The last White Sox player to win the American League home run title was Dick Allen, who hit 37 in 1972.
First baseman Paul Konerko is tied with Boston’s Manny Ramirez for second place with 28 homers apiece. The Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez took over the league lead by hitting his 29th in the bottom of the 11th to beat Oakland on Wednesday night.
Konerko was rather startled to learn the Sox have not had a home run leader in his lifetime.
“I was born in 1976,” he said.
Konerko also said he’s uncomfortable talking about individual goals. But hitting coach Greg Walker talks up Konerko as a prime example of a player who has worked long and hard on a swing that seemed to betray him last season when he slipped from .304 and 27 homers in 2002 to .234 with 18 homers.
“Even though he scuffled, Paulie worked last year, and then he worked really hard this winter,” Walker said. “He knows his swing so well now. We call it `cleaning it up.’ His swing is a lot more efficient now, a lot more efficient than it was at the beginning of last year.”
Sox manager Ozzie Guillen attributes Konerko’s turnaround to the power of positive thinking.
“Everybody knows he has the tools, but when you get into thinking negative things … I think last year that happened a lot,” Guillen said.
“Greg Walker talked to him about not thinking negative and just taking one day at a time. It’s working for him.”
Konerko hit his 28th home run Tuesday night, blasting the sixth grand slam of his career.
“Paul has always had power,” Walker said. “With a more efficient swing, he’s going to hit more home runs. If he ends up winning the home run crown, great. I’m not saying he can’t, but it’s not his focus and it shouldn’t be.
“One advantage he does have is that he’s in a pennant race and every at-bat means something. He’s bearing down on every at-bat, not giving any away. He has a great work ethic, and he’s having a great year for us.”
Konerko has a .557 slugging percentage and 74 RBIs after Wednesday night’s game. He already has surpassed last year’s home run and RBI totals.
“That’s something Paul can carry with him his whole career, the fact that he made a comeback from last year,” Walker said. “This game humbles everybody. If you play it long enough, it will get you.”
