Paul Konerko Quotations

We're happy we don't have to see him a lot. In the last five years, when he's been healthy, he's been doing the job. It's not a lack of skills. It's just a matter of that injury. If he gets healthy, he's going to do some damage.

Since halfway through last year this guy has probably been the best pitcher in the major leagues. I don't think anyone's been better. I'm just glad I don't have to face him. He's nasty. On a cold night, you give him some runs to work with and he's going to be tough.

On paper, it looks really good. But we still have to win our division, and then take out chances in the playoffs. If there's one thing I like, it's the pitching staff. I think that was the key for us last season. We have the potential to score more runs this year, especially with a proven guy like Jim (Thome) in the lineup. But with our pitching, they're not going to need a lot of help on most nights.

I don't know about wearing the 'C' thing and everything. It's a difference -- a difference in the uniform. And I don't know if I agree with that. So we'll have to sit down and talk about it because it is singling out one person on our team. I don't want to offend anybody, but I think this team operates best when everybody is uniformed the same way.

I don't think it's a bad thing that he's getting a fresh start with a different team. It boils down to the White Sox have to do the best for their team. Every player that plays this game, eventually you're going to have your number called and have to leave. It's the business. I see it from both sides.

When he's healthy, even this last year, he was doing damage on one leg. We wish him well and we're happy he's not in our division, so we don't have to see him a lot. Because in the last five years, when he's healthy, he has been doing the job. It has nothing to do with lack of skills or anything. It was just a matter of that injury. So if he's healthy, he is going to do some damage.

He's a fiery, mean type of guy, ... but in a good way. He's an in-your-face type of guy that keeps you on your toes. He's so competitive, and takes it to a different level.

He's got nasty stuff, that guy. He threw it exactly where I was looking.

Really, you can split that thing five ways. Those guys were unbelievable.

We've kind of turned it around a little bit. We know it's in the driver's seat, and it's there for the taking as long as we just do our job. We don't have to really look at the scoreboard, but it's always nice if you get some help. But we know we can do it on our own, as well.

We were just beaten in every aspect of the game. We were just pounded.

We busted out. We knocked them out. It's finally good to have a game like that where you could breathe the last couple of innings.

You have to resist the urge to think that way. It's hard to do, block that stuff out, but it's something we have to do.

At this point of season in 2000, we had so many pitchers who were injured, so we had so many question marks going into the postseason, ... This year we've been lucky and haven't had too many injuries. Our pitching has been there all year. We have no reason to believe it won't be come playoff time. We do feel good about our pitching.

There's no question we're a better team, I think, having gone through all the struggles.

They tied the game up in the ninth, which wasn't due to anything Bobby did bad. They hit some good pitches. It's like playing ourselves out there. They have a lot of heart, they don't go away.

That's been the pattern all year, ... No matter how many runs we have, whether it's one or eight or nine, we never have a run we didn't need. At this point of the season, it doesn't matter how we won, it just matters we did it.

I'm going to have a good view from the on-deck circle.

I knew we'd eventually bust out. You just never know when it's going to happen. We were taking good swings before that, there was good energy on the bench. We just stayed aggressive and kept swinging.

I'll tell you what, the last three weeks, the reverse of that was happening. There's been a lot of that the last couple weeks. Any time you say up, it was down.

I just hope it doesn't change either of their luck or our luck, because we were playing OK. You don't want to screw around with the baseball gods.

I don't know if any team ever overcame so much baggage and so much bad stuff and also with their main rival winning so much in the meantime. What those guys did last year, without question in my mind, is the best story, got to be one of the best teams ever to overcome all the stuff they had to overcome,

I didn't think it would be that quick, or on a homer by him.

Garland, we just hopped on his back tonight and just rode him.

I don't see it being a problem, ... Hopefully we play well over the weekend and take that to Houston. Because I wouldn't rule out both my wife and son going to Houston.

All five of our starters have been aces throughout the course of the season. I don't know how many teams can say that. Garland, we just hopped on his back tonight and just rode him.

The energy was good today early. I knew we'd be in the game. I hope guys realize that we can't wait for good things to happen and then have energy. You've got to come with it first, and then good things follow.

Whether he gets hit early or in the middle or late, he gets in his seven innings it seems like every time. There are also great defensive plays made behind him and it's not a coincidence. Guys are in the game. He works quick.

Anytime you put a baseball player in a suit and take him out of his element its uncomfortable.

If the guy that writes you checks says cut your hair, off to the barber shop you go. That's that.

You get what you earn.

You have to know what you're doing and where you're going. For some guys, the answer is just keep doing what you're doing. For other guys, that might not be the case. It just depends on what kind you are.

We know next year was suppose to be our year, but we didn't feel like waiting when we think we can win now.