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Morel optioned; Beckham hurting

CHICAGO -- Infielder Brent Morel was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte after Sunday’s game, while Gordon Beckham revealed that his injured left hand is hurting him again.

Paul Konerko, who has been on the disabled list with a lower back strain, is expected to be activated Monday to take Morel’s roster spot, although the White Sox did not make that official Sunday.

Beckham was replaced at second base Sunday by Jeff Keppinger and his status remains up in the air. The injury is in the same hand/wrist area where he had surgery earlier this season after he fractured his hamate bone. He aggravated it during batting practice Friday.

“I played with it taped up last two days and felt OK, but it just wasn’t right,” Beckham said. “The doctor looked at it after the game (Saturday). He essentially said the ligament came off the bone and I know that sounds bad, but it apparently is just a strain. It’s just like if you strained or sprained an ankle or something like that. It will take a little bit of time but hopefully not too long. I don’t think it will take too long.”

Beckham missed nearly two months earlier in the season after his original hand injury.

“The fact of the matter is that I’m hurting the team if I can’t swing the bat the way I want to, so it was definitely starting to bother me a little bit,” Beckham said. “I wasn’t able to make good swings. So if you can’t do that, you shouldn’t be on the field.”

Beckham entered the day with a .325 batting average that would have been second in the American League if he had enough plate appearances.