Adam Hoge: Peavy Is As Healthy As He Is Going To Get

[DewsSox79]

By Adam Hoge-

CHICAGO (CBS) It appears 2012 might be do or die for Jake Peavy as a starter.

The right-hander is now 18 months removed from significant surgery to repair a torn lat muscle in his back and, after failing to make it all the way through the 2011 season, Peavy is about as healthy as he going to get.

“I’m as 100 percent as I can be,” he said at SoxFest Friday. “I don’t know if I’m 100 percent of what I was three or four years ago, but that’s still left up in the air. I’m as 100 percent as 100 percent is going to get after what I’ve had done.”

Peavy is clearly frustrated with how his career with the White Sox has gone, admitting that he came to the White Sox injured and has pretty much had something hurting ever since.

So now, as Peavy starts the 2012 season as healthy as he has been in black pinstripes, he’s hopeful he can finally put together a strong season.

“The hope I draw from is a couple times last year I did that,” he said. “I can vividly remember that Cleveland start, that second start back, feeling like I possessed what I did in the past and I did that. And in that relief appearance, I felt as good as I’ve ever felt on the mound there. I just wasn’t able to sustain that and bottle any of that up and recover.”

Recovering and maintaining that strength will now be the challenge and many critics believe that Peavy could benefit from a change to his approach. Known as a maximum effort guy, Peavy appears to put everything into every pitch. One can only wonder if that has led to his injury problems, which, by the way, haven’t really included any arm problems.

Don’t count on Peavy reinventing himself though.

“I certainly don’t want to,” he said. “I want to be able to do what I did in the past or at least come back to that. That’s what I know, that’s who I am.”

It’s clear that Peavy still believes he can be the Cy Young winning pitcher he used to be, despite admitting he won’t ever be as healthy as he was in those days. That could have him set up for one last do-or-die year as a starter. It’s either going to work or not.

And if it doesn’t work, will he make a permanent switch to the bullpen?

“I think that’s something we’re going to address, I hope down the road,” Peavy said. “I want to be a starter. I want to throw 200 innings and I want to make 30 starts. Anything less would be a disappointment.”

SoxFest Notebook: Peavy As Healthy As He’s Going To Get

[Uman85]

Cy Young!

[DewsSox79]

no. but he is on a walk year. im sure he will do everything he can to stay in the rotation and not go to the pen

[Uman85]

Originally Posted by DewsSox79

no. but he is on a walk year. im sure he will do everything he can to stay in the rotation and not go to the pen

As long as he stays healthy and produces up to his potential, I'll take it.

[TheChicagoFan]

You gotta give him a little break. He suffered an injury that not many other people have ever experienced. He probably came back too soon, but now that he's 100% he has to prove himself.