Konerko Derby

Things are heating up now as they head for the home stretch in the Paulie race. The Baltimore Orioles' offer of five-years, $65 million has been shot down, and LA and Arizona appear to have backed out all together. This makes things interesting in several respects:

1) The initial White Sox offer was four years, $52 million; sources have said the Sox will attempt to match any higher offers.

2) The one higher offer still in play at this point appears to be coming from the Disneyland Angels, who are only a 1-hour flight from Konerko's home in Scottsdale, Arizona. Angels manager Mike Scioscia and hitting coach Mickey Hatcher both know Paulie back from their days in the Dodgers farm system.

3) Kenny Williams has marked December 8, one week from tomorrow and the final day of the winter GM meetings, as D-Day.

Stay tuned. The Hot Stove is about to reach boiling point...