Rios hits first homer in awhile: White Sox outfielder Alex Rios did something against the Twins on Wednesday night that he hadn't done since April 7 -- hit a home run. He launched a two-run shot off Scott Diamond in the fourth inning and finished 1 for 4 in the 6-0 win. Rios is batting .228 in May with nine RBI and seven runs scored. "I think he's been swinging it pretty good and not really hitting home runs," manager Robin Ventura said. "Just approach-wise he's been looking good at the plate, putting in his work and feeling comfortable at the plate." (Updated 05/23/2012)
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/25/12).
Fantasy Analysis
Rios batted .311 with a .446 slugging percentage over the first month of the season but those numbers have slipped significantly since the calendar turned to May. After a down campaign a year ago, he appears to be in line for a bounce-back season but his lack of power still mystifies Fantasy owners. The 31-year-old has the potential to be a 20-20 performer but until he proves to be more consistent, continue to view Rios as more of an option for deeper Fantasy formats. (Updated 05/23/2012).
05/25/2012 02:42 The Lineup: Dan Haren spins a gem, Braves laying eggs
Dan Haren struck out a career-high 14 batters and didn't walk a batter in his shutout victory over the Mariners. The Braves hit just .150 in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Reds.
05/24/2012 23:46 ChiSox explode for 6 in sixth, top Twins
Paul Konerko and Alex Rios hit back-to-back homers and Alejandro De Aza added a grand slam to cap a six-run sixth, leading the Chicago White Sox to an 11-8 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.
05/20/2012 19:47 Hit Parade for Week 8
Some catchers have been bitten by the injury bug in recent days, leaving some owners scrambling. Our Scott White shares some recommendations and helps set your lineups for Week 8 in his Hit Parade.
05/18/2012 17:26 Beckham's HR the difference for Sox
Gordon Beckham hit a tie-breaking homer in the eighth inning Friday and the Chicago White Sox overcame the loss of star Paul Konerko to beat the Chicago Cubs 3-2 in what was likely Kerry Wood's final major league game.
Though big-ticket free agent Adam Dunn got all the attention, Alex Rios was arguably as much of a disappointment for the White Sox in 2011, following up what might have been a career-best season with undoubtedly his worst. What exactly went wrong for him is difficult to pinpoint. At age 31, he's too young for a sudden decline, especially given his athletic build. He dealt with a toe injury that could have passed as a scapegoat if he hadn't been playing through it for the last five years. More than anything, Rios' slump might have simply been the result of trying too hard. His popup rate was abnormally high, suggesting he was over-swinging, and only when he finally came around in September, hitting .307 with five homers and an .875 OPS, did then-manager Ozzie Guillen note his renewed willingness to take the ball the other way. If Rios decided early on that he needed to pick up the slack for underachievers like Dunn, Gordon Beckham and Juan Pierre, you can understand how he might lose sight of what made him successful in the first place. Considering Rios has disappointed two of the last three seasons, he's on many Fantasy owners' avoid lists, but given his history of bouncing back, you wouldn't want sell him short in the late rounds. He's only 18 months removed from a 20-30 season, after all. (Updated 1/11/12)
Actual 
AccuScore Projections) Note: Points are rounded down.
