PEORIA, Ariz. -- If anything was meant to be decided on Sunday at Peoria Stadium in the great race for the fifth slot in the White Sox starting rotation between John Danks and Gavin Floyd, it wasn't.

"The race is still on," said pitching coach Don Cooper, between bites of cold pizza in the White Sox clubhouse after they outslugged the Padres, 14-7.

Danks, who heretofore had not allowed a homer this spring, allowed two -- to Adrian Gonzalez and Russell Branyan -- and was roughed up for nine hits and six runs before coming out with two outs and a runner on in a four-run Padres fourth inning. Floyd, who relieved Danks and pitched out of the inning, worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits.

But there's still a lot of Spring Training left, said manager Ozzie Guillen, who refused to budge about which pitcher will anchor the rotation behind Jose Contreras, Jon Garland, Mark Buehrle and Javier Vazquez.

Guillen wouldn't even commit to having that decision made before at least half of the White Sox break camp to play a split-squad game on March 29 against their Double-A affiliate in Birmingham, Ala. The remainder of the squad will play the Rockies in Tucson Electric Park that day.

"I don't know yet," Guillen said. "It's a tough position for us, because one day, we like one, and another day, we like the other one. Right now, it's too early to say that either guy has the edge. Danks is going to throw again, and the way Floyd threw today ...

"It's going to go all the way. I'd like to make that decision right now. I wish I could. This way, I don't have to answer the same question every day: Who's my fifth starter? But unfortunately, all those guys are throwing the ball pretty good."

From his point of view, Danks can throw the ball a lot better. He came into the game with a 2.00 ERA and a 1-0 record, and he left extending that record to 2-0, although his ERA jumped to 5.68.

"They told us the first day of camp that if you go out and have a bad one, you're not out of it," Danks said. "Obviously, that's very comforting, but by the same token, I was in a good position to pull ahead by a little bit. I think they don't have a choice except to let it go to the wire. I didn't help my cause today."

For his part, Floyd came into the game with an 0-1 record and an 8.38 ERA. He left with his ERA having dropped almost two full runs to 6.43. But this was the first time in four spring appearances he didn't make the start.

"It's just the way it fell," he said. "They are giving everybody an opportunity to show what they have starting. I think I have been pretty consistent with how I feel and my stuff, so I'm pretty happy about that. It's crazy -- [late March] has come pretty quickly. I just keep focusing on what I can do -- go out there and compete. You are competing against the other team, and that's all that matters. And hopefully, everything falls into place."

Cuts coming: Guillen said that he expects to make many roster cuts on Tuesday when the team plays the A's in Phoenix. The Sox currently have 40 men in camp, and Guillen said that he plans for the team to get down to the fighting size of about 28, three more than the Sox will carry into the regular-season opener on April 2 at home against the Indians.

Good news from Tucson: Closer Bobby Jenks and outfielder Scott Podsednik were left behind to work out with the Minor Leaguers.

Jenks, who had some shoulder tightness earlier in camp, worked two innings against Minor League Rockies at the Hi Corbett Field complex, allowing three hits and one run.

"I've got to get him a couple of two-inning outings," Cooper said. "We missed a week due to his [shoulder tightness] early. What we do know with Bobby is that when the bell rings, like last year, he certainly was ready. And we've got time enough to get him on track."

Podsednik, who is still recovering from sports hernia surgery in January, played against various levels of Colorado Minor Leaguers, went 0-for-7 and pinch-ran for Jim Thome.

"I felt good," Podsednik said. "No complications, no repercussions. As far as the operation goes, I'm pretty much trying to put it behind me. I'm getting there. I didn't get a lot of good results, but I felt pretty comfortable."