Looks like Jon Lester introduced his cut fastball to his arsenal yesterday afternoon for the first time this spring, and the results were spectacular in a showdown with Johan Santanta: 4 innings, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts and a whole lot of evidence that Lester is that big, strong lefty turning into a man capable of winning 15-18 games in the next few years (possibly this year) that Sox pitching coach John Farrell and manager Terry Francona have been hinting at this spring.

It also looks like Lester could be sliding into that top spot in the season-opener in Japan against the Oakland A's, and perhaps -- Mother Nature willing -- Daisuke Matsuzaka would be ready for the second game in Tokyo. I think most people are ready to give the Sox a pass if they don't want to send a young ace experiencing back problems on a 17 hour flight back-and-forth to Japan -- and also a guy that hasn't more than a handful of innings in a pair of starts against Boston College and a 'B' game Twins lineup.

I was a little disappointed that SI didn't advance the story when they ran a recent feature on Sox prospective centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, but I guess the youngster is still a mystery to much of the country after his late season performance last year.

BTW, excellent story by my buddy Joe McDonald in the Providence Journalafter sitting down with Rhode Island native Rocco Baldelli, who shot down a grouping of bizarre rumors including that he had MS or a rare blood disorder that's chronically kept him out of the lineup over the last couple of years.

It's a bizarre story from Baldelli and it sounds all too familiar to me, as seven years ago I had Lyme Disease after hiking on the Appalachian Trail and both had no idea what was wrong with me and had doctors scratching their heads trying to figure it out. Worst feeling in the world. I'm just glad the guys in the white coats and the oversized salaries figured out what was going on with me, and I hope Rocco has the same kind of luck.

Anyway, be back later this afternoon with my Q and A with Chris Carter, who is tearing it up at spring training this season.

 

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