Konerko goes 0-for-3 in return to White Sox lineup
It was just his second game with the White Sox since June 25, and Paul Konerko was happy to be back Monday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
The Sox’ captain sat out June 25-30 with a sore lower back, and after he played on July 2 against the Baltimore Orioles he still felt pain and landed on the disabled list.
After playing three rehab games with Class AA Birmingham, Konerko was the White Sox’ designated hitter Monday against the Detroit Tigers. He was 0-for-3.
“I feel good,” Konerko said. “I played three games down at Double-A, it responded well and then bounced back each day well.”
At 37, Konerko has played in only 69 of the Sox’ 96 games this season. Add in a back problem, and there appears to be a chance this will be Konerko’s last season in the major leagues.
“I’ll weigh all that stuff when the time comes,” he said. “It feels good now. Obviously, if it’s something where you can’t go, you can’t go. I had a back issue in 2006 that felt a lot similar to this one when it first happened.
“I thought that was going to be an issue for a long time and I got a couple shots in it and it kind of never bothered me again.
“You never know how these things can work out. We’ll just play it by ear and I’m just worrying about tonight, really. I just want to get out there and get back in there.”
Slow hand:Earlier in the season. Gordon Beckham missed nearly two months after fracturing the hamate bone in his left hand.Now, the White Sox#146; second baseman might be looking at a return trip to the disabled list with a ligament strain in the same hand.Beckham said he suffered the latest injury swinging a weighted bat before Friday#146;s game against Atlanta. He played that night and again Saturday but has sat out the last two games.#147;I don#146;t want to go on the DL, but we just have to let it play out,#148; Beckham said. #147;The doctor said it could be a week, it could be more, it could be less. We don#146;t really know.#147;We just have to see how it responds to not doing anything and hope it#146;s not as bad as it could be.#148;Peavy update:Cubs right-hander Matt Garza was traded Monday to the Texas Rangers, so White Sox righty Jake Peavy appears to be the most attractive starting pitcher still on the market in advance of the July 31 nonwaiver deadline.#147;I#146;m not going to be caught off guard,#148; Peavy said. #147;I understand there#146;s a possibility of me being moved.#147;So you prepare yourself in life that could happen. But at the same time I have to get ready to pitch against the Detroit Tigers.#148;In what could be his last start with the Sox, Peavy (7-4, 4.19 ERA) will oppose Detroit#146;s Justin Verlander on Thursday afternoon.#147;Obviously, I hear stuff in passing,#148; Peavy said. #147;Everybody today, with social media and you get updates from your phone from Sports Center and your name is in them, obviously you are going to see that.#147;But at the end of the day I don#146;t worry about it. It#146;s not something that consumes any bit of my thought process at all.#148;