Konerko, White Sox feel Thome’s impact

Consider these Paul Konerko numbers:

April 2005: .218 average, 17 RBIs.

Eleven games of April 2006: .356, 12 RBIs.

What’s the difference?

Jim Thome?

“He means a lot to the lineup,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said Saturday after Konerko hit a pair of homers in a 4-2 victory over Toronto. “The reason I bat him third is because I know he gets on base a lot. Paulie can get to bat (in the first inning) with two outs.”

So it was in the first inning Saturday when Thome walked and Konerko picked up two RBIs with a massive homer to left field.

“(Thome) walks 100 times a year usually,” Konerko said. “His on-base percentage is really high. Having him (hit) in front of me (creates) just as much action as hitting behind me. When you get that at-bat in first inning with a guy on, you have a chance to do something. He is such a presence, even when he makes outs, he has a long at-bat.”

Thome has scored a run in each of the Sox’s 11 games and his .520 on-base percentage is the highest on the team.

Robinson’s wife honored

Fifty-nine years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier, his widow was honored at Shea Stadium, which was “Jackie Robinson Day” throughout the major leagues.

Following a video tribute to the former Brooklyn Dodgers star that was shown on the scoreboard, Rachel Robinson walked to the pitcher’s mound before the New York Mets hosted the Milwaukee Brewers. She was accompanied by Bob DuPuy, baseball’s chief operating officer, and Mets manager Willie Randolph.

“I’ve got a picture of Jackie in my office, so I think about that every day,” Randolph said. “I’m just happy to be a part of this day.”

In Los Angeles, Robinson’s daughter, Sharon, participated in a ceremony to honor her father before the Giants played the Dodgers.

Casey, Wells land on DL

First baseman Sean Casey will be out of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ lineup for six to eight weeks with two fractures in his left lower back.

Casey, the Pirates’ highest-paid player, was injured during Friday night’s game against the Cubs while he was stretching for a throw. As John Mabry was running out an infield single in the third inning, he stumbled crossing the bag and clipped Casey with his hip or left elbow.

“David Wells went on the disabled list for the second time this season.

The Red Sox said Wells has a sprained right knee, which underwent off-season surgery. Wells was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to Thursday, meaning he can’t be activated before April 28.

He said he was hurt when he ran to cover first base in his only start this season Wednesday night.

Clearing the bases

Giants left fielder Barry Bonds told MLB.com that he has “10 to 12 bone chips floating” in his elbow, which he said was swollen to “almost twice the size” of his right elbow. Bonds indicated that he wants to keep playing and won’t undergo surgery to fix the problem. … St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Jim Edmonds was out of the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds after receiving a cortisone shot for an aching right shoulder. … Concerned about their defense at first base, the Yankees signed former Tiger Carlos Pena to a minor-league contract.