Konerko: Don't blame Rios for getting paid

The White Sox would love to change this perception.

But there's little doubt after hearing from the fans so far at SoxFest that their faith - or lack of it - in the Sox' lineup can be summed up in two words:

Alex Rios.

Management has tried hard to downplay expectations for Rios, who will turn 29 in a month, but observers will always turn back to his contract when determining Rios' level of success.

"That's really unfair," said first baseman Paul Konerko. "Everyone throws around the money and the contract, but you can't hold that against him.

"It's not his fault Toronto gave him all that money, and you can't expect him to perform up to a certain level just because of what he's getting paid."

It's now the White Sox who gave Rios all that money because they inherited his contract after claiming him off waivers on Aug. 10.

He'll get $10 million this year, and $12 million in each of the next four years.

On a new team that needs his bat, having to live up to a big-money deal is more pressure than Rios seemed able to handle when he landed here late in the season.

"He can't think about the contract. We just need him to play great in center field and be a piece of the puzzle offensively," Konerko said. "I think with a full year here he'll be a lot more comfortable.

"That move really caught him off guard last year. I didn't see him pressing when he first got here, but then you could see it kind of snowballed on him. He just needs to relax and be who he is, not what people want him to be because of the money he's making."

Over the previous four years, Rios averaged .289 with 16 homers, 76 RBI and 20 stolen bases, with 59 extra basehits and an OPS of .807.

In 41 games after arriving on the South Side, in a quarter of a season Rios hit just .199 with 3 homers and 9 RBI, 9 extra basehits and an OPS of .530, while having as many strikeouts (29) as hits.

"No one has to overachieve in this lineup," said GM Ken Williams. "No one has to try to do more than they can do, so Alex just has to hit like he has in the past, give us his .280 and he'll be fine, and our lineup will be fine.

"He obviously put a lot of pressure on himself when he got over here, and we need him to not do that to himself again."

Power pop

The discussion between Williams and manager Ozzie Guillen about power in the middle of the lineup is ongoing, with apparently no conclusion in sight.

"I still talk a lot about adding a left-handed power guy. I've never stopped asking Ozzie about it," Williams said. "But I'm deferring to Ozzie on this. This is how Ozzie wants it, and I think this is how it's going to be.

"We don't have the real big boppers, but we do have a lot of 20-homer guys and a lot of doubles guys, and we're going to keep the line moving more than we have in the past.

"It's how the manager wants it, and so far - so far - I'm deferring to Ozzie."

With so many players still looking for jobs, it wouldn't be shocking if the Sox made another move or two before they head to Arizona.

Pitching rich

Pitching coach Don Cooper says the team got a lot more than a No. 1 starter when the Sox acquired Jake Peavy.

"This guy's a dream come true for a pitching staff," Cooper said. "He loves to compete, but he loves to win even more, and he knows how to win, which are two different things.

"A lot of guys have the desire but don't know how to do it. He's the kind of guy who can win without his best stuff because he knows how to pitch."

Cooper says Peavy also brings leadership.

"You notice he always says the right things, and guys can learn from that," Cooper said. "It's also the way he goes about his business and the way he works between starts.

"He's a great teacher of young guys, in that way, and it's going to be great for the rest of the guys to have him for a spring training."

California streaming

The rough weather Peavy experienced in California last week was nothing out of the ordinary for the Alabama native, but he said it did affect the locals.

"I was supposed to have a meeting with someone the other day, but it was raining sideways and they canceled," laughed Peavy, who also has a home near San Diego. "That's California for you. People can't drive a half-hour in the rain."

Best quote

Steve Stone on the 2010 White Sox: "If we don't win this year, it won't be because of this player or that player, or this position or that position. It'll be because of injuries, because if we stay healthy, we have by far the best team in the American League Central."

And finally -

Ozzie Guillen on getting booed by Cubs fans at a Blackhawks game: "They show my picture on the big screen and I got booed. That don't bother me. Know what I did? I showed them my World Series ring."