Konerko getting closer to returning to lineup

The White Sox need any kind of lift they can get right now, and they are hoping to get one Thursday night in the series finale against the Yankees.

Paul Konerko has missed the past three games with a sore left leg, but the Sox' best hitter took swings before Wednesday's game and is encouraged about his return.

“Shooting for tomorrow,” Konerko said.

Konerko was hit on the side of the left knee by a pitch from Boston's Andrew Miller on Sunday. The pain is still present, but it's gradually subsiding.

“It's just tender,” said Konerko, who leads the White Sox in batting (.305), home runs (25) and RBI (76). “It's going to be. When I get back in there, whether it be tomorrow or the next day, hopefully tomorrow, this probably won't go away for a week or two. You're going to feel it when you're in there.

“It's not going to be like it's just gone. The question is when you get over that line of you can do everything you want to do the way you want to do it with that discomfort, that's where you want to be.”

Empty seats:The combination of subpar baseball and #8220;premier#8221; ticket prices has keep fans away in droves the past six games, when the popular Red Sox and Yankees have been at U.S. Cellular Field.As an example, a bleacher seat for a #8220;regular#8221; game is $38. For the Red Sox and Yankees, bleachers are $52.Wednesday's crowd was 23,873, slightly up from 21,661 Tuesday and slightly down from 24,142 Monday.#8220;What's the reason, I don't know,#8221; manager Ozzie Guillen said. #8220;Well, we played the Yankees Monday and Tuesday. The way economy is right now ... but I'm very surprised that happened.#8221;Guillen said White Sox fans have the right to stay away considering this latest stretch of losing baseball.#8220;if they're very upset about it, they have a reason to do it,#8221; Guillen said. #8220;But I keep saying, don't give up. We're still there, and hopefully we play better for them. If they're angry and they're upset, they have all the right to be. We're not playing the way we should be playing.#8221;Still sore:Jake Peavy is still sporting a big welt on his right thigh, courtesy of a Nick Swisher line drive in Monday's start against New York.Peavy said he'll definitely make his next start, Saturday at Minnesota.#8220;It's fine,#8221; Peavy said. #8220;At first it hurt to even touch it, but (trainer) Herm (Schneider) is back in there digging into it and working it out. That hurts even more than getting hit.#8221;Daley honored:Before Wednesday's game, Mayor Richard M. Daley was honored for his 22 years of service to the city of Chicago.#8220;What can we do to honor this man?#8221; manager Ozzie Guillen said. #8220;I think Mayor Daley put Chicago back on the map. This is one of the best cities in the States, a very fun city to come to. This man did a tremendous job for the city and the (least) thing we can do is this.#8221;