Beckham fighting through injuries to find consistency

CHICAGO -- Over the past 23 games, Gordon Beckham has just 12 hits in 86 at-bats.

That slump has dropped the second baseman's average from .313 to .267. But to be honest, Beckham really isn't concerned with individual numbers at this time of year.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't really matter what your average is when your team is this far behind," said Beckham, prior to Sunday's game against the Indians.

Whereas White Sox prospects are getting an extended September look amid the excitement of their first big league experience, this final month is a tough one to deal with for veterans with any sort of service time such as Beckham. The losses are piling up, and in the last 16 games, each setback seems to be more poorly played than the last.

Beckham's offense has been under scrutiny since the past three years didn't match his breakout rookie campaign. He found a consistent stance that he liked at the end of the 2012 season and has used it successfully in 2013.

But numerous injuries have stunted Beckham's progress.

He sustained a fractured hamate bone in his left hand in April, hurt the same wrist in a different area after the All-Star break and has been battling a right quad strain since mid-August. Manager Robin Ventura believes Beckham can and will be a solid No. 2 hitter, but the injuries have prevented any sort of accurate judgment.

"It just feels like it's kind of an ongoing thing," said Beckham of the injuries. "The quad thing has been annoying. I haven't been able to really run very well. The good news is when you don't get on base, it doesn't hurt. You are not straining it. It's just been kind of myriad things for everybody and everybody is kind of banged up.

"I was mechanically off until the last couple of games," added Beckham of his recent slump. "I feel like I've made an adjustment to get back to what I'm doing right. But you know that happens to everybody in every season. It's a little more drastic for me because of the lack of at-bats, so when you have a couple of days, weeks, like that, that's kind of what happens, unfortunately."

Beckham had found some offensive consistency, but realizes there's a higher plateau to reach with the bat.

"Definitely a step in the right direction," Beckham said. "I can be better, and obviously having more games and at-bats will help. But I can be better."