Konerko....

[Rowand44]

PK has been amazing this year, Hamilton has just been better unfortunately.

[Milkman delivers]

It depends where he ends up signing, if he resigns with the White Sox or another hitter friendly park for the rest of his career he has a shot I guess, but say he signs with the Mets or Atlanta or another team with a bigger park, then he has zero chance IMO.

 

Of course, but I just did some quick math using the "5 years" thrown out there earlier. If he were to hit 5 or 6 more to finish this year, he would have to average about 27 a year.

[greg775]

Here's the list of guys currently on statues:

 

Frank Thomas will have his there next year.

 

Paul Konerko has been on this team for 11+ years now. He keyed a world series run and was the ALCS MVP that year, He's basically 2nd on the White Sox career offensive production list right now (HR, RBI) behind the Hurt, he produced more than several of the guys with statues already.

 

His statue is assured.

 

Post of the season. Great post. I like the line: HIS STATUE IS ASSURED.

 

[southsider2k5]

The amazing thing about Pauly's season is that Hamilton has Vlad protecting him. Pauly has had Kotsay protecting him for a good chunk of the season.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

The amazing thing about Pauly's season is that Hamilton has Vlad protecting him. Pauly has had Kotsay protecting him for a good chunk of the season.

 

Which is why maybe Manny batting 5th will be extremely productive for Paulie. I think he has a shot to eclipse 40 HR, 125 RBI marks.

[elrockinMT]

JR won't let PK go anywhere. Worry about it when we get there.

 

 

Well then sign him now JR

[bighurt574]

The big question for Konerko is HOF. He's already approaching 360 HR's and 1,850 hits. If he can put together at least another 2-3 solid years, he'll be in the discussion. I don't see him reaching 500 HR though. 450 is probably a realistic goal.

[JohnCangelosi]

Well then sign him now JR

Someone will offer PK 3 years and it's not going to be the White Sox, unfortunately.

[justBLAZE]

The amazing thing about Pauly's season is that Hamilton has Vlad protecting him. Pauly has had Kotsay protecting him for a good chunk of the season.

 

Was coming here to post this, any chance Vlad takes away some of Hamiltons MVP votes? When there is 2 great guys on one team, Paulie's chances are growing.

[TheBigHurt]

The amazing thing about Pauly's season is that Hamilton has Vlad protecting him. Pauly has had Kotsay protecting him for a good chunk of the season.

 

Makes me want to vomit.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Was coming here to post this, any chance Vlad takes away some of Hamiltons MVP votes? When there is 2 great guys on one team, Paulie's chances are growing.

 

Doubtful. As I mentioned before, Vlad has slowed down considerably since the all-star break (.687 OPS). And Kinsler/Cruz have been on the DL a combined 5 times (Kinsler was just activated today). I can't be a homer here. Hamilton is the clear favorite at this point.

[kev211]

I didn't say I agreed with our current set of statues either. I just think Paulie is really on the fence IMO.

Paul Konerko has been the biggest part of this team for the last decade, one of the most successful decades in White Sox history. He's second behind Frank in most of the offensive categories, and hit one of if not the most important Home Runs in franchise history. He's a lock.

Edited September 1, 2010 by kev211

[Steve9347]

Paul Konerko has been the biggest part of this team for the last decade, one of the most successful decades in White Sox history. He's second behind Frank in most of the offensive categories, and hit one of if not the most important Home Run in franchise history. He's a lock.

Paul Konerko is a top 10 White Sox off all-time, easily, and I'd have a hard time not placing him in the top 5.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Paul Konerko is a top 10 White Sox off all-time, easily, and I'd have a hard time not placing him in the top 5.

 

I know you mean this as a compliment. But being a top 10 or even top 5 White Sox is not that big a deal to me. For a franchise that's been around so long, we really haven't had that many truly great players.

[greg775]

Someone will offer PK 3 years and it's not going to be the White Sox, unfortunately.

 

Who is going to offer him 3 years? All the people on here who say it's a big risk to do that, et. all, why are we assuming some team will do it? Do they not fear his age and his hip like some on here? If not, why not? I guess some teams just have that money to burn.

Maybe Paulie is willing to sign for 7-8 mill a year for 2 years. The Sox won't pay that?

What are the BoSox or Spankees going to pay him? Are they willing to pay him 15 mill a year for 3 years as he hits the final stages of his career?

 

The final years of Big Hurt's career were not pretty bouncing around. Why wouldn't he sign for a reasonable amount to remain in Chicago where he can hang around forever after his career ends? Is Reinsdorf not going to approve a significant 2 year deal when he'll pay Manny what he's paying him for a month of service or maybe 2 mos?

