Paul Konerko – first year on ballot
A very good player for the White Sox, Paul Konerko has a reasonable case for the MLB Hall of Fame.
It took a bit for Konerko to find a home. A former top prospect with the Dodgers, he was traded to the Reds for Jeff Shaw. Just a few months later, he landed in Chicago, dealt to the South Side for Mike Cameron. There, he was able to blossom and become a beloved member of the White Sox.
He certainly had a respectable career. Konerko was a six time All Star, and the MVP of the 2005 ALCS. He finished in the top ten of the MVP vote twice, and had seven seasons where he hit over 30 homers. Overall, he produced a .279/.354/.486 batting line, hitting 410 doubles and 439 homers.
While those are certainly respectable numbers, they just are not good enough for enshrinement. Konerko also does not have any of the other possible boosts – defensively, he cost the White Sox 37 runs at first, and his 27.7 WAR is tied for 23rd out of the 32 candidates on the ballot. He may get a vote or five, but Konerko is likely done after this year.
Paul Konerko had a very nice career. It just was not a Hall of Fame caliber one.