CHICAGO -- White Sox players have frequently talked about the special bond running throughout this clubhouse back to the start of the 2012 season. So in this particular instance, the team winning might have only enhanced that tight-knit chemistry already in place.

"It has to have a combination," manager Robin Ventura said of the chemistry debate. "Anyone who is in first place or near the top talks about how great it is in the clubhouse. But winning usually does that. I've been on teams that were very bad that had a good chemistry and in the end, it didn't work so well. Guys got along and it was fine. Winning just kind of promotes that."

"You're in first place. First place is where your good chemistry is," third baseman Kevin Youkilis said. "I've been on teams where there have been a few things and we won a World Series. The biggest thing is when you're winning games and in first place, chemistry is highlighted a lot more so hopefully we can have great chemistry the rest of the way."

More important than the chemistry factor is the White Sox maintaining the same singular focus from Spring Training moving forward. Take one game at a time and hope all of those good daily efforts add up to a playoff berth by the time October rolls around.

"When you feel like you are playing to accomplish your goal and that goal is to play in the playoffs, it's fun to come here and try to win every night," said right fielder Alex Rios, who has never played in the postseason. "You have a purpose for coming to the field. It has been one of the most fun seasons I have had."

CHICAGO -- For a brief period on Wednesday morning, manager Robin Ventura and his staff tried to put together a starting lineup to face the Royals in their series finale loss without Alejandro De Aza, Kevin Youkilis, Paul Konerko and Alex Rios.

"It was creative," said Ventura with a smile. "It was a fun morning."

Ventura never had to make public that lineup card, as Youkilis and De Aza came to U.S. Cellular Field ready for action. Youkilis was scratched from Tuesday's contest with a sore right knee, while De Aza missed the first two games of the series with back stiffness.

But Rios and Konerko were sidelined, giving them two days of inactivity thanks to Thursday's scheduled off-day. Ventura announced postgame on Wednesday that Konerko sustained a mild concussion in the seventh inning of Tuesday's loss, when Jarrod Dyson's left elbow connected with the right side of Konerko's head as Dyson beat out an infield hit. Rios was absent due to back stiffness.

"This has been going on for a few days, but [Tuesday], it got stiffer," Rios said. "I don't think it's something that's going to keep me out of that lineup for more than a day or so. I'll be fine."

The rest is here:
Which came first: chemistry or winning?