A happy, sad day for Peavy; rehab starts planned

SHARE A happy, sad day for Peavy; rehab starts planned

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Jake Peavy looked remarkably sharp during a 45-pitch stint on the back fields at Camelback Ranch on Tuesday morning. And he said he felt good, too.

The White Sox right-hander retired all 13 batters he faced, including Carlos Quentin four times — the first time on a three-pitch strikeout — and Ramon Castro once. The other batters he faced were minor-league players.

Peavy, who mixed in a fair share of breaking pitches, struck out the first two batters and three of the first four, and started his outing with eight consecutive strikes. It was his first mound appearance since he was sidelined by rotator cuff tendinitis after throwing 83 pitches in a Cactus League game against the Oakland A’s on March 19.

A side session on Sunday, followed by rehab starts on April 8 (75 pitches) and April 13 (90 pitches) at AA Birmingham or AAA Charlotte are planned, Peavy said. He added that he won’t be with the team for the home opener as he had hoped on April 7 to “cheer the boys on.”

“I felt OK, I really did,” Peavy said. “Here we go again. We tried it before, hopefully we can sustain it this time.

“With all of the treatment and the shoulder being through this one time it should be able to taxi that load a little better.”

Peavy pitched with the same passion he brings to real games. After missing with strike zone for the first time – on his ninth pitch — he yelled, “terrible!”

“I want to get outs,” Peavy said. “I wanted to make pitches today. I made a lot of good ones. I made some bad ones, but I when I play baseball I play one speed.”

The good command was an indication that his mechanics were rust-free.

“It’s always good to get people out,” Peavy said. “I feel fortunate to have not lost my feel.”

As teammates prepared to leave camp Tuesday for a final spring tuneup before Friday’s season opener in Winston-Salem, N.C., Peavy had mixed emotions. He was happy with how he threw the ball, sad to be left behind.

“It’s tough,” he said. “This was the first time I haven’t broken camp with a team so today is a tough day. I had my sights set on being on that plane with the boys today and making that start in Kansas City [April 6] and being one of the guys. So that’s tough.

“But I know what I need and what my body needs. I truly want to take the mound feeling healthy and being able to help this ballclub in a big way. I know I need a little more time to make that happen. I gave my word to [general manager Kenny] Williams and the rest of the staff that I wouldn’t do that till I was ready.

“It was a tough day but a motivating day as well.”

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