Man, I'm sad we didn't learn about This in advance...we could have gotten 5-10 of us together, put on Sox Jerseys, slapped a few "Please don't leave PK" signs together and sat outside of the Big A chanting "Paulie Paulie Paulie" yesterday.

 

The Angels' courtship of Paul Konerko continued Tuesday, with the free-agent slugger spending much of Tuesday afternoon in Angel Stadium meeting with Manager Mike Scioscia and General Manager Bill Stoneman and touring the team's facilities.

 

The Angels' offer to Konerko is believed to be in the five-year, $60-million range, a bump from their initial offer of four years and about $48 million, and it appears their only competition for the first baseman will come from the Chicago White Sox, the team Konerko helped lead to the World Series title in October.

 

The Baltimore Sun, citing industry sources, is reporting in today's editions that Konerko turned down the Orioles' five-year, $65-million offer, which was more lucrative than offers extended by the Angels and White Sox. Chicago's offer is believed to be in the four-year, $52-million range, but the White Sox have shown a willingness to go to five years.

 

The Orioles also held out little hope that Craig Landis, Konerko's agent, would submit a counteroffer. Konerko's decision is consistent with earlier reports that if he leaves the White Sox, he prefers to play for a West Coast team that trains near his Scottsdale, Ariz., home. The Angels train in nearby Tempe.

 

Stoneman declined to comment on Konerko, nor would he address a report in the Sun, citing an unnamed source, that Konerko has an arthritic hip condition.

 

An Oriole official told the Sun the club was aware of the condition, which was apparently diagnosed years ago, but was not deeply concerned about it. The White Sox declined comment on Konerko's hip, but one club official privately told the Chicago Tribune that the team was upset that the information had become public. Landis did not return several phone messages.

 

Konerko, who turns 30 in March, played in a career-high 158 games last season, batting .283 with 40 home runs and 100 runs batted in, and he has not gone on the disabled list in seven-plus major league seasons. He would have to pass an extensive physical before signing his next contract.

Isnt this just him going through the free agent process like he said he was gonna do or does it mean something else ?

Touring facilities, looking at housing is all basic stuff. Don't read too much into it.

Isnt this just him going through the free agent process like he said he was gonna do or does it mean something else ?

It's him doing exactly what he said he'd do...but it does mean that we better get our asses together and make him a quality offer if we want to keep him.

I still think he resigns with us, If he turned down a 65mil deal, what makes us think that he will sign a 60 mil one...

 

I would like to know if Thome was able to call and talk to him, as well as KW.

I would like to know if Thome was able to call and talk to him, as well as KW.

 

Thome talked to PK in the last couple of days. However, I HIGHLY doubt that will have any impact on Konerko's decision.

I still think he resigns with us, If he turned down a 65mil deal, what makes us think that he will sign a 60 mil one...

 

I would like to know if Thome was able to call and talk to him, as well as KW.

I think most people knew and believed right at the beginning of the offseason that Paul was either staying here or going to the Angels. He either wants to be on the west coast or stay with the sox, the money had nothing to do with him turning down Baltimore.

I think most people knew and believed right at the beginning of the offseason that Paul was either staying here or going to the Angels.  He either wants to be on the west coast or stay with the sox, the money had nothing to do with him turning down Baltimore.

 

Yah, I think him turning down the Baltimore offer had less to do with the dollar amount and more to do with not wanting to play for Baltimore. It has also been said that Pauly doesn't want to play for a team that isn't in Arizona for Spring Training. Not sure where I've heard this, so take it for what its worth.

I'm getting nervous.

 

I bet you he stays if the Sox show him our facilities!

I'm getting nervous.

 

I bet you he stays if the Sox show him our facilities! 

We should put in an air hockey table. That'd keep him!

buy him his own mortal kombat machine

Its down to Anahiem or Us. Lets wiegh his options:

White Sox advantages:

Hometown hero, Defending World Champions, Have awesome pitching, Aqcuired Thome to give him some hitting security, Our field is a homerun hitting ballpark. He is by far the face of this organization and he will never be loved anywhere else like he is loved here on the south side.

LA Angels advantages:

Near his home in AZ, good friends with Scocia from his days with the Dodgers, also have a solid pitching staff, warm weather for most of the season, have Vlad to give him hitting security.

 

I say right now its 50-50. It can go either way. I really hope he stays :pray

Where is Konerko's wife from? Where does her family reside?

 

Anyone think this will play a part in the decision?

His wife is from Arizona i'm pretty sure. And he is from LA. The dodgers drafted him right out of his high school in LA. And since LA is near Arizona and there ST facility is in AZ, the Angels have an advantage in that aspect.

If he signs with us great, if not it will be fun beating him in the playoffs. Thome will hit our grand slams.

If he signs with us great, if not it will be fun beating him in the playoffs.  Thome will hit our grand slams.

IMO Thome is the lefty version Frank Thomas. He is a DH only. If Pauly leaves we are going to have to settle for a player like Overbay- not to mention lose talent in attempt to aqcuire him. Yeah Thome can hit grandslams, but Konerko makes our team that much better. And our chances of repeating would diminish rapidly.

Chances of repeating go down big time if we lose PK.

 

We must get him back.

Chances of repeating go down big time if we lose PK.

 

We must get him back.

Exactly. No offense to THome BUT PK is younger & he is beloved in Chicago. His last 2 seasons proved to us that he is the real deal. He loves playing for Ozzie and he is clutch. Some things are priceless and having PK on our team is priceless- and for somethings to be priceless some people will have to pay a hefty price. And I think Rieny and KW knows PK is worth everything the Angels offer. And to me a 5 year/ 60 million contract is well worth it to me. He will be 30 years old this year. By the end of that contract he will be 35 and that is still young in slugger age.

Chances of repeating go down big time if we lose PK.

 

We must get him back.

Yes they do, unless they have a great back-up plan.

Yes they do, unless they have a great back-up plan.

close this thread

His wife is from Arizona i'm pretty sure. And he is from LA. The dodgers drafted him right out of his high school in LA. And since LA is near Arizona and there ST facility is in AZ, the Angels have an advantage in that aspect.

He is from AZ, IIRC. Well he played his high school ball there and he was born in the Mass area.

Guess he didn't like the facilities.