Paul Konerko Staying With White Sox As Two Sides Agree On Three-Year Deal

As has been expected, even after the talks stalled a bit on Tuesday, the Chicago White Sox will be keeping their captain, first baseman Paul Konerko. The two sides have reportedly agreed on a three-year, $37.5 million deal with “heavy deferrals.”

Konerko, who turns 35 in March, will earn $12 million in 2011 and 2012, $6.5 million in 2013 and then seven years deferred at $1 million each. Along with Adam Dunn, whom the White Sox signed this offseason, the White Sox suddenly have a very potent middle of the order -- the two sluggers combined for 77 home runs in 2010.

The White Sox may have signed free agent slugger Adam Dunn, but don’t get fooled into believing that they’re done with their lineup. It would appear that the team is also going to bring back first baseman Paul Konerko as well as it looks to build a powerful core.

From Jon Heyman, we learn that people within the game believe that the White Sox will “surely” re-sign the 34-year-old, who’s coming off what was arguably a career-best season. In 2010, Konerko mashed 39 home runs while posting a .977 OPS, which made for his second consecutive year of considerable improvement.

However, the Diamondbacks have apparently dropped out so they can focus on a shorter-term option, the Orioles aren’t appealing, and the White Sox would love to have Konerko back again for another go. And so the most likely outcome, at least for now, is that Konerko returns to Chicago.

The White Sox are trying to make it work, even after signing Adam Dunn. Doing so would stretch them a little thin financially, but it would give them a potent core to the lineup. In that event, Konerko would play first base, while Dunn would presumably slide over to DH.