2006.05.01 Chicago Tribune
BY MARK GONZALES
Chicago Tribune
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Detroit Tigers' quick start presents a familiar look to White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko.
"The worst thing you can do is call them a fluke," Konerko said Sunday before the Sox headed to ComericaPark to start a three-game series against the 5-1 Tigers. "That's what people were calling us a year ago. They have the talent to win." . . .
"They can hit, and I think (one of the) two big keys was bringing in Jim Leyland,' Konerko said. "That's big. He's a guy who has been a great manager, gone deep in the playoffs. He's well respected and he knows what it takes to run a team right."
Konerko also praised new hitting coach Don Slaught for the Tigers' offense that produced a .308 batting average and 17 home runs in their first six games. Konerko said Slaught, who played for Leyland in Pittsburgh, once ran a hitting facility in California and talked to him about hitting philosophies.
"He's very knowledgeable," Konerko said. "Put that together with all the talent they have."