Williams sets deadline for Konerko

[Providence A's]

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune....ck=1&cset=true

On the day Jim Thome officially was welcomed to the White Sox and Aaron Rowand made his first appearance in Philadelphia, a warning went to Paul Konerko.

"One way or another, we need closure by the [end of the] winter meetings," Sox general manager Ken Williams said in reference to Dec. 8.

So, has he set a deadline of sorts to know whether his most valuable free agent is coming back?

"Don't I have to?" he asked.

Williams, in a conference call with Chicago media Friday, said he "will remain positive and optimistic" about re-signing Konerko, but "not so much I won't pursue other avenues [for trades] if he's not coming back."

Williams also said Konerko should not have been surprised by the acquisition of Thome, who could bat cleanup behind Konerko.

"I told Paulie before we left Chicago not only what I wanted to do but who it was," Williams said. "So this did not come as a shock to him."

It did not come as a shock to Thome or new Philadelphia GM Pat Gillick either. Williams pushed for this trade and Gillick was basically stuck with it because Thome had a no-trade clause in his contract. Gillick ended up paying $22 million of the $46 million owed Thome for Rowand and minor-league pitchers Gio Gonzalez and Daniel Haigwood.

"Jim had a complete no-trade," Gillick said. "In the end we were only dealing with two clubs. Really three, but the Cubs had a first baseman (Derrek Lee), so in reality it was only two (the Sox and Cleveland)."

[Saber]

I love artificial contraints used to create leverage.

[Providence A's]

well, they got the deal done.