"If Paul Konerko had been hit by a pitch directly on his left calf Sunday instead of part of his bone, the White Sox first baseman thinks he would have a better chance of returning to the lineup sooner.

But Konerko believes he won't be sidelined five games as was the case in September 2008, when he suffered a right knee sprain.

"That's probably a good measuring stick as far as the movement I have right now, as far as getting through the day and moving around and just not able to bend it or step on it and getting off it as quick as you can," Konerko said Monday, a day after getting hit by a pitch from the Red Sox's Andrew Miller. "But that one was truly a sprained knee, so you were dealing with ligaments that were actually wrenched and twisted. This (injury) was impact from the ball, even though it feels the same. So I think this one should be quicker.""