Peavy aims to keep pitching

Jake Peavy appeared headed for the disabled list late last week with fluid in his throwing (right) shoulder.

An encouraging MRI made the White Sox' starting pitcher feel much better, as did some medication. Peavy wound up starting against the Nationals Saturday and pitching a complete game shutout.

Scheduled to start against the Cubs on Friday, Peavy is going to skip his normal bullpen sessions this week and try to get by with some light throwing.

"I think the biggest thing about the MRI is to find out you're structurally sound," Peavy said. "There's not tears or any significant injuries in there that you can make worse by pitching. That was the biggest thing with me, knowing we're structurally sound. Certainly I want to get out there and I want to be healthy enough to throw bullpens in between, really throw a baseball to work on things and not have to take the mound like we have the last couple times.

"You just make so many deposit, deposit, deposit and then you make a big withdraw every fifth day, and obviously I made one of those on Saturday and did everything we did to get back out there. The biggest thing is pitching."

Top pick signs: As far as his physique is concerned, Chris Sale is comparable to Alexei Ramirez on an extended crash diet.

"All the time," Sale said when asked about the 168 pounds he's carrying on his 6-foot-6 frame. "I'm not too focused on it. It's not my main priority. If you can get outs, you can get outs, whether you're 400 pounds or 162 pounds."

Sale, the White Sox' first-round draft pick (No. 13 overall) after going 11-0 with a 2.01 ERA at Florida Gulf Coast University this season, passed his physical on Tuesday and agreed to a $1.65 million signing bonus.

The left-hander was a starter in college, but he'll report to Class A Winston-Salem and pitch out of the bullpen.

And if he's as good as the Sox think, Sale could very well be back at U.S. Cellular Field later this summer.

"He's a left-handed pitcher with a plus arm and a power changeup," White Sox general manager Kenny Williams said. "We grade on a 20-to-80 scale and (Mark) Buehrle has a 65 or 70 changeup when he throws good and so does John Danks. This guy starts his career with a 70 changeup, and sometimes plus. Right-handers are going to have to take notice of that."

New guy: Dayan Viciedo wasn't in the starting lineup Tuesday night, but the rookie third baseman was thrilled to be at U.S. Cellular Field for the first time after being called up from Class AAA Charlotte on Friday.

"I'm really excited," Viciedo said through an interpreter.

Viciedo, who went 1-for-4 in his major-league debut Sunday at Washington, spent most of his time at first base with Charlotte.

"I only started playing first base this year, so naturally I feel third base is my most comfortable position," Viciedo said. "I feel best at third base."

GM Kenny Williams thinks Viciedo can spark a White Sox offense that's often been short on firepower.

"I told the coaching staff this guy is as dangerous as they come at the plate right now," Williams said. "If he can hold his own defensively over there, there's an asset to add to our lineup that has not been as strong on a day-to-day basis as we thought."