Crede doesn't want to pull plug

CLEVELAND - Is Joe Crede done for the season?

After leaving Tuesday night's game against the Indians in the sixth inning with more back discomfort, Crede's availability for the rest of the year is undoubtedly up in the air.

On Wednesday, manager Ozzie Guillen said the White Sox should have a better handle on Crede's condition by Friday.

"Hopefully the day off will help," Guillen said of Thursday's break in the schedule. "If Joe can go out and perform, there's no doubt he's going to be my third baseman a lot. But I'm not going to put him in one day, then all of a sudden he's in the lineup and out of the lineup. They have to understand my point as a manager that we're in the pennant race. To keep those guys ready every day, we have to count on them."

Crede had back surgery last June, and he was on the disabled list from July 25-Aug. 24 this season with back soreness.

The 30-year-old third baseman is planning on returning to the lineup this year.

"That's never really crossed my mind," Crede said when asked if he's going to pull the plug on the rest of the season. "We're in the heat of a pennant race here and, as a player, you want to try to help your team anyway you can. Just take a step back here and take things day to day. Having this injury before, I kind of know when to take a step back and know when I can play through it."

Since coming off the DL, Crede has not looked 100 percent while going 4-for-23.

"When you take yourself out of the game with the same problem you've had, I have to go to Plan B," Guillen said. "That's my job. I know, I know for a fact something was wrong with him the last couple of days because of the way he was moving, the way he was swinging the bat.

"I've (managed) Joe for a long time. You can see him taking groundballs and know he was in pain. At least he was honest with me and he told me his back was tight."