"Jermaine Dye knows how this might look.

He admittedly struggled through the middle of the 2007 season -- coincidentally the same time pitcher Mark Buehrle was negotiating a contract extension with the White Sox. Buehrle and Dye were both headed for free agency that offseason. The Sox had insisted that contracts wouldn't be discussed during the regular season that year, and while Dye's wasn't, Buehrle's was. For a few weeks, Dye looked distant and upset. As it ended up, he eventually got his extension after Buehrle got his, with all team edicts tossed out the window that season.

Now, questions have surfaced about the effect on Dye after the Sox added high-priced outfielder Alex Rios.

On Wednesday, Dye shot down that notion that there's a connection between Rios and his recent struggles."