Williams Considered Konerko For Managing Position
(CBS) There's no doubt Paul Konerko is vital to the success of the White Sox. But just how important is he?
So much so that general manager Kenny Williams admitted he had considered hiring Konerko as a player-manager to fill Ozzie Guillen's shoes.
"That report is not false," Williams said Tuesday after Ventura was formally announced.
"It was considered long enough for me to realize that Paul is a very cerebral person and he would probably drive himself nuts right now playing and managing at the same time," Williams said. "But that's the kind of respect I have for him that. I did consider it. Then I thought I think I would rather him be focused more on hitting third or fourth in the lineup and driving in 100 runs rather than trying to worry about 25 other guys in addition to it. We are trying to win."
Though the job ultimately went to Robin Ventura, Williams said he could see Konerko managing after his playing career.
"Why do I believe that?" Williams said. "Because I spent the last 11 years talking to him about baseball. And when you talk about that in that fashion and does it fit in our equation, we have a situation here where it's a unique situation where there is scrutiny, there is the microscope, and a person has to be able to deal with some of the peripheral things so that he can also maintain himself as a strong individual to lead 25 guys.
