Paul Konerko's contract

[Greg Hibbard]

It would seem to me that picking up a serviceable FA 1b for $5-$8 million would be an easy to do, but admittedly, I haven't even looked at who is available yet.

[Balta1701]

How many of the 18 names ahead of Konerko are making $12 million a year?

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/batting/_/yea.../OPS/order/true

 

 

I know all aren't available but that list would seem to indicate .840 OPS first basemen are sort of a dime a dozen, no?

When I look at that list, I'm actually struck by how many of the people above Konerko are making $10 million+ a year, and how the ones who aren't haven't hit FA yet.

[Balta1701]

It would seem to me that picking up a serviceable FA 1b for $5-$8 million would be an easy to do, but admittedly, I haven't even looked at who is available yet.

I think that's likely to be the range we could extend Konerko for if we were willing to do it before the FA period started. 2/$16.

[Greg Hibbard]

I think that's likely to be the range we could extend Konerko for if we were willing to do it before the FA period started. 2/$16.

 

I wouldn't mind doing it for $5 or $6, but I can't see justifying $8, knowing that a precipitous decline is potentially ahead of us at some point, possibly as soon as 6 months from now. I guess Dye probably got me jumpy.

[Balta1701]

I wouldn't mind doing it for $5 or $6, but I can't see justifying $8, knowing that a precipitous decline is potentially ahead of us at some point, possibly as soon as 6 months from now. I guess Dye probably got me jumpy.

Let's come to a happy medium of $7?

 

Unless we think Viciedo is ready (he's not currently, who knows by Sept.) we're going to need to put someone in 1b next year. There are some names who are FA...Pena, Berkman, who would be good fits as well, maybe even give more offense, but they're also likely to cost more than that and could perhaps also demand longer contracts.

[Greg Hibbard]

where is a Carlos Martinez when you need him?

[Balta1701]

where is a Carlos Martinez when you need him?

That one's obscure enough that i had to check his B-R page and it still doesn't stretch my memory.

[Greg Hibbard]

He was the one glimmer of hope during the 1989 season.

 

Essentially he was the stopgap between Walker and Thomas (which is exactly what we may need?)

[witesoxfan]

I wanna ask qwerty or kalapse (or whomever) this. Say we keep Konerko for the season, what numbers would he have to put up to be a Type A or Type B or what numbers would he have to put up to not qualify for it? (assuming barring a melt down he's got it) Only reason I ask this, is I don't think the return for him (if he's traded, and hypothetically speaking, he would be agreeing on the deal cause of the 10/5 rights) would be as good at all, and I personally don't think it's very smart to resign a soon to be 35 year old 1B to an extension but thats just me.

 

For Konerko to qualify as a Type A free agent this year, he'd have to have, by far, the best year of his career, so sticking around that 1.100 OPS he's currently sporting would be a good thing. Adam LaRoche (.842 OPS in his 2 season before free agency) and Nick Johnson (put up an .887 OPS in last 2+ seasons prior to this free agency which actually dates back to 2006) qualified as Type B free agents this past offseason though, so I imagine if Konerko can atleast put up an .850ish OPS this year, he should qualify, not that the Sox should offer him arbitration in the first place.

[NorthSideSox72]

He was the one glimmer of hope during the 1989 season.

 

Essentially he was the stopgap between Walker and Thomas (which is exactly what we may need?)

His son is an OF in the Sox minor league system as well, though he missed all of last season with an injury.

 

[caulfield12]

Didn't Carlos Martinez die in the last couple of years?

 

Seems to have happened to a few ex White Sox players before their time. Joe DeSa and Ivan Calderon are two others that came to mind immediately.

 

Martinez was GANGLY, that's the first word I thought when I saw him. He was one of my favorite players, never a power hitter, but fun to watch play the game...and he enjoyed being a baseball player, always had a smile on his face like Ozzie, Buehrle or Uribe.

 

 

 

 

[SoxFan562004]

IIRC most posters here felt Paulie offered the team a "home town discount".

well depends on how you want to define that, but if media reports are true he did turn down some extra from at least the Angels, I just don't remember if it was years or $$ at this point.

