Paulie the most slept on Hall of Famer of this generation.
Konerko looking like early MVP candidate
CHICAGO -- Paul Konerko, the Chicago White Sox’s ageless slugger, has not only picked up where he left off before getting hit in the face last week. He appears headed toward an MVP season. Konerko has produced base hits at a clip beyond baseball’s hottest early-season slugger Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers.
Paul Konerko David Banks/Getty ImagesIn the midst of a 10-game hitting streak, Paul Konerko is leading the AL in hitting.
Consider that at age 35 while most hitters are beginning to slow down in their production, Konerko has improved his numbers and approach. He is now leading the American League with a .384 batting average. The White Sox captain also extended his hitting streak to 10 games while hitting his 10th home run on Thursday night. He has recently taken his game to a new level, going 16-for-24 with four home runs and 8 RBIs in his past seven games.
“In our offense everything we do well revolves around Paul “ said Alex Rios, who along with Konerko was one of five White Sox hitters to hit home runs in Thursday’s win over the Twins. “Everyone in our lineup is getting better pitches to hit because of his approach and his results.”
Konerko’s numbers are impressive enough to put him in the conversation for early MVP mention. He is first in the league in on-base percentage and second to Hamilton in slugging.
“I think he should be included every year in MVP consideration,” said A.J. Pierzynski. “He is very underrated even though he has been a great player for a long time. Unless you see him every day and see how he makes adjustments from pitch to pitch, it’s really amazing. He deserves more National credit than he gets.”
Konerko has not won an MVP, though he has twice finished in the top six in voting for the award (in 2010 and 2005).
http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/white-sox/post/_/id/10044/konerko-looking-like-early-mvp-candidate
i co-sign the hell out of these comments..
Paulie is pretty much the consummate professional athlete... never makes much fuss, never makes a big issue about his contract, and just keeps on producing at a steady and reliable level, year in and year out, he pretty much hasn't had anything approximating a bad or off year in the past 8 seasons, almost invariably ends up around 40 homers, 110 RBIs with a roughly .300 average, the guy is just plain old consistent, and lately he's somehow managed to even turn it up a notch
i love that the angels spent hundreds of millions on an aging/struggling NL slugger, and that everyone is talking about hamilton from the rangers... but paulie just keeps doing his thing, year after year, and nobody says a word about his performance. love him as a player, can't believe how lucky the sox are to have him.