Paul Konerko said 2013 could be his final season as a player, according to Chuck Garfien of CSNChicago.com. The first baseman turns 36 next month and it's not a given that he'll continue playing after his contract expires following the 2013 campaign.
"Yeah, in all reality I would see it ending after next year or maybe another year,” Konerko said. “I mean, at some point you got to go home and be around your kids and have other things to do."
Konerko expects to consider playing opportunities after the 2013 season, but he doesn’t intend to “hang on for another year and kind of go through the motions.” The White Sox briefly considered making Konerko a player-manager this offseason, and though he doesn’t expect to manage any time soon, it could happen at some point. He posted a .300/.388/.517 line with 31 homers in 2011, when he was named to the American League All-Star team for the fifth time in his career.
how can you blame someone for being loyal to a team? he got his ring in 05 and obviously likes being a part of the white sox organization or he wouldnt have signed 2 extensions.
Konerko is a consistently underrated player. The guy can mash, but he’s routinely over looked.
Major League Baseball could certainly use more players with Paul Konerko’s ethics. Fans tend to clamor for the players who give the greatest sound bites…only to turn on them when their production fades and off the field issues are not as easily overlooked.
If anything, Konerko is building quite a legacy with the White Sox. It might be a stretch to predict another World Series Championship while he is still in uniform, but he proves what a player can mean to a team and to a fan base regardless of won loss record. That there IS something more important to the game than the constant barrage in the media of player contracts and the battle for championships.
I’m hoping Paul Konerko hangs around Chicago for many years after his retirement. He’s a link to history.
Major League Baseball could certainly use more players with Paul Konerko’s ethics. Fans tend to clamor for the players who give the greatest sound bites…only to turn on them when their production fades and off the field issues are not as easily overlooked.
If anything, Konerko is building quite a legacy with the White Sox. It might be a stretch to predict another World Series Championship while he is still in uniform, but he proves what a player can mean to a team and to a fan base regardless of won loss record. That there IS something more important to the game than the constant barrage in the media of player contracts and the battle for championships.
I’m hoping Paul Konerko hangs around Chicago for many years after his retirement. He’s a link to history.
Will go down as the 2nd best power hitter in team history. Great teammate and great person. I have been so happy watching him for the past 10+ years. Would hate to see him leave as Buehrle did, but wouldn’t be mad. But if you ask White Sox beat writers they will tell you, he has no problem retiring with just the one ring and he is not worried about stats AT ALL.
Konerko is the only player that stops my 8 year old cold…so he can watch him bat. It’s important to the Sox and to the game to have players like that.
8 year old cold? Jesus, have you tried Sudafed?
That’s funny. Yeah….the typed word doesn’t always translate so well. I respect Konerko…but I’m still on the fence whether he has the cure for the common cold.
His name isn’t Jesus. I think it’s Cory.
coryjesuswilson
coryjesuswilson
His name isn’t Jesus. I think it’s Cory.
8 year old cold? Jesus, have you tried Sudafed?
I am sure Jerry has the same deal in place for Konerko and even Buehrle that he does with Jim Thome. A handshake deal that he has a place in this orginization after they retire.
I am sure Jerry has the same deal in place for Konerko and even Buehrle that he does with Jim Thome. A handshake deal that he has a place in this orginization after they retire.
why would he manage if he wants to be home with his family?
Love Konerko but he isn’t a good fielder. He has no range. Looked at Bill James fielding bible and he lists the top 17. No Konerko. Him and Dunn are listed as the least best over the last 3 three years for “runs saved”. Great hitter, great guy, great teammate but not a good fielder.
he may not have range, but he makes every play. and he’s great at the throw to 2nd to start double plays.
He’s not likely going anywhere. He had his big chance after 2005 to go to the Angels, and he took a home town discount. He’s now a Chicago fixture, poignant handing the last ball from the 2005 World Series to Jerry Reinsdorf as a keepsake. Could conceivably see Kenny/Jerry trading him to a contender for one final pursuit of glory, the way the team traded Thome to a playoff bound team. Some others noted this, but reiterating, he’s always been a decent fielder, handles chances cleanly and is league average with range. Not top five, but definitely not a liability. He is slow, especially due to a gimpy left leg, but he’s not a bad baserunner. If anything, he’s too conservative on the bases. Overall, one of the best deals the franchise made, getting him from the Reds for Mike Cameron and will go down in Franchise history as one of the team favorites, alongside Buerhle and the Big Hurt.
