Vic Sage wrote: I don't know why you think the compensation would be equivalent. Not trying to suggest that the two are equivalent, only that it's a start as a basis for comparison. Career numbers are similar although Rios has a bit more power over time plus an extra 1,000+ ABs despite being 3-1/2 years younger. And yes he's signed for some not-so friendly numbers in the future but to Texas, coming off a year when they lost Josh Hamilton, now lose Nelson Cruz, and are facing OF David Murphy as a FA (as is Cruz) might look to the fact that Rios was under team control for the next two seasons as a positive thing whereas another team in a different mindset might not. That Texas placed a claim indicates that they had to be prepared to take on the entire contract without a deal if Chicago was willing to go that route. Maybe a deal for Byrd to the right situation would bring back more than what the White Sox got, but I'm not sure.