Meet the Sox

Paul Konerko

I was disappointed that Carlos Lee was traded instead of Paul Konerko before the season started.  Shows what I know.

Overview:  It’s hard to have a better year than Paul Konerko did in 2005.  He got a new trophy (ALCS MVP), a new ring (World Series variety), a new son (born before Game 2 of the World Series), and a new contract (five years, $60 million).

He also hit 40 homers for the second straight year, and made his second All-Star team.  So what will he do for an encore?

Hitting:  Paulie started out slowly in 2005, bringing back the haunting memory of his 2003 season in which he struggled to get above the Mendoza Line.  He hit under .200 until midway through May, although his power was there.  Homers were just about the only thing he could hit – which isn’t the worst problem to have, but it’s not great when you play half your games away from a hitter’s park like Comiskey.

Turns out May would be the last bad month he would have during the regular season.  He rebounded by hitting .293 in June, .315 in July, .300 in August and .327 in August and a whopping .500 IN two games in OCTOBER!

He struck out a career-high 109 times, the second time in a row he had topped triple-digits.  On the other hand, he walked a career-high 81 times, a more respectable ratio from the previous year.  In a lineup that generally struggled to make pitchers work, his plate patience was greatly appreciated.

In the postseason, nobody will remember that his batting average dipped.  Instead, they’ll remember him making the most of having runners on base.  He hit homers in the first innings of both Game 3 and Game 4 of the ALCS to win a trophy that Joe Crede probably should’ve won.  And then with the bases loaded in Game 2 of the World Series, he took Chad Qualls deep for a grand slam that capped off a furious White Sox rally.

Baserunning:  Konerko is slow.

Fielding:  Advanced defensive metrics that I don’t understand say Konerko has below-average range, but personal observation leads me to believe he played the best first base of his career.  Despite playing behind a ground ball-inducing staff, he committed fewer errors than the year before.

He makes all the throws, can dig the balls out of dirt exceptionally well, and he has to catch Juan Uribe’s throws.  I give him a lot of credit.

2006 Outlook:  There’s a good chance Paulie won’t be worth his entire contract, and it’ll be hard to top 2005.  On the plus side, he won’t be expected to shoulder as much of the offensive load, and should receive more protection if Jim Thome’s hitting behind him.  It’s a definite upgrade over A.J. Pierzynski, Aaron Rowand and Carl Everett providing protection.

Even with $60 million coming his way, I wouldn’t expect Konerko to stop working hard.  He’s the team’s clubhouse leader and he knows it.  Nobody on the team better understood what the championship meant to both Chicago and Jerry Reinsdorf, and Konerko understands that he’ll still have to produce.  I’m guessing he will.

He’ll get the largest ovation of any player on Opening Day, and he deserves it.