Konerko drawing interest from other teams

[Providence A's]

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune....ck=1&cset=true

Landing Konerko might require some personnel and financial gymnastics. Darin Erstad, who will earn $8.5 million in 2006, would have to move to center field to make room for Konerko.

Steve Finley, who is due $7 million in 2006 despite a miserable 2005 season, currently occupies center field.

Konerko, who batted only .223 through the first two months of 2005, might not have a honeymoon period with Angels fans, who booed Finley for his struggles as well as marquee slugger Vladimir Guerrero during the ALCS.

The Angels also have former first-round pick Casey Kotchman and Kendry Morales, to whom they gave a six-year, $6 million contract last January after he defected from Cuba.

But the Angels have been ultra-aggressive since Arte Moreno took over as owner. They signed Guerrero for five years and $70 million, possible 2005 AL Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon for four years and $51 million and shortstop Orlando Cabrera for four years and $32 million.

Signing with the Angels would enable Konerko to spend all of spring training at his home in Scottsdale, Ariz., with wife Jennifer and their infant son Nicholas. He'd also be only a one-hour flight away from home during the regular season.

Plus, the Angels are the two-time defending AL West champions with no signs of fading, thanks to a strong farm system.

Konerko, a Rhode Island native, is very aware of the passion of Red Sox fans.

He also noticed how those fans barbecued first baseman Kevin Millar, a former favorite of Red Sox Nation, when the White Sox visited Fenway Park for a weekend series in August.

The Red Sox also train in Ft. Myers, Fla., which is far from Konerko's off-season home.

Boston has a number of off-season concerns, first and foremost finding a new general manager. The Red Sox also have to deal with valuable free agents such as center fielder/leadoff man Johnny Damon and their underrated switch-hitting third baseman, Bill Mueller.

But the Red Sox would love to have Konerko, who batted .429 with four home runs against them last season, not including a game-winning home run in Game 3 of the AL Division Series at Fenway Park.

Boston figures to be persistent, given its recent history of pursuing Alex Rodriguez before landing the likes of Curt Schilling, Keith Foulke, David Wells, Edgar Renteria and Matt Clement in recent off-seasons. And the Red Sox have money.

Konerko, a dead pull hitter, might prosper from playing half his games at Fenway.

The Mets weren't bashful in their pursuit of Carlos Beltran, last winter's marquee free agent, who landed a seven-year, $119 million contract with them.

They also could use a right-handed power hitter to offset the impending loss of free agent Mike Piazza and help fortify an offense that finished 11th in hitting in the National League.

Konerko, however, would have to switch leagues for the first time since coming to the White Sox from Cincinnati in 1999. He also would hit in one of the least-friendly hitters' ballparks—the Mets hit only 83 of their 175 homers at Shea.

The Mets have firm direction under general manager Omar Minaya, but they haven't been to the postseason since reaching the 2000 World Series.

Also, the Mets train in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

This would have been the perfect fit, given that Konerko would have a chance to stay home and play at hitter-friendly (and recently renamed) Chase Field with a hometown hero's welcome from a franchise trying to regain a semblance of its 2001-02 glory days.

But the Diamondbacks have a logjam at first base. They have veteran Tony Clark, who signed a two-year extension, and left-handed hitter Chad Tracy, whom the Sox inquired about near the trading deadline because of his ability to play third, first and the outfield.

The Diamondbacks also would have to move one of their high-salaried players—Luis Gonzalez, Shawn Green, Troy Glaus or Russ Ortiz—which makes a Konerko signing highly unlikely.

I see the White Sox paying a lot to keep Konerko

[RockSports17]

If his family is apart of the decision, which it seems it is, he'll be going to the Angels, D-Backs, or back to the White Sox. I see him signing with the Angels.