White Sox' Konerko "progressing"

TORONTO — Four days in advance of being eligible to come off the disabled list for a concussion, Paul Konerko receiving an encouraging checkup at Rush University Medical Center on Monday, manager Robin Ventura said.

“He was checked out and everything is looking good,” Ventura said. “Tomorrow he’ll probably start riding the [stationary] bike and doing physical stuff. I don’t know if he will do a whole lot of baseball stuff but he will start getting some activity in to see how that goes. But things are progressing.”

Konerko might play catch on Tuesday and be taking ground balls and doing some running by Wednesday.

A Friday return in Kansas City isn’t out of the question but is a best-case scenario. Even if he passes the required test to come off the DL, the Sox will err on the side of caution bringing Konerko back.

“You cross your fingers and hope it’s Friday,” Ventura said.

The Sox miss more than Konerko’s bat in the middle of the lineup, Ventura said.

“When people think about the White Sox he’s the first thing you think of because of his tenure, stature on the team and the way he goes about things,” Ventura said. “He does things the right way, a lead by example guy more than a loud person. Those are the things you miss. The example he sets on how guys act, prepare and play the game.”