OK Sox fans, you can let out that deep breath you?ve been holding for the past month: Paul Konerko is coming back to the White Sox. Declining lucrative offers from the Angels and Orioles, the All Star first baseman agreed to a 5-year, $60 million contract today to lead the Sox in their world championship defense.

Konerko is coming off a very productive 2005 season in which he hit .283 with 40 HRs and 100 RBIs during the regular season, then had a Carlos Beltran-like postseason, escalating his value just in time for free agency. (What a coincidence.)...more

Place your bets now, it looks like it's down to three teams in the Paul Konerko derby: the Angels, Orioles and White Sox. According to various published reports (listed at the bottom), here's what Paulie currently has on the table:





Angels: 5 years/$60 million* ($12.5 mil/year)


Orioles: 4 years/$50 million** ($12 mil/year)


White Sox: 4 years/$52 million***($13 mil/year)



If....if....all those numbers are accurate (and who really knows until anything is official?), the Sox have the highest annual salary and the hometown advantage.



The chances of Konerko going to Baltimore- a franchise in...more

Now that all the turkey has been digested and most of the leftovers have been picked over (except that suspicious stuffing which didn't appear to age well overnight), we can take a look at some of the ramifications of the Rowand for Thome trade.



1. First and foremost, Thome's arrival does NOT mean the Sox will not bring back Paul Konerko! If anything, this makes Konerko's return MORE likely, since all the money the Phillies are throwing in gives Ken Williams the flexibility to offer Konerko a large contract. Thome is better suited to DH at this point in...more

It's all but official: the White Sox acquired the big bat for the middle of their line up, though it cost them their popular centerfielder. Peoria native Jim Thome, a perennial 40 HR threat coming off his worst season as a pro, is coming home to play for the World Champs.



Here's the deal:



Sox get:


Jim Thome


$22 million



Phillies get:


Aaron Rowand


2 pitching prospects, reportedly Gio Gonzalez and Daniel Haigwood.



Thome gives the Sox a bona fide left handed thumper. I mean, the man can mash. In his...more

AL Manager of the Year Ozzie Guillen threw Sox fans a curveball last week while discussing the make up of his 2006 squad:



"I want more speed ... Hopefully we can get somebody who can run. I want a second hitter so we can put Iguchi down in the sixth or seventh spot to get more out of him."



Interesting, since Tadahito Iguchi excelled in the number two spot of the line up this year- to the point where Ozzie called him the team's MVP- it seemed like he would be entrenched in the same role...more