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Doug Padilla recaps the White Sox and looks at what changes might be in store for 2014.

A group that played defense as well as anybody in 2012 was nowhere near that good just one year later. Kevin Youkilis came to the White Sox during the 2012 season and settled the left side of the infield. This year, Jeff Keppinger was unable to take control of the third-base spot, while Conor Gillaspie showed flashes of solid defense early but wasn't able to maintain it. On the right side, Gordon Beckham and Paul Konerko both spent lengthy stays on the disabled list with injuries.

The good: When he was healthy, Beckham showed that he could be ready to be much more consistent at the plate, but that star potential that was being talked about when he broke into the league no longer is mentioned. When Gillaspie was acquired in a trade with the San Francisco Giants in spring training, he looked like a solid left-handed bat off the bench. He showed that if he continues to develop he can be much more than that. He admitted early that defense has never been his strength, but showed enough solid plays to make it clear that he should get better in that area. Nobody was touting Joe Crede as a solid defender either and he developed into a steady, if not spectactular, fielder.

The bad: It was obvious to see the defensive miscues on the infield that spelled doom for the White Sox, like Alexei Ramirez's 22 errors, which led all American League shortstops. The real issue is that nobody on the infield rose to the occasion offensively. Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn started all but 16 games at first base and yet White Sox first basemen finished ninth in the American League in home runs with 23 and 12th in RBIs with 77. Their 62 runs scored were 13th. At second base, the White Sox had a .306 on-base percentage, 11th in the AL, while at shortstop (essentially Ramirez), they were 12th in RBIs with 51. The biggest trouble spot was at third base where the 60 runs scored were 13th in the AL and the .287 on-base percentage was 12th. The White Sox only had 15 home runs from their third basemen, but four teams (Royals, Twins, Yankees and Angels) were actually worse.

Who's next: Marcus Semien was impressive as a September call-up and could push Gillaspie for playing time at third base next season. Keppinger is expected to revert back to his expected role of utility man. Could the White Sox be interested in trading Beckham this offseason? And if they do, what could they get in return for him? Semien, a natural shortstop, also has a little second base on his resume, while Keppinger can play there as well. If the free agent Konerko doesn't return, Dunn is expected to take over at first base full time.

2014 outlook: It doesn't seem like it can get any worse for the White Sox, but that's not just the story of the infield, that pertains to the entire roster. More is needed from Ramirez offensively and defensively. Early in his career, Ramirez was pushing his way into Gold Glove talk. At this point, the White Sox would be satisfied if he simply got his defense back to the middle of the pack.

CHICAGO -- If Paul Konerko returns for another season, nobody who knows him well will really be shocked. The Chicago White Sox first baseman will make up his mind at some point over the next six weeks and then sit down with Sox officials to determine what role he might play in the team’s future.

Konerko has expressed an openness to a possible new chapter in his major league career, which began in 1997. Physical limitations have planted the seed in Konerko’s thought process that a part-time role might be the way to go.

If Konerko wants to take one more year before a career in carpooling his kids begins full-time, then mentoring teammates and playing a couple of times a week may be a sufficient way to end his baseball career.

The good news for Sox fans is that Konerko’s wife, Jen, has been totally supportive of Paul deciding when he wants to retire. That kind of hall pass from home is huge for an aging player with young children to raise. Konerko plans on taking his family on more road trips next season if he does decide to play. The role of player –coach does not appeal to him, yet some of his responsibilities would fall into that area if he returns as a supplemental player.

Whenever Konerko takes his final curtain call, which may have happened Sunday, he will be the last player to leave who played on the 2005 World Champion White Sox. Konerko is content with the knowledge that many great players never got to grab the brass ring like he and his teammates did eight seasons ago.

“The last-man-standing thing is not that big of a deal,” said Konerko. “When you look around and you see that team and that year you remember how fragile and how tough it is to get one of those things. You look around and not to just pick just his name, but you see Todd Helton. He is awesome -- great guy, great career, and he didn’t get one (World Series ring). He deserved one. I look at guys like that and realize that is the highlight. It is not the All-Star Games or this game or that game, it is not even close to winning a World Series.”

