Many people are watching Derek Jeter’s final season and rightfully so. Jeter is an unquestioned future hall of famer and perhaps the greatest ambassador baseball has seen in the last twenty years. The Jeter farewell tour may be the most covered, but he not the only veteran player heading into retirement after the 2014 season.
Chicago White Sox’s first baseman and designated hitter, Paul Konerko is also retiring. Konerko’s major league career may not have the glamour of the New York Yankees or their championships, but he still managed to bash away one solid career in a sport he loves.
Konerko had his first major league hit with the Los Angeles Dodgers back in 1997. He would have only seven at bats on the season. His first homer came in 1998 where he split time between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds. Often playing as a substitute when someone needed a day off or batting for a pitcher, Konerko only hit 7 homers and drove in 29 RBI’s with an unimpressive batting average.
After Konerko spent two brief stints with the Dodgers and Reds, he found a home with the White Sox organization in 1999. He made a modest 215,000 for his first season with the team.
With the advantage of playing everyday, Kornerko flourished with the White Sox, in his first season with the team, he hit 24 homers with 81 RBI and raised his batting average to a healthy .294. He added to a lineup up that already featured a baseball legend in Frank Thomas, who was affectionately known as “The Big Hurt“. Although injuries would slow Thomas down, Konerko and company helped make the White Sox an offensive threat nearly every year. In nine of the last sixteen seasons, the White Sox finished in second or first in the division.
Konerko from 1999 thru 2012 would hit 21 or more home runs 13 times and drive in 90 or more runs nine times. In that time, he earned six All-Star Game appearances, a World Championship in 2005, and consistently was amongst the top 25 best offensive players in the American League nearly every year. The White Sox organization rewarded him with a nice contract, in his prime, Konerko made between $12-13.5 million a season.
In 2013, Konerko’s bat speed started to drop and he could no longer crush the ball as he once was able. He knew that his time in the league was coming to a close, but for himself and the fans, he came back for the 2014 season to say goodbye.
So far, the White Sox have had a decent season, though they currently are in a slump losing five of their last seven games. They have the electric rookie, Jose Abreu slugging home runs; he won Player of the Month of April. The White Soxs may not win the division, but they can edge out a respectable season. Konerko is no longer a starter, but still has a little pop in his bat as evidenced by his first home run of the year, last week.
Perhaps Konerko is a shadow of the player he once was, but the man himself has handled both triumph and adversity with a great deal of class throughout his career and that never goes away.
In the eyes of people beyond Chicago, Konerko was never truly a superstar, but he did everything he could for his team. He was an all-star, a world champion, and among the most respected sluggers in the MLB for over a decade. Konerko has done it all in his career, and it was a beautiful ride.
For the latest sports injury news, check out our friends at sports injury alert.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on twitter – @Baseballzealot7. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
“You like baseball? Get involved! Check out LWOS Partners Bases Loaded EU for fantastic podcasts, news and a growing message board community of baseball fans like you!”
