Sox fans need to keep some things in mind

Paul Konerko is not having a good year. Some hometown fans have started to boo him:

Walker and Konerko heard the boos directed at the Sox first baseman Tuesday night, as Konerko left five men on base in the victory against the Texas Rangers.

Hitting coach Greg Walker is not happy:

''The one thing, the people that were booing -- they have a right to boo -- but when they walk into this ballpark and take a look at that statue [the Championship Moments Monument] out there, they better realize he's a big reason that statue is even standing and we're walking around here with rings on our hands.

''I would tell them that, if they asked me what I thought, 'You better be grateful this guy played here, and one day you will be.'''

...''The thing is that his legacy is still in front of him here,'' Walker said. ''If he comes on strong the rest of the way when it really counts ... I mean, I know his teammates have picked him up this year, but he could do the same thing for them down the stretch and make something special happen.

''I do hate to see some negative people that are totally down on him. But ultimately, the only person that can get Paul Konerko going is Paul Konerko, and he understands that, too. I always tell people that the game doesn't feel sorry for you. If you start feeling sorry for yourself, then it will just pile on.''

Walker said he talks to Konerko almost every day and continues to remind him that this season is salvageable.

''We all have to remember that Paul has produced on the biggest stage,'' Walker said. ''When people with those thundersticks in Anaheim were beating them so loudly that I couldn't hear myself think [in the 2005 ALCS], this guy goes out and hits home runs in the first inning two days in a row to absolutely take all the pressure off of his team. So he's handled it.

''This will not be the season that he looks on the back of that baseball card and says, 'Man, I was good that year.' But it might be the season that he can look back on and say, 'Hey, I didn't give into it, I fought, and we did something special that year.' That's what I'm hoping.''

I agree completely. The guy has been hurt this year, and he's out there trying. And, as Walker says, he was the best hitter on the 2005 championship team. He only deserves to be booed if he's not out there trying his best.

So what hometown players deserve to be booed? I think these are the categories:

1. Guys who are tanking it. That's easy.

2. Guys who don't belong on the team. This includes criminals and those guys who are just terrible who never belonged on a team to begin with. The second part included numerous Sox of the past, such as Royce Clayton and World Series hero Scott Podsednik (who I now will admit had his virtues as player).

3. Guys who hold out for a new contract, but this one is a little iffy.

Guys who are just overpaid don't necessarily bother me. It's only when you combine that with some of the issues above that they do, such as former Sox and Cub Jaime Navarro.