Yesterday we heard that the Orioles offered Paul Konerko a contract. Today, a few more teams have been linked to the slugging first baseman. Here's the latest, as the White Sox agree to sign another slugger:
- White Sox GM Kenny Williams confirmed to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times that the team could re-sign Konerko, even after locking up Adam Dunn (Twitter link).
- The Diamondbacks appear to be out of the Konerko sweepstakes, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
- The White Sox want to keep Konerko, even though they're about to sign Dunn, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter).
- Jon Heyman of SI.com hears that the Cubs are in on Konerko (Twitter link).
- Earlier today the D'Backs appeared to be in the early stages of negotiations with Konerko, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
- Konerko's agent, Craig Landis, told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he expects to speak to the White Sox at next week's Winter Meetings. The D'Backs consider Konerko "out of reach," according to Rosenthal, who notes that the White Sox may be able to afford Konerko and Dunn.
- Keep in mind that Konerko will cost a draft pick since he turned down an offer of arbitration from the White Sox.
Towers need to offer Konerko three years 27 million. He can find relievers in the scrap heap.
Would you take that deal if you were Konerko?? Even with a hometown discount. if so, I would be estatic…but I doubt it.
1b- Konerko
2b- Johnson
SS- Drew
3B- Kouzmanoff (old Towers guy…Reynolds dealt for pitching)
LF- Allen/Wily Mo platoon
CF- Young
RF- Upton
C- MOntero
Pretty good lineup….with Baylor the new hitting coach, the K’s will go down.
Willy Mo will probably not even make the team and Allen still hasn’t proven he can hit at the major league level. I’d take Parra over both of them unless they can pick up a real LF
Konerko isn’t going anywhere for 9 mil a year….
I dont understand why the Red Sox are not in on him.
They’re waiting on Adrian Gonzalez and possibly even Pujols
I really hope you mean Pujols when he’s a free agent and not as a trade candidate. He’ll never reach free agency.
wants to play at home or close to home in scottsdale.
Heyman has no idea about anything Cubs. Everything I see him say about the Cubs is absolutely ridiculous. The Cubs have NO money because guys like Fukudome, Soriano, and Zambrano are taking up 75% of the payroll. The new ownership has no interest in going out and spending more money.
No chance that Dbacks get Konerko. We only have 13 mil to spend. I would love to get Quentin back to play LF though…..
They did good to trade Quentin even though they got nothing out of him. Also Trading Reynolds could save 5 million
I would love Konerko at 1B….Allen in LF and trade Reynolds and sign Kouzmanoff. If Konerko doesnt go to AZ, I would love to make a move to get back Quentin to play LF and put Allen to 1B. Chances are slim we get Konerko even with a Reynolds trade.
i really dont see kouz as that much of an improvement over reynolds. sure, fewer team k’s…but not a whole lot else.
Sox will gladly trade him back I bet. Do the D-Backs have any catchers in their system?
we wont be spending that much money in our bullpen though – towers doesnt appear to want to offer a pick for most of the type a’s and b’s that would be signing for bigger dollars. i expect the bullpen to still be pretty green/young myself.
Yeah, no way Konerko goes to the Cubs. Who is gonna offer more $$ in the end, Wsox or Cubs?
I see PK going back to the Wsox, going to the Red Sox and/or Rangers, or settling with the D-backs as his options. Orioles can dream though…
I love that: settle with the dbacks.
c’mon paulie: settle! settle! settle! settle!
I mean settle in a good way. I’ve heard reports he would take a little less money than elsewhere because of the proximity to his AZ home.
i mean it well too – i wanted the dbacks to sign him the last time he was a free agent – i believe that was right before the richie sexson debacle actually.
No way Paulie signs with the Cubs if he has a comparable offer with the Sox. He’s pretty much Reinsdorf’s son.
ok, that ends that day dream. Dbacks out on Konerko. He will resign with Chicago. Still we need to deal reynolds for Bullpen help and sign Kouzmanoff if and when he is non-tendered. He played in Oak and SD and had some power, he will hit 25 hrs at Chase. Old Towers guy too.
Red Sox should be all over Konerko!!!
Red Sox sign Konerko to a 3 year deal.
Move Youk to 3rd.
Konerko plays 1 year as a spot fill in at 1st base and when the year is over, becomes the Red Sox DH with David Ortiz leaving after this year.
Youk stays at 3rd and the Red Sox throw 20 million at Agonz next year.
After Singing Konerko, Red Sox go out and sign Crawford to play left.
When year is over, Drew leaves, and you have Kalish to take over in Right.
Red Sox 2011 Starting 9:
1B. Konerko
2B. Pedroia
SS. Scutaro
3B. Youk
LF. Crawford
CF. Ellsbury
RF. Drew
DH. Papi
C. Salty
with Cameron as a 4th outfielder.
