NewsPeavy already eyeing 2010 with final start
Chicago (77-82) at Detroit (85-74), 6:05 p.m. CT
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com
10/01/09 8:57 PM ET
CLEVELAND -- With all due respect to rookie hurler Daniel Hudson, who has made quite a positive impression on the White Sox during his one-month big league stint, a collective round of applause could faintly be heard in Minneapolis when Jake Peavy was moved back to Friday's series opener at Comerica Park.Peavy will be followed by Freddy Garcia and John Danks for the White Sox last three games of 2009, whereas Peavy originally was going to start on Wednesday in Cleveland and Hudson would have worked Saturday in Detroit. But White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said his rotation change had nothing to do with the American League Central battle between the Tigers and Twins, a battle that could be over before Friday's first pitch.
"I'm going to move my players, or whatever I do, just for my ballclub," said Guillen, prior to Wednesday's doubleheader split with the Indians. "Not because I'm ruining it for anyone or rooting for anyone.
"To me, protecting my players is my priority. Peavy was not ready to go out there and give me the innings he should have. That's the reason we did it. I know people are going to [build] this into a big thing, but to me there's nothing more important than my ballclub."
It was just on Friday when Peavy made his second start at home for the White Sox and shut down the Tigers in a 2-0 victory. Peavy hurled seven scoreless innings, giving up six hits and striking out eight.
And Peavy working an airtight game such as he did was imperative, considering Eddie Bonine held the White Sox hitless for 5 2/3 innings. Edwin Jackson is scheduled as the opposing hurler for Detroit, and while Peavy is more concerned about his game than the opponent, he certainly doesn't mind the change of pitching venue.
"You know, obviously I have to worry about what I'm going to do out there," Peavy said. "But pitching in Detroit as opposed to Cleveland, there's obviously going to be quite a bit more adrenaline and energy in that ballpark than there is here.
"We have two teams playing it out who are a little frustrated with the year they had here in [at Progressive Field,] and then you go to where one team is hoping to celebrate. On our end, you see a team playing with the energy and passion Detroit is playing with because of what they have on the line. It raises our level of play, just like last Friday night."
In starts against the Royals and Tigers, Peavy has allowed three runs on nine hits in 12 innings. Although he is not nearly at the level of excellence he intends to be for the 2010 season, Peavy has fanned 13 and walked four after being away from the big league mound for more than three months due to a partially torn tendon in his right ankle and the after-effects of taking a line drive off of his pitching elbow.
Movement on Peavy's pitches has been present during his two White Sox starts. His primary offseason goal, though, is to build up that arm strength.
"This winter, I'm going to take some time, get healthy and let my body relax for a few weeks and then start working to getting back to the strength I'm used to having," Peavy said. "My arm strength is not anywhere close to where I want it to be and to maintain it through the season, but I enjoy getting to go out there to compete.
"Hopefully, we can end on a good note on Friday. The bottom line is I got out there and had some good side sessions and got to know my teammates and my catcher/pitcher relationship with A.J. [Pierzynski], which will carry over to next year. There are a lot of positives to take from this year, albeit a frustrating one."
A chance exists that the Tigers could be kings of the American League Central on Thursday. If they win that night's contest, then Friday's game figures to have quite a few Detroit reserves in the lineup following a division-clinching celebration.
Even with one victory by the Twins at Comerica Park, Minnesota will have a tough weekend's worth of work to force a division tiebreaker contest. But the Twins hope Peavy can help start them on the way to making up two games in three days.
"Some people say, 'Why you throwing Peavy when there is no reason?' There's a reason," Guillen said. "This guy wants to finish up well, finish this season strong."
"You saw how well the boys played [last Friday]," said Peavy of the extra intensity for matchup against Detroit. "We want to show them we are as good of a team as [they are]. We didn't have the year, but we feel like we are as good of a team as any team in the division."
Pitching matchupCWS: RHP Jake Peavy (8-6, 3.75 ERA)
On Friday night, Peavy outdueled Bonine, who took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning before surrendering a two-run home run to Gordon Beckham. On most nights, Bonine's effort would have been good enough, but Peavy completely shut down Detroit, allowing no runs on six hits in seven innings while striking out eight. It was Peavy's second successive victory since joining the White Sox rotation, and he owns a 2.25 ERA in those two outings. Peavy will be making his final 2009 start on six days' rest. DET: RHP Edwin Jackson (13-8, 3.36 ERA)
Just when Jackson seemed to be out of his September slump, on came the White Sox in the sixth inning on Sunday for three straight extra-base hits and three runs to take the lead. He ended up with five runs allowed over 6 1/3 innings to raise his September ERA to 5.08. His challenge to start October will be to make the adjustments to quiet the White Sox in the rematch at Comerica Park. Tidbits
Guillen lent his support to Chicago's 2016 Summer Olympics bid, a decision to be announced Friday in Coppenhagen. "I hope we get it," said Guillen. "We have a lot of stuff to be worried about, but whatever they need for the push to get the Olympics in Chicago, I will help. I did in the past. If they need me to continue to do it, I will do it. It's going to be something very interesting for the city. Very nice, very positive. I don't see why we couldn't get it." ... Guillen also weighed on the removal of Eric Wedge as Cleveland manager at the end of the 2009 season, announced prior to Wednesday's doubleheader. Guillen said that he was glad Wedge knew now about his future and didn't have to wake up every day and wonder if he was still employed. "I bet you he will get a shot somewhere else. This man did a lot of good things here in Cleveland," said Guillen of Wedge. "Like I said a couple days ago, it's easy to fire a couple of guys rather than look yourself in the mirror and say, 'Wow, the players didn't do it right.' There were a lot of things that worked against him -- players getting hurt, trades. I mean when you lose Victor [Martinez], [Cliff] Lee, Sabathia ... it's not easy managing with the ammunition they had. [Travis] Hafner didn't have a good year, [Grady] Sizemore got hurt, someone had to pay the price. Somebody had to be the face of the negative situation." Wedge served as one of Guillen's AL All-Star coaches during the 2006 All-Star Game in Pittsburgh. ... Catcher Tyler Flowers was struck on the left elbow by a Fausto Carmona pitch in the fourth inning in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader. Flowers exited the game in the bottom of the fourth, replaced by Ramon Castro, and was diagnosed with a left elbow contusion. ... Paul Konerko picked up his first stolen base of the season in the sixth inning of Game 2, and it was his first stolen base since Aug. 14, 2008. ... Dewayne Wise has 10 hits in his last 31 at-bats. Tickets
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• Saturday: White Sox (Freddy Garcia, 2-4, 4.78) at Tigers (Alfredo Figaro, 2-1, 5.74), 6:05 p.m. CT
• Sunday: White Sox (John Danks, 13-10, 3.69) at Tigers (Justin Verlander, 18-9, 3.45), 12:05 p.m. CT
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
