Peavy throws without pain in 1st time back on mound

Jake Peavy started his White Sox career Sunday with a pain-free throwing session at U.S. Cellular Field in his first time on a mound in nearly two months.

Peavy, who is recovering from a torn tendon in his right ankle, went through his repertoire and felt a renewed confidence.

''The biggest thing was everything was pain-free,'' Peavy said. ''The ankle was a non-issue. I threw about 50 pitches and threw all my pitches, trying to get a feel to accelerate this thing as fast as we can to get back out there. Once again, you have to be smart about it. It was a good day.

''To get out there 100 percent and pain-free was an ease to my mind, knowing I can get on the mound and go through my normal mechanics and be pain-free. Now I can worry about getting my ankle strong enough to run and cut and field bunts, which shouldn't be a problem.

''The biggest thing from here on is getting the arm strength back to where it needs to be and then getting a feel for your pitches and throwing well. That takes some time. Hopefully, in the next three or four weeks, we can make that happen and get back out there.''

Peavy hadn't thrown from a mound since June 8, when he injured the ankle. He has been on the disabled list since. His foot cast came off two weeks ago.

Peavy was to return to his San Diego home later Sunday with a rehab program akin to spring-training work drawn up by the Sox coaches and medical staff.

Peavy had an easier day Saturday watching the Sox' 14-4 victory over the New York Yankees.

''It was fun to be back in a pennant race,'' Peavy said. ''The excitement in the ballpark and with the players. I'll take my chances with 14 runs.''

Peavy could face the Yankees if his timetable accelerates. The Sox visit New York on Aug. 28-30.

''That's the goal,'' manager Ozzie Guillen said. ''We look at the schedule and think that's the [series] we think he should be ready for. That's the biggest reason -- we have a tough schedule for the end of the season. Hopefully, he'll be there when we go there. I hope he'll be there before that, but that's what we're shooting for and that's what we should be doing when we go to Boston and New York.

''I've got a feeling he's going to be out on the field sooner than what we think. I don't know why, but the thing we have going on right now, I think he sees his teammates, the way we work here, how we have fun. In the meantime, when the game starts, everything is about the game.

''The good thing is it's not his arm. We have one of the best trainers [Herm Schneider] in the game. Our medical staff is very, very good, and that's one of the biggest reasons the organization took a shot at him. Hopefully, he'll be healthy as soon as possible.''