Ventura sees Konerko rounding into form

ANAHEIM -- When White Sox manager Robin Ventura watched Paul Konerko struggle through the early part of this season, he never once thought age suddenly had caught up with the talented and accomplished 37-year-old.

"There's not an alarm that goes off from just watching him swing," Ventura said. "Part of it comes from there is a certain, I don't even know if it's a standard, he knows what he should kind of be doing hitting-wise. You get angry with yourself when you go through that and you want to do more."

Konerko knocked out three hits in Saturday's loss, raising his average to .231. After getting the first two days off in the Twins series to open this seven-game road trip, Konerko is showing signs of "getting his swing where he wants it," according to Ventura.

"Some of the at-bats he was having, the ball's coming off the bat a little different," Ventura said. "He's getting it through the zone.

"I don't want to put it out that he has to hit homers, just hit it hard. He has the ability to hit it out of the ballpark but I don't want it to be an all-or-nothing thing that he has got to start forcing himself to do. Be a tough out or at-bat and the rest will take care of itself."