Edited September 1, 2010 by greg775

[daggins]

I'd say he won't get 3 years because of his age and because he isn't thought of as an elite hitter. I could see him getting something like Abreu got from the Angels - 2/18-20. He's a very good hitter and he has a decent chance to be worth that money but there is risk attached, obviously.

[TheBigHurt]

I know you mean this as a compliment. But being a top 10 or even top 5 White Sox is not that big a deal to me. For a franchise that's been around so long, we really haven't had that many truly great players.

 

So... how does that counter the fact he deserves his number retired and a statue later on??? If he's in the top 5, he's gonna get these things. In case you haven't noticed, there's already more than 5 guys honored at the field.

[Balta1701]

I think Greg may be at least partly right regarding a 3 year deal...I could potentially see an AL team offering him that kind of deal, but that's a real risk for a team that can't put a guy at a DH in the last year or two if he starts to break down. Then the question is, who in the AL is spending money on a 1b this year (and not waiting on Fielder/Gonzalez next year).

 

Boston and NY are sorta set at 1b; NY might need a DH but ARod is starting to head that way. Tampa Bay needs 1b help but they have no money. Texas needs 1b help but they might not have any money. Angels have Morales. Oakland, Seattle have young guys. Minnesota might, if Morneau never comes back. Detroit is set. KC has about 4 1b. Cleveland has youth there. Toronto needs a 1b, but are they offering PK $30 million? Baltimore (no).

 

Teams in the NL could use him. The Mets, the Braves possibly, the Giants, the Dodgers possibly (no one knows their finances), the Cubs, but all of those teams might hesitate to bring in a Konerko, and other guys like Laroche, Derek Lee, Carlos Pena are out there also.

[Quin]

At this point, I'm offering Paulie this:

 

Year 1: $12M

Year 2: $10M

Year 3: $9M/Team Option

Year 4: $8M/Player Option

 

He's just so good when healthy and if Dayan takes over at 1B next year, Paulie will be able to DH and stay even healthier.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

At this point, I'm offering Paulie this:

 

Year 1: $12M

Year 2: $10M

Year 3: $9M/Team Option

Year 4: $8M/Player Option

 

He's just so good when healthy and if Dayan takes over at 1B next year, Paulie will be able to DH and stay even healthier.

 

 

4 year deal? Yikes.

 

I would offer 2 years/21M, but someone like the Red Sox will offer him 3 years/38M, and I bet he would take that.

[Quin]

4 year deal? Yikes.

 

I would offer 2 years/21M, but someone like the Red Sox will offer him 3 years/38M, and I bet he would take that.

 

Year 3 is a team option though and the fourth is a "Hey look, you're the best first basemen in White Sox history, so stay if you want" year. For the record, I consider Paulie the best 1B because of his defense, though Frank the far and away better hitter (and DH).

 

Also, only way Paulie wins the MVP is if Hamilton slumps down to like .340 and Paulie magically finishes with a .330 average.

[Dick Allen]

I love Paulie but the Sox really have to be careful. If they are paying him for the next 3 or 4 seasons for this year, they will ultimately regret it. 4 or 5 months ago, if someone offered the Sox anything for him and his contract, KW would have most likely jumped and no one here would have complained. He's come up huge, probably because its the best he's felt in a while. Odds of that occuring for 3 or 4 more years are probably slim, although it wouldn't shock me if he had another real big season in him after this one.

 

If I were the GM, unless he wanted to give a huge discount from market rate both in salary and years, Paulie is in his final month or hopefully 2 in a White Sox uniform.

[iamshack]

I love Paulie but the Sox really have to be careful. If they are paying him for the next 3 or 4 seasons for this year, they will ultimately regret it. 4 or 5 months ago, if someone offered the Sox anything for him and his contract, KW would have most likely jumped and no one here would have complained. He's come up huge, probably because its the best he's felt in a while. Odds of that occuring for 3 or 4 more years are probably slim, although it wouldn't shock me if he had another real big season in him after this one.

 

If I were the GM, unless he wanted to give a huge discount from market rate both in salary and years, Paulie is in his final month or hopefully 2 in a White Sox uniform.

What is his issue physically other than his thumb? Doesn't he have some kind of chronic hip condition or something?

[Rowand44]

Ya, it all depends on the deal that Paulie is willing to take. I'd offer him two plus a team option for a 3rd but that's it. Unfortunately that might not be enough and you might have to let him go.

[caulfield12]

If you give Konerko more than 2 years, it's like the Contreras "appreciation" contract all over again.

 

You can see discussion of a club/mutual option on that third year, or a set of incentives like Ordonez had to achieve for that third year to kick in, that's probably what I would do if I KW...and tell Paulie that you will go back to JR if another team betters that contract and at least ask for the right to come up with the same deal or better it before he officially decides to leave.