Jim Fainter Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 It's my experience that sluggers like Paul Konerko seem to hit their peak around age 30 or so, then level off somewhat for a few years before their hitting skills start to diminish. PK has five years in the bigs, and you can discount his first year when he didn't play much and was traded in mid-season to the Reds. Then we got him. Starting in 1999 he has had four full seasons as a full time player, and his stats have increased ever so slightly each year. He is still improving, and I think he will continue improving for the next 2-3 years until he levels off. In one of those years he will have a significant leap forward in productivity. I'm saying that this is the year for that to happen. His age is 27. If PK had a "hole" in his swing, the pitchers would have found it by now. He has already proven that he is a very good, dangerous power hitter. He has everything going for him now to have a really great offensive year as he seeks that particular skill level that will define his career, kind of like Maggs did last year. I know there are exceptions to my thinking, like Barry Bonds, who made a quantum leap in his late 30's. If PK stays healthy, you all watch, he will take that proverbial step upward in offensive productivity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 If PK stays healthy, you all watch, he will take that proverbial step upward in offensive productivity. That's the thing that worries me about PK. That hip thing can cause so many other problems (I watched my sister go through problem and problem that was related to a hip injury from when she was 10). If there is some way to avoid developing the injuries he's had (mostly foot injuries), I am hoping a full year will be like the first half of last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hotsoxchick1 Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 exactly 14......the hip thing is what bothers me alot when it comes to paulie... i watched how quickly it took bo out of sports and look at how fast it took belle too........its only a matter of time and if paulie pushes himself like hes doing it will most likely happen faster than not..........paulie may be peaking now but it will be his health that will push him back down eventually.......sad to say but thats what happens........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlliniKrush Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 I'm not as worried about Konerko's health as the rest of you are, or as i am about some other players on the team at this point. I think he'll be fine, i wouldn't label him injury prone quite yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baggio202 Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 consistency is what will tell how far konerko's game improves..he needs to put together 6 months of consistent baseball...thats hard to do..but if he can learn to do it , he will move into the upper echolon of first baseman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubleM23 Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 Konerko's got to be the most overrated, good player in the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlliniKrush Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 Overrated? By whom, sox fans? In order to be overrated you have to be overrated across the nation...and i don't see that at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 Konerko's got to be the most overrated, good player in the game. That's funny...lately there have been alot of posts at various Sox sites ripping on him and saying we should trade him... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubleM23 Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 Overrated? By whom, sox fans? In order to be overrated you have to be overrated across the nation...and i don't see that at all He's overrated by Sox fans. He's barely in the top 1/2 of first basemen in baseball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 Overrated? By whom, sox fans? In order to be overrated you have to be overrated across the nation...and i don't see that at all He's overrated by Sox fans. He's barely in the top 1/2 of first basemen in baseball. I think you are confusing overrated with popular. Two totally different things... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlliniKrush Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 Well specify if you mean overrated by Sox fans. Most teams' fans will overrate a few of their own players...but Konerko is not overrated across the nation, so that's why i don't consider him officially overrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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