Thome's presence a bonus for Konerko

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
CHICAGO -- Consider these Paul Konerko numbers:
April 2005: .218 average, 17 RBI;
Eleven games of April 2006: .356, 12 RBI.
What's the difference?
Jim Thome?
"He means a lot to the lineup," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said Saturday after Konerko hit a pair of homers in a 4-2 victory over Toronto.
"The reason I bat [Thome] third is because I know he gets on base a lot. Paulie can get to bat [in the first inning] with two outs."
So it was in the first inning Saturday when Thome walked and Konerko picked up two RBIs with a massive homer to left field.
"[Thome] walks 100 times a year usually," Konerko said.
"His on-base percentage is really high. Having him [hit] in front of me [creates] just as much action as hitting behind me. When you get that at-bat in first inning with a guy on, you have a chance to do something.
Dangerous hitter
"He is such a presence, even when he makes outs, he has a long at-bat. You can tell a lot of focus is going into him in [the opposing] dugout. Which is the way it should be. He's the most dangerous hitter right now in the game. I just come up behind him and try to be ready in case they slip up and throw a fastball over the plate."
Konerko is getting plenty of RBI opportunities, because even though Thome is hitless the last two games, he has been on base.
He has scored a run in each of the Sox's 11 games and his .520 on-base percentage is the highest on the team.
Thome, who doesn't talk much about himself, downplayed his fast start.
"As a player, you don't think about it that much," he said.