First day a good one for White Sox’ Peavy
GLENDALE, Ariz. — It was the first day of camp for White Sox pitchers and catchers Thursday at Camelback Ranch, and Jake Peavy had to pass two eye tests.
The second attracted the most attention, as the Sox’ injured starter took the mound and threw roughly 40 pitches to catcher A.J. Pierzynski.
Suffice to say, the debut session went as well as possible.
“Just what I expected, because I’ve been on the mound before,” said Peavy, who has not pitched in a game since detaching the lat muscle behind his right shoulder in a July 6 start against the Los Angeles Angels.
“Just nice and easy. Nothing too much, just a good side session. Fastball, changeup, and the location was good.
“Just climbing like the other guys. It wasn’t any different than anyone else’s. It was just a nice and easy foundation.”
Before he took the mound to begin preparing for the upcoming season in earnest, Pena had his physical Thursday morning. That’s where the first eye test occurred.
“In his physical this morning, you can ask (trainer) Herm Schneider and you can ask Jake, I was standing right next to him and the four doctors that were examining him,” said Sox general manager Kenny Williams. “I have a little bit more medical knowledge than I had before the day started.”
Williams also had a change of heart Thursday morning when, along with manager Ozzie Guillen and the coaching staff, a decision was made to leave Chris Sale in the bullpen.
Previously, Williams said Sale was a candidate to move into the rotation if Peavy wasn’t ready for the April 1 season opener at Cleveland.
“I think many people may have thought the Will Ohman acquisition was to have a second lefty to then allow Sale to move into the (rotation), but no,” Williams said.
“I wanted three lefties (in the bullpen) because there are a few players in the division that really get on my nerves and I’m tired of watching them run around the bases. We’re going to give our guys the best opportunity to get them out starting early in the game.”
As for Peavy being able to break camp with the White Sox, it’s still way too early to make a prediction. But if first impressions mean anything …
“He sent me so many messages and he told me what to expect, so I guess I started to believe it,” Williams said. “He’s about right where everybody else is. and that’s what he said.
“But in my mind, there is still the time the body takes to heal. You can push and push and work out as much as you want, but there’s still a time period where your body has to heal. So that’s what I’m concerned with.
“And we have been told, just so everybody knows and it isn’t a big story, we have been told to expect a blip in his progress. We’ve been told it won’t be a major blip, but it will be a blip. With that said, let’s just let the natural course of events happen and then we’ll evaluate it.”
In addition to going through a grueling rehab program this off-season, Peavy also had to deal with his father’s ailing health. And his grandmother just passed away, so the right-hander is heading home to Alabama for the funeral.
Peavy expects to be back in camp for another throwing session Sunday.
If he continues making progress through the rest of spring, the target date for his return is April 10 — the first time the White Sox need a fifth starter.
“He hasn’t faced hitters for a little while,” Guillen said. “It’s going to be a long process. I hope I can shake his hand on Opening Day, but I don’t expect that.
“Do I want to? Yes. We all want that. But we have to be very careful and be sure what stage he really is. It’s not the same as throwing the ball or long toss when you have a hitter out there. It’s a little different.”