advertisement

Konerko on track to be back in Sox lineup this week

Paul Konerko is getting closer to coming back. He's also getting closer to walking away.

Let's start with the first part.

The White Sox' 38-year-old captain has been sidelined since fracturing his left hand during a Sept. 2 game at Minnesota.

Konerko picked up a bat Saturday and took some swings for the first time since injuring the hand. A day later, he said the pain was tolerable.

"I definitely could feel it in there," Konerko said. "It's a little sore today but it's soreness that I know. It's not that I went backward. It was expected. So I think now, for me, I have no worries that I'm going to get back out there this week."

The Sox hit the road for three games at Kansas City, three at Tampa Bay and three at Detroit before returning home on Sept. 25 for four games against the Royals to close out the season.

After the Sept. 28 finale, Konerko is retiring.

He'll play again before calling it a career, likely on the road trip.

After three games at K.C., the White Sox are off Thursday before playing at Tampa Bay over the weekend. Barring any setbacks, Konerko should return against the Rays.

"I'd like to be available in Kansas City," he said. "But I also know I haven't seen a pitch or taken a groundball or even taken (batting practice) or anything. Even if I know this is 100 percent today, I need to have a little bit of work for a day or two, even just to try to get my bearings, maybe stand in on some bullpens.

"I'd like to try to get an at-bat at least before the off day, but I know if that doesn't happen I feel like I'll be back right after it."

Konerko should be able to shake off much of the rust before playing his final homestand at U.S. Cellular Field.

"You're definitely aware of what's going on," Konerko said. "You're not going to be able to stop the clock. It's going to move. It's going to get here. I'm trying to find that balance between … this time of year, everybody in here, you're kind of leaning toward, 'Let's get this over with.' It's human to have those thoughts. There's some of that but you also know, 'Not so fast, this is kind of the last time.'

"This has been great, as far as the team and all things this year. It's been great, the way people have treated me and that kind of stuff. So I want to make sure that I genuinely am present mentally for all this stuff. It'd be easy to say I just want to get to the other side of this and I wish it was three months from now to where it's really behind you and in the rearview mirror, or six months from now.

"I've said it all year, this is the first time and last time I'll ever do this, so I don't know what to expect on all that stuff, I don't know where my thoughts will be, what it will look like, any of that stuff. I'm just blowing in the wind here."

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.