No respect? Underrated?

[Felix]

Overbay has played.. wait for it.. a grand total of 2 complete years. Last year was his career year, and only had 87 RBI and 83 runs scored. I dont think Overbay has proven anything, especially when he's projected to have 75 RBI this year.

[RockRaines]

If anyone thinks that Gload will EVER be a starter with this organization you are mistaken. With his already terrible status, and his recent comments, it is almost assured he will not get that chance with this team.

[Greg Hibbard]

There are two very important factors at work here:

 

1) Konerko is certainly going to be overvalued for what this organization is and should be looking for in a first baseman. His best years in terms of average are clearly in the rear view mirror, is slower than ever now and is only going to get slower, and is a pure slugger whose streakiness continues to be exacerbated with each year that passes.

 

2) The counterbalancing factor is that fact that now that Thomas' career with the White Sox is most likely over, the Sox have only one pure slugger in the organization: and it's Paul Konerko. And sure his average has gone down, but his OBP has gone up and his OPS has gone way up. Sure, Dye's hit em out in bunches, but he's not going to crack 40 and Konerko probably is for the second year in a row. We need those homers desperately on a team who can't hit enough jacks. Iguchi? No way. Podsednik forgot how to hit 'em, and that's fine. We can't count on Rowand's power numbers rebounding next year. AJ probably won't have another power year like this one next year.

 

If he gets 12 million next year....he's getting 9 this year! We're talking a 3 million/year raise for a guy who has proven at 29 to be an organizational cornerstone. We had a huge year at the gate and can afford a bump like this. I say re-sign him. If he was 32 I'd cut him loose but he's just 29.

[Felix]

There are two very important factors at work here:

 

1) Konerko is certainly going to be overvalued for what this organization is and should be looking for in a first baseman. His best years in terms of average are clearly in the rear view mirror, is slower than ever now and is only going to get slower, and is a pure slugger whose streakiness continues to be exacerbated with each year that passes. 

 

2) The counterbalancing factor is that fact that now that Thomas' career with the White Sox is most likely over, the Sox have only one pure slugger in the organization: and it's Paul Konerko. And sure his average has gone down, but his OBP has gone up and his OPS has gone way up. Sure, Dye's hit em out in bunches, but he's not going to crack 40 and Konerko probably is for the second year in a row. We need those homers desperately on a team who can't hit enough jacks. Iguchi? No way. Podsednik forgot how to hit 'em, and that's fine. We can't count on Rowand's power numbers rebounding next year. AJ probably won't have another power year like this one next year.

 

If he gets 12 million next year....he's getting 9 this year! We're talking a 3 million/year raise for a guy who has proven at 29 to be an organizational cornerstone. We had a huge year at the gate and can afford a bump like this. I say re-sign him. If he was 32 I'd cut him loose but he's just 29.

I agree with most, but I think Konerko has been running pretty well this year. You are definetly right about his age though. As you said, if he were 32, alright, but he's 29 years old and has been solid as a rock.

Also, not sure what you mean by average. He's been a .300+ hitter since the ASG, and he can probably keep it up. He had a very bad first half of the year averagewise though.

Edited September 6, 2005 by Felix

[Steve9347]

here's the way to look at it.

 

At the beginning of the year, when Paulie was hitting something around .240, I was all about getting rid of him. However, he has finally hit that hot stretch.

 

This man is a team leader. As much as we get tired of him talking, I belive his teammates truly depend on that. Over the course of the last two weeks, while Paulie has been on fire, he has gone about his business quietly. It seems like he scores 2 runs a game, jogging in from first with batting gloves in hand. If Konerko is not worth 10 million dollars a year, I don't know who is going to be. He is dominant defensively, and definitely able to carry the load.

 

If you are looking for someone to hit .315, 35, 120, you're not going to get him for 10-12 like you will Konerko; that person would garner approximately 15 million dollars a year. We know Sox management is sold on this, "no one player to tie down the franchise policy," which I totally agree with.

 

IF we spend 10-12 on a player, its going to be Konerko. We're not getting Furcal, because the bidding war for him is going to be huge. Not only that, but until this year, Furcal has been a huge dissapointment, and he still strikes out way to much for a guy at the top of the order, and his career BA (.283) does not really garner that much cash for a speed guy with little pop. He is batting .279 this year, batted .279 the year before, and chances are, will hit .280 again next year.

