Sox Sunday recap: All about Peavy, pitching

"I had to treat it like a game," Peavy said. "I wasn't going through the motions in the bullpen. I was putting a little something on it, and hitters were swinging the bat. They could hit the ball back at you with no screen, so you had to be prepared."

The Sox considered pushing Peavy's work back to Monday in either a B game against the Los Angeles Dodgers or against Seattle, but they elected to keep Peavy on his normal schedule.

"The bottom line is getting the arm work in. the intensity for me, getting locked in, the focus to take it as if I was in the game," Peavy said. "The hitters in there swinging the bat make a big difference. I told (pitching coach) Don Cooper I don't want a bullpen coach standing in like a hitter. I want a guy in there to swing the bat. And if I throw a bad pitch he can hit one right off my head. I want to make it as game-possible as we could in the cage, and that's what we did. I made some good pitches and made some bad pitches, but overall, first time out I'm happy."

Peavy will make his next start Friday against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe, one day after he performs at his first Woodjock 2010 charity concert in Scottsdale. Peavy was practicing a few notes on the guitar before his simulated game.

Matt Thornton and several of the relievers who were scheduled to pitch against the Cubs will pitch in Monday's B game against the Dodgers. Reliever Scott Linebrink, who has been coping with a nasal infection, will pitch either against the Dodgers or Seattle in the regularly scheduled game.

After allowing two runs on two hits and two walks in one inning Saturday, closer Bobby Jenks admitted "if you're going off numbers in spring training, I wouldn't be here," Jenks said. "They don't count."

Jenks said he was working primarily the outside corner to right-handed hitters. He is scheduled to pitch Tuesday against San Francisco at Scottsdale.

"We are now on the track and we are moving along with him," pitching coach Don Cooper said. "Another word I'll throw out there about Bobby is every spring training people are always concerned about Bobby. Is he in shape or this or that? What we do know from every spring training since he's been here from 2005 is that when the bell rings, he's ready to go."

Weather permitting, Monday marks another important day for the pitchers competing for the 12th spot on the opening day roster. Freddy Dolsi is one of six pitchers scheduled to pitch in the B game.

Daniel Cabrera and Sergio Santos, who struck out three Angels in one inning in his exhibition debut Thursday, are scheduled to pitch against Seattle. Left-handers Randy Williams, who also pitched impressively against the Angels, and Erick Threets also will pitch against the Mariners.

"We look at everybody," Cooper said. "I look at what everybody is doing. B games matter just as much as A games. It counts. They know that because we've told them that. People are making impressions every time out, and the competition has begun.

Manager Ozzie Guillen and Cooper will go to Las Vegas when the Sox open a two-game series against the Cubs starting Friday night. Among the players they'll bring along to evaluate will be Dolsi, Carlos Torres, Greg Aquino, Jeff Marquez, Santos and Jhonny Nunez.

Veterans Paul Konerko, Omar Vizquel, Mark Teahen, Andruw Jones, Mark Kotsay and Juan Pierre will make the trip.