IDEAL situation for the red sox..when kalish takes over for drew next year…Crawford…Ellsbury..Kalish… IMAGINE that.
That would be very smart of the Red Sox. It would take a lot of $$$ to convince him not to head West or return to the fold, he and Papa Reinsdorf are very, very close.
Yeah I agree. Pauli is originally from Providence, RI though. Would be a great fit if he doesn’t resign with the ChiSox. He MASHES to left field and I think his stats would be GREATLY boosted by the green monster at Fenway. Would be a great alternative for Pauli if the money in Chitown isn’t good enough. Just a thought 🙂
If the White Sox sign PK as well, then well we just need a bullpen.
The main reason Paulie won’t sign with the Cubs is because the Ricketts won’t spend the money. Plain and Simple. The Cubs do need bullpen help and I wouldn’t mind seeing them go after Erick Threets.
he’s hurt for the year…tommy john surgery
I didn’t realize that
it’s alright it happens
Kenny Williams priority is Konerko tweets chuck garfein of CSN chicago
PK is like a son to JR he would definitely overextend budget for him. Folks forget PK likes this kind of stuff. The Thome trade in 05 was a big factor in him coming back.
I agree that the Red Sox are a terrific fit. While Konerko may want to play close to home he may not want to finish his career playing pointless games in Arizona. Plus the Sox can obviously offer more money than the Dbags.
With Papi’s deal only being for 1 year it afford the Sox a lot of flexibility between third, first, and DH. If the Sox were able to get Crawford and Konerko (as another poster above suggested) they would have a damn good line-up.
Exactly..Imagine a 2012 line up for the Red Sox if they sign Crawford and Konerko this offseason and then get AGonz next year.
1B AGonz
2B Pedroia
SS Lowrie
3B Youk
LF Crawford
CF Ellsbury
RF Kalish
DH Konerko
Wow powerful…doesn’t cost them any prospects..and the outfield is SOOOOO speedy… get the speedsters on base and watch the power hitters mash them in.
What about Papi!
2012 lineup…papi is gone by 2012.
Boston’s more likely to see Werth
That would be why I said If 😛 I want Boston to get Crawford..but it probably will be Werth, I just think Crawford is “WERTH” more (yeah yeah yeah..i just used the cliche pun that everyone is using)
Someone needs to ask the other GMs just how seriously they are pursuing Konerko. There are rumors and then there is factual data. Most baseball people probably feel that Konerko is going to resign with the Sox…..so they might kick the tires. I like to go to the mall and kick the tires on the BMW in the food court too…but ya know what? All I’m doing is leaving finger prints on the glass.
This is the best option the Sox have at this time. By signing Konerko they would have a stop gap player until they sign their treasure Gonzolez. It does appear that Konerko wants to go to Arizona and for this reason his heart would not be into coming to the
Sox, so I would think twice before I would sign Konerko.
Dodgers please.
I love all the people posting like its done that Boston will get AGonz next year..haha..
I would personally love to see Paulie in Baltimore, if they can get him signed then maybe it becomes a lil easier for them to get other players worthy of the AL East, and then hell maybe they will make that division competitive top to bottom again.
no one will outbit Theo for AGonz..its just a matter of time.
Konerko had a good year but I think it’s not wise to expect him to do as well next year. He’ll likely go back to normal, which is still pretty good, but he’s probably going to get paid for what he did in 2010 instead of what he’s more likely to do in 2011.
If the Cubs were in on him I can’t see it being serious. They’re probably just checking in to drum up interest in Konerko to raise the price for the Sox since the Sox were negotiating (and now signed) the left handed hitter that the Cubs probably wanted for 1b. Just a bit of gamesmanship I would guess.
I would love to see the O’s get him, but reality says he will go back to the W.Sox. I doubt he would take only 9M just so he could play in AZ, money talks. Andy, offer him 3/36 and se what happens. I wonder what the “significant” offer was?
I don’t understand all this speculation about Konerko to the Birds…if he didn’t play for the Cubbies at some point then he’s not coming here. Derek Lee anyone? Plus we get to keep the draft pick.
One of the things Paulie said will be a major factor in his decision is going to a team that will contend; while I’ll agree that Baltimore is getting better, they still have a ways to go before “contender” is a part of their description, (especially residing in the AL East). Paulie isn’t going to Baltimore. His relationship with Reinsdorf will preclude the Cubs from serious consideration. Money will be too light with the D-Backs. It doesn’t appear that the BoSox are in serious contention for him, but coyld be a factor if they wanted to be. My gut is that he’s gonna be back on the South Side of Chicago.
On a side note, all of this talk of him being, primarily, a DH in the next year or so is pretty misplaced. He does well with a game or two per week at DH, because it keeps him healthy. His glove is excellent; not the most mobile cat in the world, but he saved a ton of errors in the last couple of seasons for the ChiSox.