14 Paul Konerko, 1B

Over the last couple years, we've been on the lookout for Paul Konerko's demise, but even into his late-30s, he has continued to perform like he did in his late-20s. Who does that these days?

Looks like it may have finally caught up to the White Sox first baseman. Nearly one-third of the way into the season, he's batting .224 with a .642 OPS.

Maybe for a player on the right side of 35, you'd assume he was due for a correction and destined to finish with his usual numbers. But one way Konerko has shown his age over the last couple years is by slowing down in the second half, unable to withstand the wear and tear of a 162-game season. At this stage of his career, his body likely won't let him make up for lost stats with a herculean two-month stretch.

I now rank Konerko 32nd among first basemen, behind even Corey Hart and Ike Davis.

White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko ended his home run drought at 17 games as he teed off for a solo home run Wednesday against the Red Sox. It was his fifth home run and first since April 28.

Konerko isn't having a very productive May, batting .212 (14 for 66) with one home run, two doubles, three RBI, seven runs, seven walks and 10 strikeouts.

White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko went 0 for 3 with a walk and a run scored Monday against Boston. Still, he feels he's close to turning a corner, MLB.com reports. 

Konerko, batting .220 on the year, said he's swung the bat better the past few days prior to Monday's game. 

"I had a few hits the day before yesterday and was probably better yesterday and didn't get any," said Konerko, who entered Monday's game hitting .224 with four homers and 17 RBI. "In this game, close and the results are kind of two different things. There has been lot of moments that you're close and it feels like you got it, but sometimes that has to line up with somebody not catching a ball, the wind not knocking down a ball -- those little moments where that can kind of turn it for you. That hasn't happened."

White Sox DH Paul Konerko had a season-high three hits Saturday against the Angels, which prompted manager Robin Ventura to say Sunday he sees Konerko showing signs of "getting his swing where he wants it."

"Some of the at-bats he was having, the ball's coming off the bat a little different," Ventura said to MLB.com. "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."

White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko is back in the lineup Wednesday against Minnesota, CSN Chicago reports.

Konerko has been held out of the lineup for the past two games in an attempt to knock the veteran out of a season-long slump. Konerko has just a .623 OPS over 126 at-bats.