Offense Coming Back from Dead Konerko Sparks White Sox

In early July the White Sox acquired second baseman Roberto
Alomar from the Mets and Carl Everett from the Rangers in an
effort to spark their moribund offense. (Chicago's 4.2 runs per
game was the second lowest in the AL, ahead of Detroit, at the
All-Star break.) But the answer has been right under their noses:
first baseman Paul Konerko.

Konerko, who hit .304 with 27 homers and was an All-Star in 2002,
batted .185 with three homers in the season's first three months.
In the five weeks since, he has undergone a startling
resurrection, hitting .341 with eight homers and 25 RBIs.

Konerko's resurgence has allowed White Sox manager Jerry Manuel,
who used 87 different lineups in the team's first 94 games, to
keep the order intact. It has also helped Chicago, which was
scoring 7.1 runs per game since the break, make a run at AL
Central-leading Kansas City. The White Sox had won 13 of their
last 16 through Sunday and were two games in back of the Royals.