Slumping Beckham gets vote of confidence

While White Sox general manager Kenny Williams is preparing to dump players - most likely A.J. Pierzynski, Bobby Jenks, J.J. Putz and possibly Paul Konerko and Mark Buehrle - Gordon Beckham isn't likely to be demoted to Class AAA Charlotte.

The struggling second baseman entered Wednesday night's game batting .171 with 24 strikeouts in his last 30 games, and Beckham's double against the Tigers in the fourth inning was his first extra-base hit since April 29.

"I spoke to him and just asked him to do one thing for me and that's just to go back to being Gordon Beckham," Williams said. "Go back to his setup of last year. Free his hands up, take his hacks and don't worry about contact as much as just putting a good swing and driving the ball.

"He's looked a lot better more recently. He looks more like himself but he'll have to work his issues out here at least in the near future. As long as he keeps his confidence up and doesn't start dragging his head then we'll keep confidence in him."

Manager Ozzie Guillen also gave Beckham a vote of confidence.

"I see a lot of good players get sent down and come back better, but it's going to be a tough call," Guillen said. "It's not my call. I think he plays hard, plays good; he's just had bad at-bats. In the meanwhile, if he was the only guy that had bad at-bats then you have a little more power to say, 'OK, we're going to send you down.'

"But we have a few guys that aren't swinging the bat well, so I don't see the reason why he should pay the price."

Draft recap: The White Sox selected 51 players in the first-year player draft that wrapped up Wednesday.

Thirty-six were from the college ranks and 15 from high school. By position, the Sox drafted 27 pitchers, eight outfielders, 13 infielders and three catchers.

"Ask me in a few years," Kenny Williams said when asked about the White Sox' draft. "It's not an exact science, so ask me in a few years."

Shot for Lillibridge? Brent Lillibridge hasn't started a game since coming up from Class AAA Charlotte on June 1 to replace injured third baseman Mark Teahen.

That could change when the Sox travel to Wrigley Field on Friday to play the Cubs.

Omar Vizquel has to return to Venezuela for a family matter and he is expected to miss the first two games of the series.

"We might have a chance to play (Lillibridge) then and see what we can get," manager Ozzie Guillen said.