More patient Beckham delivers with 2-RBI double
MILWAUKEE - Those voices Gordon Beckham's been hearing in his head? They were his own.
"I tell myself every day: 'This is the day it's going to start,' " Beckham said before the White Sox beat the Brewers on Saturday at Miller Park. "Until it does, I'm still going to be a little frustrated. But it's going to happen sooner or later."
A little over two hours later, it did happen for the high-profile rookie third baseman.
Finally taking a patient approach in his first at-bat against Milwaukee starter Manny Parra on Saturday, Beckham blooped a 2-run double to center field on a 3-2 pitch.
Those were his first major-league RBI, and Beckham (1-for-3, walk) is sure many more are to come.
"Look, no disrespect to the pitchers," said Beckham, who flied out to deep center field in his final at-bat. "They're getting me out and I'm not looking great up there. The stuff does not overmatch me. A lot of it is me getting myself out, and that's not good.
"I haven't felt overmatched. I'm still energized. I think I'm still over-energized, honestly. I get to the plate and in the back of my head I'm thinking, 'I haven't gotten many hits, get a hit.' Then the first pitch I see I'm going after it. I need to go up there and relax."
Entering the game with just 2 hits in 28 at-bats (.071) since being called up from Class AAA Charlotte on June 4, Beckham admitted to being a little down.
"It's frustrating for me because I don't feel like I'm helping this team much," Beckham said. "I'm an aggressive hitter, I want to hit, but right now it's me being aggressive and me not waiting for a good pitch. If I could just go up there and relax, get in the box and remind myself that I know how to do this, I'll get back to where I want to be."
Big return: After missing two games with a sore right thumb, Paul Konerko returned to the lineup Saturday and went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI.
Both of Konerko's hits came in the White Sox' 6-run second inning. He led off with a single and added a 2-run single.
"Just his presence in the lineup makes the lineup better," said manager Ozzie Guillen. "It gives me a deeper bench, also. Paulie wanted to be in the lineup (more) than anyone. I never thought he would be in the lineup today. I wasn't planning to have him in the lineup. That makes me feel a little better."