[Steve9347]

If he gets 12 million next year....he's getting 9 this year! We're talking a 3 million/year raise for a guy who has proven at 29 to be an organizational cornerstone. We had a huge year at the gate and can afford a bump like this. I say re-sign him. If he was 32 I'd cut him loose but he's just 29.

 

I agree completely.

[Greg Hibbard]

I agree with most, but I think Konerko has been running pretty well this year.  You are definetly right about his age though.  As you said, if he were 32, alright, but he's 29 years old and has been solid as a rock.

Also, not sure what you mean by average.  He's been a .300+ hitter since the ASG, and he can probably keep it up.  He had a very bad first half of the year averagewise though.

 

 

I just mean that he's definitely not hitting .290-.305 anymore, like he was in his earlier years...

[Felix]

I wouldnt be too sure about that. Since the All Star break, he has hit .328 with a .402 OBP, .610 SLG%, and 1.012 OPS.

[knightni]

What about the possibility of Bill Mueller playing first, or Kevin Millar?

Mueller is arguably a better defensive 3b than Crede.

[Greg Hibbard]

I wouldnt be too sure about that.  Since the All Star break, he has hit .328 with a .402 OBP, .610 SLG%, and 1.012 OPS.

 

 

this is just indicative of how wide his variance is getting. I'd be very surprised to see him hit .300 for a season at this point, now that we've seen quite a few years

[Reddy]

I just mean that he's definitely not hitting .290-.305 anymore, like he was in his earlier years...

 

ahh the batting average. you wanna talk overrated theres a stat for you.

 

fine, his average is down but guess what? his OBP is up and his slugging the last 2 years is also much higher. therefore he's got a higher OPS, a more indicative stat than BA. plus he's on pace to score more runs this year than ever in his career. to move him now would be a mistake, even if his batting average has dropped.

[Ozzie Montana]

I dont think PK is underrated. The only thing I might find underrated is his ability to pick the ball at first. Other than that he is not underrated.

Edited September 6, 2005 by Ozzie Montana

[Greg Hibbard]

ahh the batting average.  you wanna talk overrated theres a stat for you.

 

fine, his average is down but guess what?  his OBP is up and his slugging the last 2 years is also much higher.  therefore he's got a higher OPS, a more indicative stat than BA.  plus he's on pace to score more runs this year than ever in his career.  to move him now would be a mistake, even if his batting average has dropped.

 

 

Oh no don't get me wrong, I completely agree. I think he is worth more now than when he had a higher average. That's why I said re-sign him. I just think his average won't ever be that high, and if we're looking at downside, his variance and hot-and-cold nature, plus his possible BA floor being limitless are definitely detriments.

[Reddy]

Oh no don't get me wrong, I completely agree. I think he is worth more now than when he had a higher average. That's why I said re-sign him. I just think his average won't ever be that high, and if we're looking at downside, his variance and hot-and-cold nature, plus his possible BA floor being limitless are definitely detriments.

 

good points, i think we're at the same place on that. his hot/cold thing is an issue, but not one big enough to ditch one of the best first basemen in the league

[TheHammer]

Konerko is a career .278 hitter and is currently hitting........ .278

[knightni]

Konerko is a career .278 hitter and is currently hitting........  .278

He frustrates the HELL out of us Sox fans because he is a notoriously slow starter batting average-wise.

[Reddy]

He frustrates the HELL out of us Sox fans because he is a notoriously slow starter batting average-wise.

 

would you rather him start well and suck in the parts of the season where ya really need everyone to be clicking on all cylinders?

 

i'll take pauly's slow starts over a slow finish

[knightni]

would you rather him start well and suck in the parts of the season where ya really need everyone to be clicking on all cylinders?

 

i'll take pauly's slow starts over a slow finish

If I had a choice, I'd take Paulie not sucking at all.

[RockRaines]

man, you know its a slow day when were are debating sucking vs not sucking

[YASNY]

You take Pauly's average stats over the past five or six years, and that includes his poor 2003 season, and his numbers are pretty solid. I want him back in 2006.

[Steve9347]

Yup, bring Paulie back...

[alexgtp]

We need paulie back next year. With frank possibly being gone.. we will still need a slugger and paulie fits the bill. GLoad has proven he is a great minor leaguer..But the majors is a different animal..I dont think he is up to prudicung anywhere near paulie's numbers.

[Balta1701]

Yup, bring Paulie back...

2 months ago I was wanting him back only if he gave us a nice discount...he's really starting to earn his pay in my eyes though.