Before he headed for his off-season home in Scottsdale, Ariz., after the White Sox won the World Series, Paul Konerko had a final chat with general manager Kenny Williams. ?I told Paulie we were going to go out and get him some protection,?? Williams said. ?I told him we were going to add a big bat.?? While the trade that brings Phillies slugger Jim Thome to the Sox in exchange for center fielder Aaron Rowand and two minor-league pitchers is not yet official ? Thome and Rowand must pass physicals and the commissioner?s office has to approve Philadelphia?s agreement to pick up $22 million of the $43.5 million the 35-year-old slugger is due over the next three seasons ? Thome certainly offers proven protection. Equally important, Thome just might help the White Sox retain Konerko, the most attractive free agent on the market. Konerko often has talked about his admiration for Thome, who used to play for the rival Cleveland Indians before moving to Philadelphia in 2003. Thome feels the same way about Konerko, and he already has offered to fly to Arizona to personally push for Konerko to return to the Sox.