"There was a time last season when outfielder Alex Rios had mixed feelings about leaving the Toronto Blue Jays and joining the White Sox, who had claimed him off waivers.

These days, Rios is feeling that getting away from the Blue Jays might be one of the best things that happened to him in his career.

''Yeah, this is the best thing that could have happened,'' Rios said before going 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI in the Sox' 4-0 victory Tuesday against the Mariners. ''I needed a change in my career, and it came at a good point.

''I went from a team that has no chance to make it to the playoffs to a team that's a contender every year. That's a good thing because it motivates you to try to do better. It helps you mentally to stay focused and try to do better.''

Rios hit his 16th home run of the season in the Sox' 6-1 victory Monday against the Mariners and is on pace to set career highs with 28 homers, 95 RBI and 41 stolen bases. If he can increase his homer pace a bit, he could become the first player in franchise history with 30 homers and 30 stolen bases in the same season."