ChicagoDawg1991
Guest
Josh Hamilton, Albert Pujols, Curtis Granderson, Prince Fielder, Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Joe Mauer and Adam Dunn are all considered candidates(In my opinion) for this years American League MVP race but there is one name that SHOULD be on this list and he is longtime White Sox 1st baseman and team captain, Paul Konerko
Why him you ask? He is one of the most consistent hitters in baseball and is hardly even mentioned in any awards! The only thing he was given was the 2005 ALCS MVP award and THAT'S IT! To this date as a member of the Sox, Paulie has hit 397 homeruns and driven in 1,255 runs while batting .285 in the process.
Excluding the stats with the Dodgers and Red, he averages 28 homeruns and 89 RBIs a season but there were a couple of seasons where he was completely off his game but when he is zoned in, he is a batter to reckon with!
While he has MVP like numbers his batting average is considered his Achilles Heel in the MVP race. 2006 I think was his best year when he batted .313 hitting 35 homeruns and driving in 113 rbis. 2004 he hit 41-117 but batted .277 which no doubt could have bolstered his MVP chances.
So far he is hitting .367 with 8 homeruns and 23 rbis this year. Ranked 2nd in batting average and OPS while ranking 3rd in Slugging Percentage. Who's ahead of him? Obvious favorite Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers.
Do we all expect him to win it? Most likely but we will NEVER count out our captain in the race. The last two years, Konerko has has spectacular seasons batting over .300 with 30-100+ yet was hardly mentioned in an MVP race! Either the writers aren't watching him or just blinded by the hype all these other guys are getting.
Don't get me wrong about guys like Hamilton, Mauer, teammate Dunn and A-Rod are GREAT players but even they have put up numbers that Konerko is ahead of yet they get a ton of recognition with #14 being under the radar. I just don't see how that is fair
How many players can hit 39-111 at the age 34? Not very many, unless your on steroids! What about doing 30-100 the following year again? Again not very many! Paul Konerko did so after having 3 years of being under .300 average and 100 rbis. How the hell does that not get any looks at? Not for MVP but for at least a Silver Slugger!
The point is, Paul Konerko despite his age is still one of the most dangerous bats in the MLB and is over looked by mostly everyone! I consider him an underrated candidate. What if he maintains his over 300 average and hits another 30-100 season?
Definitely #14 is a "Dark Horse MVP" with his amazing career and is hardly credited by all means. If he bats over .300 hits 40 bombs and drives in 110 this year then watch out for his name among the candidates for this year's AL MVP.
No doubt about it, he has been an underrated player his entire career. 5 Time All Star and the 2004 Comeback Player Of The Year are good accomplishments but thats about it. How many 400+ homerun hitters didn't win a Silver Slugger or a runner-up spot in the MVP race? Paul Konerko is the only name that comes to my mind
For all those baseball fans who are paying attention to all the guys who are in their mid-20s hitting 30-100 now, #14 is doing that in his mid-30s! From a Sox fan standpoint its not fair, from a baseball fan's standpoint he'll be one of the most underrated Hall Of Fame Players ever.
The American League is home to many great power hitters and Paul Konerko is among them. When its League wide? Hes not even among them. Shows that he is never given any respect for what he brings to the table. Everyone keep talking about the others, but watch out when #14 starts pounding the ball
Why him you ask? He is one of the most consistent hitters in baseball and is hardly even mentioned in any awards! The only thing he was given was the 2005 ALCS MVP award and THAT'S IT! To this date as a member of the Sox, Paulie has hit 397 homeruns and driven in 1,255 runs while batting .285 in the process.
Excluding the stats with the Dodgers and Red, he averages 28 homeruns and 89 RBIs a season but there were a couple of seasons where he was completely off his game but when he is zoned in, he is a batter to reckon with!
While he has MVP like numbers his batting average is considered his Achilles Heel in the MVP race. 2006 I think was his best year when he batted .313 hitting 35 homeruns and driving in 113 rbis. 2004 he hit 41-117 but batted .277 which no doubt could have bolstered his MVP chances.
So far he is hitting .367 with 8 homeruns and 23 rbis this year. Ranked 2nd in batting average and OPS while ranking 3rd in Slugging Percentage. Who's ahead of him? Obvious favorite Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers.
Do we all expect him to win it? Most likely but we will NEVER count out our captain in the race. The last two years, Konerko has has spectacular seasons batting over .300 with 30-100+ yet was hardly mentioned in an MVP race! Either the writers aren't watching him or just blinded by the hype all these other guys are getting.
Don't get me wrong about guys like Hamilton, Mauer, teammate Dunn and A-Rod are GREAT players but even they have put up numbers that Konerko is ahead of yet they get a ton of recognition with #14 being under the radar. I just don't see how that is fair
How many players can hit 39-111 at the age 34? Not very many, unless your on steroids! What about doing 30-100 the following year again? Again not very many! Paul Konerko did so after having 3 years of being under .300 average and 100 rbis. How the hell does that not get any looks at? Not for MVP but for at least a Silver Slugger!
The point is, Paul Konerko despite his age is still one of the most dangerous bats in the MLB and is over looked by mostly everyone! I consider him an underrated candidate. What if he maintains his over 300 average and hits another 30-100 season?
Definitely #14 is a "Dark Horse MVP" with his amazing career and is hardly credited by all means. If he bats over .300 hits 40 bombs and drives in 110 this year then watch out for his name among the candidates for this year's AL MVP.
No doubt about it, he has been an underrated player his entire career. 5 Time All Star and the 2004 Comeback Player Of The Year are good accomplishments but thats about it. How many 400+ homerun hitters didn't win a Silver Slugger or a runner-up spot in the MVP race? Paul Konerko is the only name that comes to my mind
For all those baseball fans who are paying attention to all the guys who are in their mid-20s hitting 30-100 now, #14 is doing that in his mid-30s! From a Sox fan standpoint its not fair, from a baseball fan's standpoint he'll be one of the most underrated Hall Of Fame Players ever.
The American League is home to many great power hitters and Paul Konerko is among them. When its League wide? Hes not even among them. Shows that he is never given any respect for what he brings to the table. Everyone keep talking about the others, but watch out when #14 starts pounding the ball
