White Sox' Konerko a true professional

Amid all the Chicago baseball negativity, maybe it's time for a couple of positive words.

Just a couple.

Paul Konerko.

First of all, what a travesty that the White Sox had to beg for votes last week to get Konerko into Tuesday night's All-Star Game.

Konerko is an all-star regardless of whether he was elected. If he had to spend the break at home in Scottsdale instead of a few miles away at Chase Field in Phoenix, it would have been the event's loss more than his.

Many players looked for and found excuses to skip the All-Star Game. Being voted in through the back door rather than the front or side would have given them another reason to decline the invitation.

Konerko has too much class for that, too much respect for the sport and too much sensitivity toward baseball fans.

The subplot here is that Konerko is a five-time all-star, yet too much of the nation remains unaware of his evolution into the outstanding player he is today.

Locally, Sox fans notice that Konerko is muscling Frank Thomas aside in some franchise slugging categories. But even they might not be aware that in some ways he is in a category with Albert Pujols.

Yes, Albert Pujols, the Cardinals' perennial best player in baseball.

Though Konerko is having a better 2011 season than Pujols, he hasn't had as good a 21st century. But who has?

However, Konerko can be compared to Pujols because of what Sox manager Ozzie Guillen recently said about him: “He's a professional player.”

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa often uses the same P word in reference to Pujols and not just because of his first baseman's hitting, fielding and baserunning.

The package also includes how Pujols carries himself on and off the field, how easy he is to manage, the kind of teammate he is, his presence in the clubhouse, his leadership, his work ethic, his dependable effort, his charity work in the community.

That's Paul Konerko, too. His missing P is Pizzazz, which might explain why the Sox had to campaign to make him an all-star.

“I can't believe that more people don't talk about him,” Sox struggling slugger Adam Dunn says. “I've seen Albert (Pujols), I've seen some pretty good hitters, and I'll tell you, I'll put (Konerko) right up there with anybody. He's incredible.”

Konerko's earlier weaknesses were inconsistency as a hitter and mediocrity as a fielder. He worked to improve in both areas since arriving here in 1999.

Maybe it's just me but Konerko never looked natural at anything. He has been a work in progress throughout his career, sort of sneaking up on premier status instead of bursting upon it.

At 35, Konerko works harder than ever physically so his body can keep pace with his mental maturity.

“I've never seen a guy that makes adjustments pitch by pitch like that,” Dunn says. “When he says he's going to look for one certain pitch and gets that pitch, he doesn't miss it. That's hard to do. He's special.”

Staying ahead of the game is why Konerko now can be mentioned in some ways in the same paragraph with Frank Thomas and Albert Pujols.

“That's why he's the king … that's why he's the captain,” Guillen says.

It's also why Paul Konerko is an island of achievement in Chicago baseball's sea — and season — of underachievement.

mimrem@dailyherald.com