Konerko’s legacy has grown among the fan base after returning twice for less money. He had chances with Baltimore and Arizona to make more cash when free-agent opportunities were presented after the 2005 and 2010 seasons. He has always been “The Man” of the blue-collar White Sox fan base.

“I could have left a couple of times but I stayed,” he said on Sunday. “I will always take pride in that. There are numbers and statistics that everybody has, but for me, I was 2-for-2 on that.”

A good bet at this time is that Konerko and the Sox brass make it 3-for-3 as he approaches the next phase and final chapter of his stellar baseball career.

CHICAGO -- At the end of a lost season for his team, Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura seems pleased to be moving on from the second worst record in franchise history.

“As you move toward the end of the season you start making adjustments looking ahead,” Ventura said. “That all starts tomorrow.”

After losing 99 games, finding a silver lining is not an easy task for Ventura.

“Any time you go through a season like this it is not easy to keep pushing forward,” he said. “This is not fun, but you need the commitment of moving forward in order to get better. I am not sure I can point a finger as to what you really learn (from losing), you know for sure you don’t like going through anything like this.”

Ventura will return to his California home and wait to see what kind of moves the front office makes in response to this disappointing season.

“We have to make adjustments,” he said. “That will all depend on what happens personnel-wise. We have added some young players here at the end that we did not have last spring training. We hopefully will get some players in here to turn this thing around. We need the others who are still here to get better.”

Ventura, who now enters his last year under his original three-year contract, had a simple final message for his players.

“At first you should go home and enjoy your family,” he said. “When you do start to work out again, remember how this tastes. It isn’t a lot of fun, so you need to understand you don’t want to go through this again.”

CHICAGO -- For the second consecutive day, Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura said that if any changes to his coaching staff are to occur after the season, it won’t be because he wants them.

Speculation continued Saturday that at least one White Sox coach will be let go at the end of the season. Adding substance to the speculation was general manager Rick Hahn’s state-of-the-White-Sox address Friday, when he said Ventura would return in 2014 despite the team’s struggles but that the coaching staff still needed to be evaluated.

“We’re talking about [the coaching staff]; it’s going on today,” Ventura said Saturday. “I’m happy with the effort that was put in there. So I’m hoping there’s nothing done. But again, there are people above me.”

Hahn was asked Friday if everybody on the coaching staff will return next year.

“We still have three games left in the year, so we'll address all of that after the season's over,” Hahn responded. “I don't think it's fair for anyone in uniform for me to single out individual coaches or individual players at this time, while we're still playing, and say, 'This guy fits going forward,' or 'That guy doesn't fit going forward’ or 'We're looking to trade this guy.' I would never do that. I don't think that's professional.”

Most of the speculation has hitting coach Jeff Manto being replaced after this season. The White Sox are last in the American League in runs scored, are tied for last in slugging percentage and are second-to-last in on-base percentage and extra-base hits in a power-friendly ballpark.

Bench coach Mark Parent, pitching coach Don Cooper and third-base coach Joe McEwing all are expected to return next season.

There is no clear-cut replacement in the White Sox organization if Manto is relieved of his hitting-coach duties. Tim Laker is the organization’s minor league hitting instructor, while Brandon Moore is the hitting coach at Triple-A Charlotte. Former White Sox hitting coach Gary Ward now handles the same duties at Double-A Birmingham.

Ventura said that he hopes the coaching staff knows its fate before everybody leaves following Sunday's season finale. The White Sox, though, could wait until Monday before announcing any changes.

CHICAGO -- Here is a quick look at the Chicago White Sox's 3-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Thursday at U.S. Cellular Field:

How it happened: Catcher Bryan Anderson threw away a bunt allowing the Royals to score what proved to be the winning run in the seventh inning. Kansas City's other runs came on David Hough's two-run homer in the fourth. The Sox scored their runs on solo home runs by Paul Konerko in the second and Adam Dunn in the sixth. Dunn's homer was his 33rd of the season and was estimated to travel 442 feet.

