made out to be last year. He had a very strong season despite the injuries finishing with a .840 OPS and 20 HR in only 108 games.

-MetA4- wrote:OPS+:

Wells:
96
132
105
104
129
85
121
86

Rios:
85
84
120
122
111
92

They're pretty equal. Wells two best seasons are easily better than Rios' two best seasons, and Wells' season last year is easily the best either of the two have had the past two years and its barely worse than Rios' career best. Rios gets bonus points for being younger.

Rios' season this year is still below average no matter what he's currently on pace for.

You just quietly throw that in there, but this is a bis deal. It's not just being younger, but having significantly less wear and tear on his body. It is a big part of Rios's down year not being the same as Wells'.

You're also skipping the point about Wells being the worst CF in baseball, and Rios being one of the best RF. Hopefully the FO realizes that they can't just keep throwing Well's corpse out there in CF, and if they deal Rios have some plan for replacing him. But given that such a plan clearly isn't internal, I'm not sure what you do. I don't think you are going to find a comparable CF that you would want to sign, because he isn't going to meet the team's perceived need for power.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/rios-wells

The Jays aren't going to just waive a valuable asset like Rios for nothing, so I wouldn't worry about it. The guy has a lot of trade value and if they really want to move him, it can be done in the offseason.