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Paul Konerko was quite a player. After hitting .564 with 12 homers and 50 RBIs for Chaparral High School in Arizona, the Dodgers drafted him with the 13th overall pick in 1994. Three years later at Triple-A Albuquerque Konerko hit .323 with 37 homers and 127 RBI in to earn a September call up.

The following July Interim Dodger GM Tommy Lasorda traded the young first baseman to Cincinnati for reliever Jeff Shaw. A Hall of Fame manager, Lasorda the GM lived to regret trading away Konerko.

After the ’98 season, the Reds dealt Konerko to the White Sox for Mike Cameron. In Chicago Konerko found a home. His 16 years with the White Sox included six All Star selections, and 13 seasons with at least 20 home runs. Konerko slugged 30 or more homers seven time, capped by back-to-back 40-homer campaigns starting in 2004.

In 2005, Konerko’s 40 homers and 100 RBI helped the White Sox win the Central Division championship in wire-to-wire fashion. In the Divisional Series, Konerko hit two home runs as Chicago swept the reigning World Series champion Boston Red Sox.

The White Sox then brushed off the Angels in the American League Championship Series 4-games-to-1. Konerko’s two home runs and seven RBI made him the first White Sox player to earn the ALSC MVP Award. His four postseason dingers broke single-season and career White Sox franchise marks held by Ted Kluszewski.

He wasn’t through yet.

In the World Series Konerko extended his postseason home run total with the first World Series grand slam in White Sox history. Chicago swept aside the Houston Astros to gain its first World Series title since 1917.

In the offseason Konerko turned down more money to stay with the White Sox. He was named captain for the 2006 season and held the position until he retired in 2014.

A month after playing his final game on September 28, 2014, Konerko received the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award. On May 23, 2015 the adulation continued when the White Sox retired his jersey #14.

In 2,349 career big league games Konerko hit .283 with 2,340 hits, 1,162 runs, 410 doubles, 439 doubles, 1,412 RBI and a .995 fielding percentage. He became eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020, gaining just half the required 5% to remain on the ballot. His Cooperstown fate now rests in the hands of the Veterans Committee.

Shown here is the lineup card from the 2002 Home Run Derby. Konerko finished third in the event behind Derby’s winner Jason Giambi and runner-up Sammy Sosa. The lineup card is signed by both Giambi and All Star manager Bob Brenly.