White Sox Welcome Dunn, Eye Re-Signing Konerko
By Staff in News on Dec 4, 2010 4:30PM
By Angie Wiatrowski
Let the puns begin! What's done is done as the White Sox officially signed first baseman Adam Dunn Friday. Dunn comes to the South Side from the Washington Nationals, bringing a .260 batting average, 38 home runs, and 102 RBIs to the plate.
Dunn signed a four-year, $56 million contract and will be paid $12 million next season, which goes up to $15 million in each of the final two years. Dunn, 31, has a career batting average of .250 with 354 home runs and 880 RBIs in 10 seasons with the Reds, Diamondbacks, and Nationals.
The new White Sox slugger was introduced Friday during a press conference at U.S. Cellular Field. Dunn said he is willing to trade in his glove and become the designated hitter, joking that he would even suit up behind the plate, "I'm to a point now where I'm on a team that has a chance to win a World Series and I'll do whatever they want me to do," he said. "I told (general manager) Kenny (Williams) the other day that I would catch, but I see they signed A.J."
Catcher A.J. Pierzynski was another piece added to the puzzle Friday, agreeing to a two-year, $8 million deal. He will be paid $2 million next season and $6 million the following year. While most South Siders are rejoicing this could be bad news for Tyler Flowers, who could have become the team's starting catcher if Pierzynski opted to play elsewhere.
What's with the unbalanced salary splits?
White Sox first baseman and team captain Paul Konerko is clearly an asset to the team, so much so that Dunn and Pierzynski have agreed to defer part of next year's salary so the Sox could pursue Konerko, who turned down their arbitration offer.
"I would love for (Konerko) to return," Dunn said at the conference. "I know he's a great player and one of, if not the leader, of his team."
He Gone!
The White Sox made some other bullpen changes after trading right-hander Scott Linebrink to the Atlanta Braves Friday. The 34-year-old Linebrink was traded along with cash considerations for Minor League right-hander Kyle Cofield. Cofield, 23, was an eighth round pick of the Braves in 2005, went 1-3 with a 4.39 ERA in 18 games with Class AA Mississippi.