Jake Peavy Says He Is Run Down; White Sox Need to Shut Him Down

Jake Peavy admitted after the Chicago White Sox's 7-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday that he is feeling run down 13 months removed from major shoulder surgery.  This admission came on the heels of allowing six runs in the first inning, a deficit his teammates could not overcome. 

Peavy has been the focus of White Sox fans' angst since Kenny Williams acquired him in a last-minute trade deadline deal in 2009 with the San Diego Padres.  Peavy was on the DL with a heel injury when he came to Chicago and worked his way back to make four quality starts at the end of the season.  Then last July his latissimus dorsi muscle detached from behind his right shoulder and he was lost for the season.

His unprecedented surgery to reattach the muscle to his shoulder was a success and The Jakemeister was back on the bump in spring training ahead of schedule and, according to him, ready to contribute to the 2011 White Sox season.  And therein lies what the biggest problem the club should have with Jake Peavy. 

Throughout his career, Peavy has showed an unwillingness to admit injury before taking the field.  He knew going into Wednesday's game against Minnesota that he wasn't feeling right.  Physically and mentally he isn't where he needs to be.  "I can’t wait to get to the winter," he said. "I talked to the doctors this morning. I've been going as hard as I could possibly go since August of last year with rehab and starting a throwing program."

The fact that these words came out of Jake Peavy's mouth with his team fighting to make the playoffs is all Ozzie Guillen should need to shut him down the rest of the season.  Peavy likes to point out that he is a competitor and likes to compete and give every start his all, that he held his head up after this start because he kept going out there even with getting booed off the mound after that horrendous first inning. 

But for every time he says he is a fighter, all his teammates will hear is what he said after the game, "I'm run down," he said. "I'm ready to finish these last few starts strong and when the offseason does roll around to regroup and have a normal one." 

These are words of a man that is ready for the season to end and knows that he has nothing left in the tank.  Ozzie cannot keep giving Peavy the ball every fifth or sixth game at the most crucial time of the season.  The White Sox are six games behind the first place Detroit Tigers; September is here and the percentages of making the playoffs are getting slimmer by the day. 

The best move for the White Sox is to shut Jake Peavy down for the rest of the season and give his body and mind extra time to heal.  He will only be a detriment to the team's chances at winning the AL Central if he is allowed to finish out the year. 

If the White Sox are to go on a run in the final month of the season and claim the AL Central title, they will need five starting pitchers that are of full mind and body and will not sacrifice the success of their team for the sake of their ego.