Crain, Penny, Albers on comeback trail with Sox

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Spring training is a different journey for different players.

Important pieces like Jose Abreu and Chris Sale use camp to get in shape and go striding into the long grind of the regular season.

There are always spare parts in spring training, players like Emilio Bonifacio, George Kottaras and Gordon Beckham, who use the daily workouts and Cactus League play to prepare themselves in case a front-line player gets hurt or fails to perform.

Then there are damaged goods, and they are typically pitchers.

This spring, Jesse Crain, Brad Penny and Matt Albers fall into that category. If they can help the White Sox at some point during the season, great. If not, thanks for trying.

Crain has the most potential value but the 33-year-old reliever hasn't pitched since June 29, 2013, when he went down with a damaged rotator cuff.

After signing with the Astros last year, Crain had biceps surgery and missed the entire season.

If he is even close to the pitcher that had a dazzling 0.74 ERA in '13, the Sox will be thrilled. But given the long layoff and the fact he's only able to throw fastballs and changeups at the moment, Crain doesn't figure to be ready until May at the earliest.

"Those other pitches will come when my arm strength is there and ready to go," Crains said Sunday after throwing 25-30 pitches at Camelback Ranch. "I'm more worried about getting off the mound, feeling comfortable and being able to get to the point where I can let the ball go. The breaking pitches will come. I can throw those when I play catch and just kind of work on those. On the mound, it's just getting up there and getting to the point where I feel like I can let it go and move forward."

Coming back on a minor-league deal feels like home for Crain, who was with the Sox from 2011-13 the first time around.

"That was a huge part of why I came back here," he said. "It was kind of their plan. I'm going to come in here and go at the pace we need to go at, whatever that might be. Hopefully faster than slower. They are going to take care of me and make sure I'm right. They aren't going to rush me to get out there. In that sense, it was a perfect fit. I loved my time here and I'm happy I'm back."

Penny was on the disabled list twice in 2012 with a right shoulder impingement and he didn't even play in '13.

Last year, the 36-year-old veteran was 2-1 with a 6.58 ERA in 8 appearances (4 starts) with the Marlins.

If he's given a choice, Penny prefers starting.

"I feel pretty good," said Penny, who was a combined 32-13 with the Dodgers in 2006-07. "I've been throwing for a while and I got up to 70-something pitches in my bullpens in the off-season before I got here. I just want to ease in. I don't want to do too much too early, get through these BPs and when the game comes I'll be ready to go."

A sore shoulder limited Albers to 8 appearances with the Astros last season, but the 32-year reliever pitched very well for the Red Sox and Diamondbacks in 2012 and for the Indians in '13.

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