What it means: The Royals' 84 wins are the most by the franchise since 1993. Regardless of the outcome of the next three games, the White Sox will finish under.500 at home for only the fourth time since they began playing at U.S Cellular field in 1991. The other sub-.500 years were 1999, 2007 and 2011.

Outside the box: The Sox have made 51 more errors this season than they did in 2012. Konerko will hold a news conference to take questions about his future on Friday afternoon. A source said Monday that Konerko would not make up his mind about whether to retire or keep playing until November. General manager Rick Hahn will also give his state of the team address Friday.

Up next: Kansas City sends James Shields (12-9, 3.21 ERA) to the mound to face the White Sox's Chris Sale (11-13, 2.97 ERA) in Friday's 7:10 p.m. CT start.

CHICAGO -- Coming into 2013, White Sox manager Robin Ventura was riding the wave of an 85-win season in 2012 and accolades from industry experts on his success as a rookie manager.

The reactions to the Sox's last-place finish in the AL Central have been a different learning curve for Ventura. Pitching coach Don Cooper told reporters Wednesday that he was embarrassed by the team's performance in 2013.

"Sure there have been times I have felt that way," said Ventura as the team prepared to play its last series of the season. "Any time you have a year like this, that is part of it. Frustration, anger, all of those things."

Ventura has found enough passion in a lost season to know he wants to stay on the job despite all of the losing.

"That is just the frustration of right now. After that, it will be behind us," he said. "At that point you move forward and make adjustments and find a way to get better."

The franchise will have its hands full moving up in a division that has been dominated by the Detroit Tigers, who have won the past three division titles. There also are two up-and-coming teams in the Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals. Both have young talent that is being complemented by an influx of free agents and veterans acquired in trades.

Sox general manager Rick Hahn and Ventura are on the same page moving forward and have spent a good deal of time making plans for the 2013 offseason and 2014.

"The object is for us to go and win games," Ventura said. "We don't think what we have done is OK. We are going to try and make some moves. You are planning to be better and that is our focus. We are not going to the playoffs, so you must figure out a way to construct a team and build on that beginning in spring training."

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CHICAGO -- The White Sox used a pair of home runs and strong starting pitching to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Monday night at U.S. Cellular Field.

How it happened: The White Sox and Jays were making up a game rained out on June 12. Jose Quintana was seeking his ninth win of the season. LHP J.A. Happ was on the hill for Toronto. Rookie Marcus Semien hit his first major league home run with Dayan Viciedo on base in the second inning. J.P. Arencibia hit a solo home run to lead off the fifth inning. Avisail Garcia led off the White Sox fifth with his sixth home run. Quintana exited in the eighth after giving up an RBI base hit to Ryan Goins.

What it means: The Sox win the season series against Toronto 4-3. Chicago had lost nine of its past 12. Chicago continues its six-game road trip with three in Cleveland against the Indians to close out its 2013 road schedule.

Outside the box: Manager Robin Ventura said he is not interested in talking about managing beyond 2014 at this juncture. Ventura signed a three-year deal in the fall of 2011. "I said I want to do it again," Ventura reiterated on Monday in reference to next season. "After that, you would like to [continue], but we will discuss that after next year. It has to be [agreeable] on both sides. That is a discussion for another day."

Ventura turned down an extension that was offered in spring training. At that time, he said there was no hurry in signing beyond the two years remaining on his deal. … Viciedo returned from paternity leave after missing the weekend series in Detroit.

Up next: The Sox resume their road trip against the Indians. LHP Hector Santiago (4-9, 3.53 ERA) faces RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (12-9, 3.59).

CHICAGO -- John Danks' outing on Wednesday seemed like a microcosm of his entire season.

