Chicago White Sox: Paul Konerko Can't Return to the Lineup Fast Enough

The Chicago White Sox were three games behind Detroit July 31 when Paul Konerko stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning in the team's series finale with Boston. He left the game after being hit by Red Sox pitcher Andrew Miller.

Since then, Chicago's fortunes have taken a turn for the worse. The deficit is now 6.5 games.

The White Sox captain has only missed three games, but the Sox may have fallen out of the AL Central race by the time he comes back. Konerko is hopeful that he'll be returning to the lineup for Thursday's game with the Yankees, although he is still recovering from a bone bruise underneath his left knee.

Konerko's return can't come quickly enough for this ballclub.

Things have gotten exponentially worse for the White Sox in each game they've played without their All-Star first baseman, culminating with New York's 18-7 pounding of Chicago Wednesday night.  Not only are they missing Konerko's bat, but his absence is being felt in other areas.

Adam Dunn, as we should be used to by now, is not picking up the slack, as he left runners on base twice in the one game the White Sox had a chance to win on August 1st. His eighth inning strikeout with Carlos Quentin on base was Dunn at his most pathetic.

Two pitches, two half-swing strikes. Chased a breaking ball out of the zone for strike three. Cue the boos.

Quentin has slid into the DH spot, allowing Alejandro De Aza to play in the outfield without having to sit Alex Rios. De Aza went 4-for-4 on Wednesday and looked alive on the bases.

Konerko will be returning to a lineup that has lost five straight games and is quickly fading from playoff relevance. Will having Konerko available prompt manager Ozzie Guillen to make other changes?

Sitting Rios in favor of De Aza for a few more games would be a start. If Dunn has to remain the DH for whatever reason, could he at least move down in the lineup?

Over the last month, Dunn has batted cleanup in 18 games, five games in the third spot, and a game in the fifth spot. In those 24 games, he's hit .151 with three homers and nine RBI. Yet there he remains as a black hole in the middle of the order.

I'm not saying that Konerko's return is going to be a magical cure-all to the mediocrity we've been treated to this week. But it sure as heck can't make things much worse.