Four words that have to end some restless nights on the South Side: “I can get better.”
That’s what Jake Peavy was insisting on Tuesday, a day after he threw seven scoreless innings, fanning nine and walking one.
The way Peavy sees it, rock bottom is now behind him.
“I’ve never thought about having a month like that,” the right-handed ace insisted on Tuesday, a day after picking up his first win of the season. “I don’t think I’ve had one season where I’ve given up more five or so runs in any more than one start. To do it … give up five, then seven a couple times. It’s unbelievable. Almost to the point where you have to try and be – things just have to be going that bad.
“I mean I had outings where I walked seven guys [last month]. I have no explanation when I came and talked to [the media] after the game, and really I was at a lost for words because I never thought I could do that in my career. If you would have told me I was going to go out there and walk seven guys, I would tell you that you lost your mind. I would bet everything I could. So yeah, it was frustrating to go through that, and especially when the team was going through it. Hopefully that’s behind us now.
“I can get better – location-wise, I’m going to get better. I was myself [Monday] night. I was throwing 92-95 mph, had good breaking balls and was aggressive.”
The next step for Peavy? Duplicating it. He will get that opportunity against Toronto over the weekend. The same Jays team that battered him for seven runs on eight hits on April 12.
“[Monday] night, I just had good stuff, did what I know I can do,” Peavy added. “That’s something I’ve done my whole career, every couple times out there. That’s not being arrogant, being cocky, I just know what I can do when I’m out there.”
As far as manager Ozzie Guillen was concerned, the hope is that Monday was a date that will be circled in the calendar. The day the Sox can say that’s when Peavy got it going.
“I hope for him,” Guillen said. “Sometimes no matter how good you are, when you don’t start good, you start to put doubts in yourself. ‘Can I do this? If I’m good enough. If I get paid to do this and how long am I going to be doing this and how long am I going to be talking to the media about this.’ For us it was great. I think for him it was more important to see him do what he does best. I think hopefully it will be the beginning of a good season for him.”
