Konerko ready for final turn at Wrigley

CLEVELAND -- Monday and Tuesday night games on the North Side of Chicago will hold a little extra meaning for White Sox captain Paul Konerko, aside from another final visit to an away ballpark. This ballpark just happens to be Wrigley Field, playing against the Cubs.

"Definitely it will hold a little more weight to me," Konerko said. "I just went to Texas for the last time and Colorado. You recognize that: I've been going to Texas every single year. Texas is a cool place. I like some things about Texas.

"But yeah, Wrigley will be more of a thing, you know, because it's in Chicago, it's Wrigley Field and it's a historic place, and I've had a lot of good games and because of this Interleague thing, there are a lot of memories. I'll definitely take it in a little more, that's for sure."

Konerko has played 34 games at Wrigley, with a career .311 average, seven homers and 26 RBIs. The White Sox captain, who is retiring after 16 years with the Sox following this season, has hit 20 homers and driven in 56 all-time against the Cubs.

"It is a really unique setting when you're out there playing, and there's a lot of history there and that's not lost on me," said Konerko of Wrigley. "I'm a fan of all that. I take it all in. I've been taking it all in since I've been going there, and it's a great place to hit when the wind is blowing out."