I tend to believe that Konerko has deeper roots in the organiztion than Thome had. Both quality guys for sure.
Paul,
There will always be a place for you in my organization. Your past abilities, grittiness, and most importantly, your age are all positives in my book.
Sincerely,
B. Sabean
Always got to wonder about whether he’ll be able to go through with it once “a year or two” becomes “now.” That said, Konerko is a class act, it will be sad to see him go.
Always got to wonder about whether he’ll be able to go through with it once “a year or two” becomes “now.” That said, Konerko is a class act, it will be sad to see him go.
“I mean, at some point you got to go home and be around your kids and have other things to do.”
What a nerd… the guy’s 35, not 45. At this rate he’ll be fishing outside an old folks home by 50.
And? He’ll be *a millionaire* fishing outside an old folks home by 50.
That sounds great with me.
And? He’ll be *a millionaire* fishing outside an old folks home by 50.
That sounds great with me.
“I mean, at some point you got to go home and be around your kids and have other things to do.”
What a nerd… the guy’s 35, not 45. At this rate he’ll be fishing outside an old folks home by 50.
Paulie is the best Sox hitter since Big Hurt. Plain and simple. He is a very competent fielder at first. I watch about 60 percent of the games they show on tv. I have two eyes and I dont need Bill James to explain to me what Im looking at. He is not flashy and doesnt tend to jump and get the ones over his head like other 1Bs do. But he doesnt let himself get beat either. As for on the basepaths he is nothing to write home about for sure. No speed. Its hard to judge how good a baserunner is when they have negative quickness. But with all that said Paul Konerko is probably the most underrated slugger in the MLB.
He puts up #’s nearly on par with other first basemen in the league and gets on base a TON, but doesn’t get any publicity. Oh well, he’s a class act and I’m glad he wants to stay with my Sox.
About his fielding, let’s put it this way……
No one ever watches him and says “Wow, he is a great fielder”, and no one ever says “Wow, he is really bad out there”. Paulie has no range and average athletic ability, but he has a great glove and great judgement on picking balls out on low throws. He is not a liability by any means, but he is also not going to make very many plays that aren’t routine.
As far as baserunning, he is only bad at it because of his “speed” or lackthereof. He doesn’t mess up on the bases or run in to outs, he is just slow as hell.
Except Paul Konerko isn’t a bad fielder…
He’s not a bad fielder. Slightly below average, but not the kind of glove that hurts you.
He is, however, an epically bad baserunner. As in, part of the discussion on worst in the game kinda bad.
Bob – you truly don’t know him. Great fielder – might be the best in AL. Good base runner – he knows he has zero speed – base to base but not a bad runner
No way his glove is better than Albert, A-Gon, or Tex.
No way his glove is better than Albert, A-Gon, or Tex.
I truly do. I’m a Chicagoan who watches several dozen Sox games a year. Konerko makes the most of his abilities at first and can occasionally look good there. But a nice play here or there aside, he’s a meh fielder. You don’t need to trust my eyes, though. Fangraphs usually has him at 0 to -2 fielding runs.
He’s been worth -50.2 baserunning runs in his career, including an MLB worst -10.4 last year.
I truly do. I’m a Chicagoan who watches several dozen Sox games a year. Konerko makes the most of his abilities at first and can occasionally look good there. But a nice play here or there aside, he’s a meh fielder. You don’t need to trust my eyes, though. Fangraphs usually has him at 0 to -2 fielding runs.
He’s been worth -50.2 baserunning runs in his career, including an MLB worst -10.4 last year.
He’s had ankle injuries.
He’s had ankle injuries.
-50.2 for his career.
Some of last year’s total probably was the ankle. But even with a player I think a lot of, I have to bet he’s more likely to stay bad in his late 30s.
-50.2 for his career.
Some of last year’s total probably was the ankle. But even with a player I think a lot of, I have to bet he’s more likely to stay bad in his late 30s.
Or a good one.
If most of his offensive production continues to come from trotting around the bases and driving others in..his baserunning is a minor issue. But yeah, last year it seemed like it would take a triple to drive him in from third.
He was beyond lamed from that…some players would have DL’d. It was nasty when it happened.