The Chicago White Sox starter pitched well enough after giving up four runs in the first two innings, but the end result was his 14th loss in a frustrating year. After having season-ending shoulder surgery in 2012, Danks’ comeback has been laborious at times.

“He was down in the zone later in the game,” Sox manager Robin Ventura said after his team’s 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins. “I think early on he didn’t have a feel for it. He was up in the zone and they made him pay for it.”

The most difficult issue for the 28-year-old pitcher has been his command issues. Danks’ velocity has come back three or four miles per hour in a given start. The rest of the equation is solving the location on a variety of pitches.

“We are not in instructional league here,” Danks said. “We are judged on our success. Wins and losses are all that matter here. I would not have come back when I did if I didn’t think I could help this club win ball games. Certainly it has not been fun. I will continue to work hard and get things straightened out.”

Danks retired 16 straight hitters Wednesday, pitching seven innings in the loss after a three-run second inning. He has allowed four or more runs in each of his last four starts, going 0-4 with a 8.02 ERA. Danks’ record of 4-14 is the lowest winning percentage by a Sox starting pitcher since 1978.

An offseason of work should pay added dividends going toward next season. Danks plans on spending some time with pitching coach Don Cooper in Nashville this winter.

“I will take a little bit off time off,” Danks said. “I will continue to play catch and spend some time with Coop. That will be good.”

CHICAGO -- Here's a quick look at the Chicago White Sox's 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday:

How it happened: The Twins took a 4-0 lead on the White Sox and starter John Danks after two innings. But Danks pitched five shutout innings from there, retiring 16 straight at one point. Alejandro DeAza hit his career-high 16th home run of the season off Twins starter Scott Diamond in the fourth inning. Jordan Danks singled home two runs in the seventh to cut the deficit to 4-3. The White Sox were looking for a sweep after securing their first series victory since Aug. 28 against the Houston Astros.

What it means: Danks dropped to 4-14 on the season. ... The White Sox ended their second-to-last homestand with a record of 3-7. Chicago has three games against Kansas City at home Sept. 27-29 to end the season.

Outside the box: Minor League base stealing champion Micah Johnson was honored for his MVP award in the Southern League championship series. Johnson led the minor leagues with a combined 84 stolen bases at three different stops in 2013. ... The White Sox's 42 division losses are the most in team history. ... Chicago leads the major leagues with 115 errors and have made 12 in their last 10 games.

Up next: After an off day on Thursday, the Sox begin their last road trip of the season in Detroit. The Sox's Andre Rienzo (2-2, 5.04) will be opposed by Detroit's Max Scherzer (19-3, 2.95) in the 6:08 p.m. CT start on Friday.

CHICAGO -- White Sox prospect Micah Johnson, voted MVP for the Double-A Champion Birmingham Barons in the Southern League championship series, was recognized before Wednesday’s game at U.S. Cellular Field.

The 23-year-old Johnson has the one tool that cannot be taught, god-given speed. In three combined minor league stops in 2013, he stole 84 bases -- the most in professional baseball. With the subtle change toward speed and defense that has occurred in baseball’s post-steroids era, players like Johnson have a chance to move up the ladder as top-of-the-order impact players.

The White Sox have emphasized the athletic-type player more than many big league clubs over the past five seasons. Some work out, some do not as the old adage of not being able to steal first base still applies.

“If I can be the type of player to get on base with a powerful lineup behind me, [that] would be great,” Johnson said. “If I can find a way to get on base 40 percent of the time, we could have a successful team.”

Johnson’s game is not quite there yet, however the future looks bright for the young infielder. He insists he is not in the same speed zone of Cincinnati outfielder Billy Hamilton, who stole 155 bases in 2012.

“I have seen faster guys than me but I do what I can to steal my base,” he said. “I think Hamilton would beat me in a race, but he is also 40 pounds lighter than me. My goal is to disrupt the defense and create more fastballs for the rest of the lineup to see. It is my goal to impact games.”

