Konerko would prefer not to change his Sox

CHICAGO -- As you watch the Red Sox-White Sox Division Series, be careful not to get too caught up thinking about how good Paul Konerko would look playing first base and swinging his impressive bat in the middle of the Boston lineup next season.

Konerko might be the best hitter in the upcoming free agent market, and will be high on the list of teams looking for a power-hitting first baseman. Count the Red Sox among those teams. And while Konerko spent his first 11 years in Cumberland, R.I., he feels no great affection or bond to the Red Sox.

He didn't grow up idolizing Jim Rice, Wade Boggs, or Dwight Evans. Most of his family rooted for the Yankees, and then they moved to Arizona.

He told the Globe earlier this year he'd prefer the White Sox or the West Coast. He's likely to get interest from the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, and Orioles, among others. After all, what team wouldn't desire a player coming off back-to-back 40-homer, 100-RBI seasons, and who doesn't turn 30 until March 5?

He's in the final year of a three-year, $23 million deal, which included $8.75 million this year. He'll likely command $10 million to 12 million per year on the open market, about half as much as Manny Ramirez is due next year.

Konerko, too, has become the White Sox' leader. He'd be the guy wearing the ''C" on his jersey if the franchise didn't have so much respect for the injured Frank Thomas. There appears to be more concern among White Sox fans about whether the team will lock up Konerko than there is about the team picking up Thomas's $10 million option. The team can buy out the Big Hurt for $3.5 million and could also part ways with Carl Everett, freeing up enough money to make a run at Konerko.

''He's definitely a leader on this team," said White Sox center fielder Aaron Rowand of Konerko. ''He's been here, probably outside of Frank, the longest on this team. He knows this organization and most of us have played together for quite some time. Everybody looks up to Paul as a leader and team captain, whatever you want to call him."

The White Sox and Konerko seem to have a destiny thing going. Konerko told the Chicago Tribune this week that the final four digits of his family's Rhode Island phone number was 1917, the year the White Sox last won the World Series.

And Konerko is the barometer in the Chicago clubhouse. The team feeds off his energy.

''You don't see him get too excited anywhere other than the baseball field," said Rowand.

''He doesn't get excited inside or outside the clubhouse. He's definitely very even-keeled, but stay out of his way if he's had a rough game. He'll blow up a little bit."

Mr. Even-Keel brought just that attitude to the clubhouse in the hysteria following Chicago's 14-2 thumping of the Red Sox in Game 1.

''We don't have the kind of team that can score 14 runs in a month," kidded Konerko, who homered Tuesday to break an 0-for-9 playoff drought, then went 1 for 4 in last night's Game 2. ''It takes everyone to do what we did. The original plan was to just play our game. This is not our game. We're used to winning, 2-1 or 1-0."

Konerko wasn't trying to bring anyone down. The White Sox are the feel-good story in Chicago. They have trumped the Chicago Cubs. Owner Jerry Reinsdorf feels the White Sox are beginning to gain ground as a popular sports option in Chicago. Even Michael Jordan was at the game showing his support as a former farmhand in the White Sox organization, where he was managed by Terry Francona at Double A Birmingham in 1994.

Konerko has seen a lot of disappointments in Chicago in his years here. And if he plays it a little bit conservatively, you'll have to excuse him.

''Remember," he said of the Red Sox, ''they're the defending World Series champions with great hitters. Who can forget the ALCS last year when they came back from a 3-0 deficit and won the next four against the Yankees?

''That's the kind of team we're facing over there. We have to keep that in mind and never lose sight of that. Never let up.

''We can't think we've accomplished anything until we've won more games than they have and the series is over. It's nice to win a game and win it the way we did. But now it's time to move on to the next one and we have to leave this one behind."

The Patriots would love this guy.

The Red Sox would, too.

''Everybody's focusing on 14 runs," he said after Tuesday night's win. ''I'm focusing on the two runs allowed. That's the story of the day."

Don't bet the house he'll be changing Sox next year. His Sox are white, and he'd prefer not to change colors.

''Right now, with Frank being out, he's probably the face of this organization," Rowand said. ''He does a good job with it and brings guys along for the ride."