Sox pitcher Rodon practices patience after shoulder surgery

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Carlos Rodon is actually ahead of where he was at this time last spring.

While the rest of the Chicago White Sox's pitching staff got up on the mound and shook off the rust in the early days of the 2017 camp, Rodon stood on the sidelines and watched.

Rodon was able to gradually get up to speed last season, and he also made 12 starts for the Sox.

But the 25-year-old lefty never seemed to be quite right, and Rodon had arthroscopic shoulder surgery in late September.

Did he try to do too much last season before the shoulder gave out?

"I would say yeah," Rodon said. "Never really having a shoulder or arm issue, being young I wanted to get back on the mound and help my teammates. I maybe kind of forced the issue and went a little too quick."

Rodon is taking much smaller steps this spring, and he's encouraged by the throwing program he started in late January.

"It's going well," said Rodon, who for the first played catch on consecutive days Thursday. "Everything felt good. Just felt healthy - for once. Continue the throwing program and go from there. Another throwing program and see how it goes. Every two weeks revisit and go from there."

While he is still unsure when he can rejoin the White Sox's rotation, Rodon has no doubt he'll return at some point.

"Real confident," he said. "I can't tell you when but I will be back pitching for my teammates."

Welcome back:

A day after signing a minor-league contract, left-handed pitcher Hector Santiago was in the Sox's camp on Thursday.

"They're family," said Santiago, who pitched for the Sox from 2011-13 before being sent to the Angels in a three-team trade that brought back Adam Eaton. "The way they go about how they keep people here, there are a lot of people that have been here for a long time. It feels like a family. I come back here and the first time I walked in this morning, you feel like you're walking into your house."

Santiago has been a starter and reliever during his seven-year career. He's fine pitching in either role with the White Sox.

"When I was coming up here that's where I was at, kind of the long role in the bullpen and closing and then starting and then I was the short guy, the lefty specialist, so I did it all here," Santiago said. "Just kind of go about it and make sure I'm healthy. Make sure the arm's good. Obviously, I feel great so just kind of go about it and see what happens, see what their plan is. I'm ready to take over any role they need me to."

Opening nod?

James Shields is the veteran of the rotation now, and there is a good chance the 36-year-old righty starts Opening Day for the Sox, March 29 at Kansas City.

Shields actually was surprised the possibility came up so early in camp.

"I expect to be one of the starters, that's about it," he said. "My whole career, I've had a bunch of Opening Day starts but I'm just another pitcher on the staff and it's just another number to me."