Johnson, a ninth-round pick out of Indiana University in 2012, was successful on 78 percent of his stolen base attempts in 2013.

CHICAGO -- The better Jose Quintana gets, the bigger the possibility he could end up on somebody else’s roster to start the 2014 season.

It’s not like the Chicago White Sox underestimate Quintana’s value. Far from it. The reality, though, is that the club is heavy on left-handed starters, and Quintana could ultimately prove to be the best trade chip to beef up another area of the roster.

The left-hander was at it again Tuesday night, finding the focus to deliver even as the season drifts off into oblivion. He gave up just one run over six innings while dropping his ERA to 3.49, the lowest it has been since the tail end of May.

“He just continues to battle and he just finds a way to get through innings,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “He always seems to make the tough pitch when he needs to. Fortunately, tonight he got a decision. That’s probably something that’s wearing on him a little bit and it hasn’t shown too much.”

Already saddled with a franchise-record 17 no-decisions, Quintana was able to walk away with a victory Tuesday, his first since Aug. 16, also against the Minnesota Twins.

The major league record for no decisions in a season is 20, set by Bert Blyleven in 1979; it’s a record Quintana won’t be able to match, since he is in line to make just two more starts before season's end.

Quintana was feeling so good after Tuesday’s contest he did his postgame interview in English, eschewing his normal translator.

“I feel great, I feel wonderful, because my team won tonight,” Quintana said. “Every time I have the opportunity for a win, I’m happy for that.”

Wins and losses are out of a pitcher's control, but the numbers are often seen as an indicator of what type of season it was. At 8-6, Quintana’s won-loss mark nowhere near explains what kind of season he has had.

“To me, [his demeanor] is his best thing going,” White Sox captain Paul Konerko said. “Everybody in here always talks about it. He’s just very composed during the game, after the game. You can’t really tell [the difference]. Rarely do you ever see him even change facial expression. He’s very poised. He trusts his stuff well.”

The 24-year-old hurler sounds every bit a keeper who could bring stability to the starting rotation moving into next season. But the rotation is being built around left-hander Chris Sale, while fellow lefty John Danks would be difficult to trade with another three years and $42 million remaining on his contract. There is another left-hander in Hector Santiago, but his value on the trade market can't match what Quintana offers.

Ventura knows just how valuable a quality young arm is to a ballclub, not to mention an affordable one.

“He figured it out really quick as far as him coming up last year as a spot starter, and it just seemed to click,” Ventura said. “I think that was something we noticed first, in [his first start in] Cleveland, that he has the competitiveness and the stuff to be able to do it and compete at this level.

“I think last year was very valuable in just keeping him here and going into this year,” he said. “You just seem like you're in games all the time when he's pitching. That's good for a team to have, especially the players going in, that when he's pitching you know you're going to be in that game. He just seems to bring that out.”

While trading a quality arm such as Quintana’s is a gamble, the White Sox aren’t expected to make such a move without getting high-level talent in return. Yet there is always the risk that by trading Quintana, they turn a strength (read: starting pitching) into a weakness.

Ultimately, the White Sox could come to the conclusion that even if they were offered a trade package to upgrade weaknesses, they could decide that keeping Quintana is the better move. Making sure it’s a rotation full of head-strong competitors figures to be a priority, as well.

“He’s been pretty steady as far as his personality and everything else that goes with having so many games without an immediate result for him,” Ventura said. “You can win or lose games, but when it’s not on your record it becomes something that he’s been able to deal with fairly well.

“He just goes about his business. He’s a mature kid. It’s one of the things about him, even last year, that we saw is he’s a competitor. He’s a tough kid. But he has maturity above his age.”

CHICAGO -- The White Sox defeated the Minnesota Twins 4-3 on Tuesday, for the fifth consecutive victory over their division rivals.

How it happened: Jose Quintana gave up just one run over six innings and the bullpen held on for the victory. The outing helped Quintana drop his ERA under 3.50 for the first time since he beat the Boston Red Sox on May 21. The White Sox won despite committing two errors in the infield. (It was originally three, but a late scoring change took a fielding error away from Paul Konerko.) Dayan Viciedo had RBI singles in consecutive innings to pace the offense.