[Greg Hibbard]

if memory serves the Angels were offering 5/$65.

[Balta1701]

well depends on how you want to define that, but if media reports are true he did turn down some extra from at least the Angels, I just don't remember if it was years or $$ at this point.

But the tax rate in CA for the upper level is, IIRC, higher than it is in Illinois, so that cuts into the difference.

[WCSox]

Let's come to a happy medium of $7?

 

Unless we think Viciedo is ready (he's not currently, who knows by Sept.) we're going to need to put someone in 1b next year. There are some names who are FA...Pena, Berkman, who would be good fits as well, maybe even give more offense, but they're also likely to cost more than that and could perhaps also demand longer contracts.

 

Hell, we're going to need somebody who can swing the stick next year. With Jones leaving as a FA, you're looking at Rios, Beckham, Quentin, and Alexei to carry the offense. I imagine that Beckham picks up his game as he develops, but the latter two are massive question marks.

 

Give PK a 2-3 year extension and bring in a cheap, short-term DH next winter. If Viciedo is ready in 2012, Paulie can move to DH.

 

[DBAHO]

For Konerko to qualify as a Type A free agent this year, he'd have to have, by far, the best year of his career, so sticking around that 1.100 OPS he's currently sporting would be a good thing. Adam LaRoche (.842 OPS in his 2 season before free agency) and Nick Johnson (put up an .887 OPS in last 2+ seasons prior to this free agency which actually dates back to 2006) qualified as Type B free agents this past offseason though, so I imagine if Konerko can atleast put up an .850ish OPS this year, he should qualify, not that the Sox should offer him arbitration in the first place.

Johnson signed a 1 year deal with the Yanks didn't he?

 

He'd be the one guy I'd really target to replace Konerko if we decide to move on from next season.

[Balta1701]

Johnson signed a 1 year deal with the Yanks didn't he?

 

He'd be the one guy I'd really target to replace Konerko if we decide to move on from next season.

He's hitting .171 and keeps missing games with back stiffness.

[chiguy79]

Didn't Carlos Martinez die in the last couple of years?

 

Seems to have happened to a few ex White Sox players before their time. Joe DeSa and Ivan Calderon are two others that came to mind immediately.

 

Martinez was GANGLY, that's the first word I thought when I saw him. He was one of my favorite players, never a power hitter, but fun to watch play the game...and he enjoyed being a baseball player, always had a smile on his face like Ozzie, Buehrle or Uribe.

 

Carlos Martinez!

In my experience he was a jerk, when I was 8 I got a foul ball that he had hit, I was waiting for autographs from players as they left the stadium he walked out of the gate and was rude walking through the crowd of kids, Steve Lyons stopped his car and signed 25-50 autographs...so I am a Steve Lyons fan now and glad to see he is doing well broadcasting. Too bad if he had health issues young, that is never good.

Edited May 6, 2010 by chiguy79

[caulfield12]

Carlos Martinez!

In my experience he was a jerk, when I was 8 I got a foul ball that he had hit, I was waiting for autographs from players as they left the stadium he walked out of the gate and was rude walking through the crowd of kids, Steve Lyons stopped his car and signed 25-50 autographs...so I am a Steve Lyons fan now and glad to see he is doing well broadcasting. Too bad if he had health issues young, that is never good.

 

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/artic...sp&c_id=cws

 

I had the opposite experience with Lyons when I was young....but, when he retired, I had the chance to meet him when ESPN paid me in 1995 to help broadcast one of our games nationally from Augusta, GA, for ESPN 2. Really nice guy, easy to work with.

 

 

[SoxFan562004]

He's hitting .171 and keeps missing games with back stiffness.

yeah, Johnson has a lot to admire at the plate, but he doesn't exactly stay healthy, I don't want to see the Sox target him as an everyday player

[Milkman delivers]

yeah, Johnson has a lot to admire at the plate, but he doesn't exactly stay healthy, I don't want to see the Sox target him as an everyday player

 

The Sox do seem to have some skill at keeping guys healthy, though.