McKnight: Peavy Just Dominates
By Connor McKnight--
CHICAGO (WSCR) Jake Peavy was brilliant Wednesday night. So brilliant that, after the game, he put his complete-game shutout of the Indians in perspective better than anyone.
"I walked off that same mound, the last time I pitched here, never [having] felt a worse pain ... in my life," Peavy said. "I knew something had turned loose in my arm and was down in my back. There was so much in jeopardy. You have a surgery that's deemed experimental? You just don't know where your career could go from there."
Peavy's night was dominant to say the least. Whether it was the cut-fastball making hitters look foolish or the splitter falling off the table, Peavy had it working.
That does not, however, mean he's all the way back. Not yet.
Manager Ozzie Guillen switched the order of his starters for Thursday and Friday (it's now Gavin Floyd then Phil Humber) just in case Peavy faltered Wednesday night. Humber, if Peavy had felt more like last season, would have been the long-man.
The team will still take precautions like that with Peavy. In fact, it's anyone's guess as to when he can actually be regarded as 100% healthy. Tonight, however, Peavy declared himself ready to pitch; especially coming out for the ninth inning.
"I just said [to Guillen], 'Hey, this is mine. This is my game.' And he said, 'Yeah, I'm not taking you out.' After 87 pitches last time I thought I might have to do some lobbying but I believe he knew what tonight meant to me, and our team as well."
Even though the Sox remain nine games behind the Indians—and six games under .500—Wednesday night did mean something. Whether it was that the Sox believe they're just as good as the Tribe, that they sent a message to the opposing dugout, or just that they have a real ace again, it doesn't matter.
What does is delivering that message again.