What it means: The White Sox continue to show that against non-contenders they have plenty of energy to compete. The two victories mean the White Sox have already won the series against the Twins with one more game to play Wednesday. The last time they won a series was Aug. 26-28, when they got the best of the Houston Astros, another non-contender. Following that series, the White Sox lost consecutive series to the Red Sox, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians.

Outside the box: On the occasion of his 23rd birthday Tuesday, Marcus Semien not only got the start at third base, he drove in the White Sox’s first run with a second-inning single while batting in the No. 9 hole. Since being called up in early September when rosters expanded, Semien has been impressive. He entered Tuesday’s game 7-for-17 (.438) in his previous five contests.

Offbeat: There actually was some defense on display Tuesday, first in the fifth inning when White Sox right fielder Jordan Danks was completely extended on a diving catch to rob Trevor Plouffe of a hit. In the sixth inning, Twins pitcher Josh Roenicke took his best shot at a highlight-reel play when he fielded Semien’s comebacker between his legs and threw to first base for the out.

Up next: The White Sox will send left-hander John Danks (4-13, 4.73 ERA) to the mound Wednesday in the finale of the three-game series -- the last contest in their 10-game homestand. The Twins will counter with left-hander Scott Diamond (5-11, 5.71) in the 1:10 p.m. CT start from U.S. Cellular Field.

CHICAGO -- Hector Santiago will be skipped his next time through the rotation and there is an outside chance he is done for the season.

The left-hander isn't injured, but isn't looking like himself either.

"Yeah, the last few starts he's had, he just looks tired," manager Robin Ventura said. "Pitching as many innings as he has this year, just give him a rest and see what he does next time out."

That next time out could be next season. The White Sox's daily game notes list starters through Monday's makeup game at home against the Toronto Blue Jays and Santiago isn't on the list. If he pitches again, it would have to be on one of the last six games of the season.

Santiago has made 22 starts this season with a career-high 142 2/3 innings. His previous career best was the 132 2/3 innings he pitched over three different levels in 2011. He hasn't lasted more than five innings in any of his last three starts, while throwing at least 94 pitches in each of those outings.

Santiago's 4-9 record this season hardly is anything to brag about, but he has a solid 3.53 ERA, while his 136 strikeouts nearly give him one an inning.

The White Sox will now revert to a five-man rotation after using six starters since the start of September. The remaining members of the rotation are Jose Quintana, John Danks, Andre Rienzo, Chris Sale and Erik Johnson.

CHICAGO -- Paul Konerko gave a nod toward the future Tuesday, as long as the conversation did not center on him personally.

Declining to talk about what could happen once his contract expires in a few weeks, Konerko did talk about the organization's farm system and the young players that are potential impact guys or players who have taken advantage of an opportunity.

"There's definitely guys who have made strides like Jordan [Danks] now that he's gotten to play," Konerko said. "He'd been up here a lot but never had played a whole bunch in a row. So it's nice to see him -- great guy, great hitter -- kind of hitting his stride and starting to feel comfortable because it's tough to feel comfortable when you're not in there all the time."

Another position player who has caught Konerko's eye is Marcus Semien. The two first played together at Double-A Birmingham, back when Konerko was on a rehab assignment for a lower back injury. Konerko eventually returned to the major leagues, Semien was promoted to Triple-A Charlotte and Birmingham went on to win the Southern League championship anyway.

"I should get a [championship] ring," Konerko joked.

Semien, who turned 23 on Tuesday, would be more deserving in that department. He batted .290 with a .420 on-base percentage at Birmingham. His 110 runs led the minor leagues, and he was even named Southern League MVP despite playing at Birmingham only until the end of July.

Adding his time at Charlotte, Semien finished the year with a .401 on-base percentage in the minor leagues.

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