Jeff Keppinger Rumors & News

Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura, second from right, talks with catcher Tyler Flowers, right, Jeff Keppinger (7), and Gordon Beckham , second from left, as White Sox's Paul Konerko looks on at left, during a pitching change in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Monday, June 3, 2013, in Seattle. The Mariners beat the White Sox 4-2. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

The White Sox hadn't held a lead in over a week entering Monday's game. They were able to end that streak in the second inning Monday night when Dayan Viciedo hit a bloop double and Jeff Keppinger plated him with a single to give the Sox a 1-0 lead against the Mariners in Seattle. Unfortunately, the Mariners tied the game up in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Nick Franklin singled to left. He moved to second on a passed ball by Tyler Flowers and after a Michael Saunders strike out, Jesus Sucre brought home Franklin with a single of his own. The Mariners blew it open in the thi...

Chicago White Sox second baseman Jeff Keppinger makes an off balance throw to put out Oakland Athletics' Jed Lowrie at first base during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 31, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Chicago White Sox's Conor Gillaspie (12) celebrates with teammates Tyler Greene, right, and Jeff Keppinger, left, after hitting a game-winning single in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins in Chicago, Saturday, May 25, 2013. Chicago won 2-1. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Gordon Beckham's return to the White Sox has been delayed by some soreness in his surgically repaired left hand. Scott Merkin's story has quotes from Rick Hahn, and pretty much all the detail you'd want, even beyond this excerpt: "Initially, when you have this type of surgery, the general timeline is at least six weeks from the surgical date, which is next Tuesday," said White Sox general manager Rick Hahn "There was some scuttlebutt that he could be back as soon as this weekend, but that would have been ahead of schedule."So we are still kind of on that original time frame. His hand ...

Jeff Keppinger drove in the winning run with a bases-loaded single off Ryan Webb and the Marlins fell to 1-4 this season in extra-inning games.

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Erick Aybar (2) dives for a base hit by Chicago White Sox's Jeff Keppinger in the eighth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Across the AL Central, the division's three other hopefuls have benefited from hot starts by their significant outside acquisitions. For the Indians, Nick Swisher is having a Nick Swisher season, and Mark Reynolds is blowing the doors off his early projections. Torii Hunter did the same in April for Detroit, although he's cooled off in May. James Shields is leading the Royals' rotation like they hoped, and Ervin Santana's ERA is below 3.00, too. It's like the other AL Central teams have faith that their operating systems will be able to integrate outside additions as easily as plug-and...