One Year?

The Jays have reportedly reached a 1 yr/$4.8M pact with Rios, thereby avoiding arbitration.

Quoth Ricciardi, "We've got all of February and all of March to try to work a long-term deal out and, if it doesn't come to fruition, we've got him for the next two years and we can continue to try to work on it. We're putting our best foot forward." That suggests the bluebirds haven't given up on locking up Rios beyond 2010, but that this million-and-change-plus-huge-signing-bonus deal is a sort of placeholder, a good faith gesture.

Still: Get it done, JP. We don't want to be priced out of this guy's services just when he's hitting his stride.

THIS JUST IN: DJF's take on the situation. Are they calling us hysterical? Fair enough, I guess. I just want to see Rios Grande in a Jays uniform for-ever!