Guillen giving slumping Rios a break
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen put one of his slumping hitters on the bench Sunday.
No, it wasn’t Adam Dunn.
Mired in a 6-for-40 slump and batting .199 overall, Alex Rios took a seat. And he’s likely to stay in the dugout until Wednesday at the earliest.
“I think Rios mentally is very frustrated,” Guillen said. “I’m going to give him a couple days break to hopefully recover.”
Rios is batting just .180 against right-handers. The Sox have to deal with two tough rightys Monday and Tuesday — Seattle’s Michael Pineda (6-2, 2.30 ERA) and Felix Hernandez (6-4, 3.04) — so don’t expect to see Rios.
Konerko returns:After missing two games with a sore left wrist, Paul Konerko was back in the lineup Sunday and looked good while hitting 2 doubles and driving in a run in 4 at-bats.The White Sox#146; captain admitted the wrist is 70 or 80 percent and he swung only when necessary.#147;I got through,#148; Konerko said. #147;The best it felt all day was when I tested it early in the day. The hard part is just keeping it loose all day. It was hot and cold and every time it got a little warmer it backed off.#147;It#146;s going to be like that probably the next few days and hopefully it gets a little easier every day.#148;Teahen activated:The White Sox activated Mark Teahen from the disabled list Sunday and designated pitcher Jeff Marquez for assignment. Out since May 13 with a strained right oblique, Teahen played in eight rehab games with Class AAA Charlotte and batted .194.#147;I kind of worked my way through it, but now I#146;ve played eight days in a row or whatever it was and it#146;s held up good and got looser as I went, so it#146;s good,#148; Teahen said. #147;I#146;m ready to go, whatever percentage that is.#148;Marquez was called up from Charlotte on May 30 and didn#146;t make a relief appearance for the Sox.Feeling a draft:Not only did Adam Dunn cost the White Sox a lot of money ($56 million over four years), he also cost them a first-round draft pick.When major-league baseball#146;s annual amateur draft begins Monday, the Sox have the No. 47 overall pick since their top choice went to the Washington Nationals.That is Dunn#146;s old team, and they get the White Sox#146; first pick as compensation for signing the free-agent designated hitter/first baseman.One player to keep an eye on is outfielder Charlie Tilson. If the New Trier High School standout still is on the board at No. 47, the Sox might be interested.New role for Paul:Former White Sox (and Cubs) catcher Josh Paul, a Buffalo Grove High School product, was at U.S. Cellular Field over the weekend.After managing the Yankees#146; Class A Staten Island farm club the past two years, Paul is serving as an advance scout for New York.#147;It#146;s a great experience and I#146;m learning a lot,#148; he said. #147;I eventually want to get back to managing, and I think scouting is only going to make me better.#148;