The Chicago White Sox have jumped to the lead of the AL Central despite several offensive players struggling, chief among them first baseman Paul Konerko.
The season got worse on Sunday for Konerko, who suffered a strain of his intercostal muscles during batting practice and didn't play in Sunday's game. The team is expected to decide before Tuesday night's game against the Pirates whether to put Konerko on the disabled list.
If there's a bright spot to this, it's that it's an intercostal muscle strain rather than an oblique, as Konerko first suggested. An oblique strain might have pointed to a need for several weeks of rest, whereas the intercostal muscle injury could mean as little as a few days.
Still, it will be up to Konerko to tell when and if he can return to play, his decision based on how much pain he must endure. Konerko is currently batting .215 with just eight homers and 30 RBI. If he does go to the DL, Nick Swisher would probably take over first baseman duties (as opposed to Jim Thome). That would open up a potential spot in the outfield.
The most likely player to fill that spot would seem to be Jerry Owens, currently in Triple-A. Owens was thought to have the center field job won in the spring, but he suffered a groin strain that set him back a few months. Which turned out to be good news for the White Sox, as Carlos Quentin was given an outfield job in Owens' spot and has blossomed.
Owens wouldn't replace Konerko's power in the least, but he would allow the team to run. Owens in the leadoff spot would move Orlando Cabrera to a better-suited second spot in the batting order.
The Sox have only 24 stolen bases compared to 68 for their opponents. Owens is hitting .259 with 17 stolen bases in 27 attempts at Charlotte.
Bet on the White Sox at WagerWeb.com
No comments:
Post a Comment