Chicago White Sox: 3 all-time great trades in franchise history

The trade that landed the Chicago White Sox Paul Konerko changed the franchise forever.

There is no doubt about it, a huge part of the puzzle for the 2005 World Series run came when Paul Konerko arrived in Chicago. The first baseman arrived in Chicago via a trade with the Cincinnati Reds. Ironically, it was the second time he had been traded that year. The trade took place on November 11th, 1998 and it set the stage for the early beginnings of a championship run.

In exchange for Konerko, the White Sox gave up outfielder Mike Cameron. Cameron went on to become somewhat of a baseball “drifter” and ended up playing for several teams following the trade. He just never stuck anywhere for that long of a time. He did have a long career, however. The White Sox clearly got the better end of the deal.

Konerko’s career skyrocketed once he settled in with the White Sox. Over the course of his White Sox career, he played a total of 2,268 games and earned himself a few White Sox records. One of the most impressive stats that Konerko earned was that he hit a total of 81 home runs between 2004 and 2005. That is still a franchise record. His slash line, during his career in Chicago, was .281/.356/.491.

Beyond the statistics that he put up, Konerko had a very important role with the Sox during his time with them. He was a leader and he helped lead them to their World Championship in 2005. His leadership value during that time cannot be diminished. He is also the last captain of the White Sox.

Konerko he won’t be remembered for his stolen bases as he only had nine over the span of his career but there are plenty of other things that Paulie did during his time in Chicago. He was one of their best players and will always be remembered by White Sox fans.