White Sox Make Adam Dunn, A.J. Pierzynski Signings Official

The White Sox officially announced their four-year deal with free agent Adam Dunn on Friday, taking the top available slugger off the free-agent market.

Dunn, 31, will get $56 million over the course of the deal -- exactly the type of money and length of contract that eluded him in 2008 before he signed with the Nationals for two years and $20 million.

"Adam Dunn has been one of the premier left-handed power hitters in baseball for the last decade," Sox general manager Kenny Williams said in a statement. "Coupled with his patience at the plate, we think he is a great fit in our lineup and in our ballpark. It's no secret that we have coveted Adam's services for quite some time, so it goes without saying how excited we are to bring him into the fold."

Williams has tried to trade for Dunn more than once in the past and clearly is happy to welcome him to the South Side.

Tom Krasovic: Dunn, White Sox Go Together Like Pizza and Beer

Dunn will bolster an already powerful lineup in Chicago, bringing a bat that has averaged 40 homers a year since 2004. He also gets on base at an impressive clip (.381 last season for Washington) and is one of the game's most durable players. Since 2004, only Ichiro Suzuki has played in more games than Dunn.

Having made their big free-agent splash, the White Sox also agreed to terms as expected with longtime catcher A.J. Pierzynski on a two-year deal, and they say they would like to keep first baseman Paul Konerko, too. Negotiations with him are expected to kick into high gear at next week's Winter Meetings.

Dunn and Pierzynski apparently are doing their part. Williams said at a press conference Friday that both players had backloaded their new deals in an effort to free up more money in the short-term to sign Konerko. Pierzynski's $8 million deal will see him paid $2 million in 2011 and $6 million in 2012.

The Adam Dunn deal signals the White Sox are serious about contending, says Steve Phillips: