As we all know the White Sox love to hold on to their big names for at least a decade. They then like to take that big name and make him the face of the club house, even when five years later his numbers are fading.
Our first Mr. Franchise was Frank "Big Hurt" Thomas. I remember idolizing him as a four year old, never leaving my seat when he was up to bat. I also remember being at the Cell ten years later when he homered for the 500th time.
However, after 14 seasons with the White Sox and in the bit of a slump (for about four years) the Sox finally decided to trade their Mr. Franchise away to the A's.
This year I almost cried when he got the Lifetime Achievement Award from Comcast SportsNet's March of the Dimes awards. But I didn't when I realized that somewhere between The Big Hurt's key years, a second Mr. Franchise was born, Mr. Paul Konerko.
Pauly came to us in 1999, when he gave us a great season hitting .294. Pauly continued to give us great seasons from 1999 to 2006 (with the exception of '03) and officially adopted the Mr. Franchise job when Frank the Tank was given the boot after the 2004 season.
If you look at Pauly's last 3 seasons, it's anything but impressive for someone who's the face of a franchise. Pauly went .259 in 2007, .240 in 2008, and a decent .277 last season.
The 6-4-3 double play has been Nick-named the Konerko special, due to his ability to ground into more double plays than any two players.
Pauly has also only stolen 8 bases in thirteen seasons...
Given these last few points one would wonder if there is still room for Pauly on a re-developing young team like the White Sox, but then we remember the rule of Mr. Franchise. Once a player has given us 10 seasons, we can't let go.
I have also learned through my minor connections to the sports broadcasting world in Chicago that the media loves Paul Konerko because he will always talk to them and that he's the leader in the club house.
Which brings me to my next point. Is Mark Buerhle co-Mr. Franchise with Paul Konerko? Some would argue yes, he's been here for 9 seasons and lead us to a World Series victory, started an All-Star Game, and gave us both a perfect game and a no hitter.
But there's one problem with Buerhle. He's not a clubhouse guy. He doesn't like media attention and we all know he wishes he were pitching for the Cards.
So is he or is he not a Mr. Franchise? You be the judge.
My prediction is that Gordan Beckham is the next Mr. Franchise.
Many trade rumors of Beckham being traded for Adrian Gonzalez have been floating around us. Some say do it. The Sox need left handed hitting, but is it worth the trade?
I say no. I see great potential in Beckham. He came close to winning Rookie of the Year and he has quickly become a fan favorite. You couldn't go an inning without seeing a sign stating "Marry me Beckham".
Most importantly, he works hard and he comes ready to play every day.
Look at the solid effort he gave the Sox last season. He was taken out of his normal position of short stop, where he played his entire college career, and moved to third base. He was no golden-glove nominee, but he gave us a solid performance there and we could count on him every game.
He may not be a club house leader, yet, because of his young age of 23. Give him a few more years and he will be the face of the White Sox.
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