Garcia wants to be back in 2010

White Sox general manager Kenny Williams has some difficult decisions to make this off-season, namely with the bullpen and determining what to do with outfielders Jermaine Dye, Scott Podsednik and Carlos Quentin.

When it comes to starting pitcher Freddy Garcia, it's safe to assume a decision has already been made.

"This is where I want to be," Garcia said Monday. "It's been good for me here. I'd like to come back. I like it here, and they know me, so that makes it easier.

I want to be happy."

When he signed a minor-league contract with the Sox on June 8 after being released by the New York Mets, Garcia also agreed to a 2010 club option for $1 million with another $2 million in performance bonuses.

Looking more and more like he's fully recovered from 2007 shoulder surgery, Garcia delivered his sixth straight quality start Sunday in a 2-1 loss to the Royals.

In 7 starts for the White Sox this season, the 32-year-old Garcia is 2-3 with a 4.01 ERA.

"I'm feeling good," said Garcia, who also pitched for the Sox in 2004-06. "I think next year I'll be even better. My arm is getting stronger, and so is my shoulder."

If he does return next year, Garcia figures to be the White Sox' fifth starter behind Jake Peavy, Mark Buehrle, John Danks and Gavin Floyd.

That might be considered a slap for a pitcher with a career 120-80 record, but Garcia doesn't see it that way.

"That would be fine," Garcia said. "You pitch every five days no matter what. And I've been the ace before, you know? After the first start of the season, it doesn't mean anything. You've got to pitch every five days."

Slowing down: Gordon Beckham is still a Rookie of the Year candidate, but the 23-year-old third baseman is no longer the favorite thanks to the 20-for-110 (.182) slide he took into Monday's game against the Twins.

The slump dropped Beckham's average from .306 to .266, and it looks like the grind of playing in the major leagues has caught up to Beckham.

"He's fine," said manager Ozzie Guillen. "He never played this long. A lot of people can say, 'Well, he played all year in college, all year in the minor leagues.' Well, when you play in the big leagues, everything is maxed out. You've got to be tough mentally, you've got to be tough physically. It's a competition day in and day out.

"The big leagues is a grind. He's handled it really well, but right now he's not swinging the bat the way he'd like to."

More surgery for Crede: Twins third baseman Joe Crede is out for the season with more back trouble, and he'll have surgery for the third time in three years.

The first two surgeries came when Crede was playing for the White Sox.

"That's a shame," said Ozzie Guillen, who talked with Crede Monday. "You feel for the guy. I think Joe, he will overcome this one because he's overcome a lot of problems. But it's no fun. He's a great guy, a great player."