Konerko, Rios replace De Aza, Youkilis in trainer's room

Another day, another White Sox injury update. Yesterday, center fielder Alejandro De Aza (stiff back) and Kevin Youkilis (sore right knee) sat out, and the Sox dropped a 5-2 decision to the Royals. Tonight, first baseman Paul Konerko (back, general soreness) and right fielder Alex Rios (back) are not going to play. De Aza and Youkilis are in the starting lineup. Throughout the season, you’ve heard about the pitching staff and all of the precautions the White Sox have taken to keep Chris Sale, Jake Peavy, Jose Quintana, etc., healthy. You don’t hear much about the position players, and they are the guys that are out there each and every day. Baseball doesn’t have the all-out violence seen in football and hockey, and basketball is also a much more physical sport. But major leaguers play a 162-game schedule, and that takes a toll on the body. Manager Robin Ventura knows all about injuries – I happened to be in Sarasota, Fla., for spring training in 1997 when he destroyed his ankle sliding into home during a Grapefruit League game. Ventura doesn’t hesitate to pull a position player out if there is even a slight sign of physical discomfort. The Sox are going to need all of their regulars down the stretch, so giving Konerko and Rios a break tonight makes good sense. The White Sox are off Thursday, so both players get a needed two-game rest.