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| JOHN LESTER |
RED SOX : SPRING TRAINING 2014
March 6,2014.
BILL LANNO
THE RED SOCKS BLOG
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
We are approaching the final three weeks of 'Spring Training' and the Red Sox starting pitchers are getting ready for their first starts.
Since we haven't seen them in action yet, he is a brief recap of where they stand.
Jon Lester : Left-hander Jon Lester threw a 38-pitch, three-inning simulated game against Minor Leaguers back at the team's complex in Fort Myers, Fla., on Wednesday morning, while the team sent a contingent to face the Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium. He is set to make his Spring Training debut on Monday against the Rays, with manager John Farrell saying he would be on track to throw three to four innings and 55 to 60 pitches.He faced 13 minor-league hitters and allowed three runs (none earned) on five hits. There was one strikeout and one hit batter.
Lester faced Justin Henry, Carlos Rivero, Manuel Margot, Jesus Loya, and Kendrick Perkins.
Lester was held back a turn in spring training after making five starts and throwing 34.2 innings in the postseason. The simulated game was a way to ease the lefthander into action.
Lester understands why the team is being cautious. But he felt ready to go from the start of camp.
"I don't like to be put in a bubble like that," siad Lester. "Kind of restricted before anything starts, especially if there's no physical problems. Might as well go ahead and get after it and get ready for the season.
"Felt fine. Physically today is just getting through the first one. Get some innings and get ready for some real game action."
Lester threw his fastball, cutter, and curveball and mixed in two changeups.
"I ended up throwing everything," he said.
Pitching coach Juan Nieves said Lester would start against Tampa Bay on Monday.
"I thought he looked great," Nieves said. "The ball came out really well. The spin on the breaking ball was very sharp. Bottom line is, as long as they walk off the mound feeling healthy and not grabbing anything, they're fine."
Jake Peavy : Red Sox righthander Jake Peavy squeezed his injured left index finger into a glove this morning and threw 40 pitches in the bullpen.
But Peavy was not allowed to actually use his glove. Because of the heavy bandage on Peavy's finger, bullpen catcher Mani Martinez served as his valet and caught the ball for him.
Peavy accidentally cut his finger with a fishing knife Saturday, opening a wound that required minor surgery. Peavy said the blade actually hit the bone in his finger and sent blood spurting several feet. He will not lose any function in the finger but perhaps some feel because of nerve damage.
The more immediate problem is how to play catch. The finger still hurts and Peavy is not yet ready for the impact of the ball.
"I felt all right," he said. "Obviously it was a little difficult getting my hand in there. But once I got it in I felt fine. Catching the ball back, that's going to be the biggest thing.
"It was good to get the uniform on and get some work in. You don't want to take a step back."
Peavy missed his start Monday. The long bullpen session somewhat made up for that. Now the Red Sox have to figure out what comes next. Some sort of simulated game is likely.
"We just need to figure it out," Peavy said. "I really don't know what our timetable is."
The other issue is the possibility of infection. Peavy gets the dressing changed frequently and is taking antibiotics. If infection does set in, doctors have told him he would need intravenous treatment.
"The biggest thing holding me back is them worrying about any kind of sweat getting in it," Peavy said.
Peavy threw all 40 pitches from the stretch as he worked on his mechanics. He does not think he will have to start the season on the disabled list.
"I don't see that being a problem," he said. "I certainly don't foresee it going that long to where it affects [the schedule.] You can get some work in a controlled environment to get your arm speed up.
"If it came down to it, we could simulate a game environment and throw one or two less actual games and still be ready."
But Peavy was not allowed to actually use his glove. Because of the heavy bandage on Peavy's finger, bullpen catcher Mani Martinez served as his valet and caught the ball for him.
Peavy accidentally cut his finger with a fishing knife Saturday, opening a wound that required minor surgery. Peavy said the blade actually hit the bone in his finger and sent blood spurting several feet. He will not lose any function in the finger but perhaps some feel because of nerve damage.
The more immediate problem is how to play catch. The finger still hurts and Peavy is not yet ready for the impact of the ball.
"I felt all right," he said. "Obviously it was a little difficult getting my hand in there. But once I got it in I felt fine. Catching the ball back, that's going to be the biggest thing.
"It was good to get the uniform on and get some work in. You don't want to take a step back."
Peavy missed his start Monday. The long bullpen session somewhat made up for that. Now the Red Sox have to figure out what comes next. Some sort of simulated game is likely.
"We just need to figure it out," Peavy said. "I really don't know what our timetable is."
The other issue is the possibility of infection. Peavy gets the dressing changed frequently and is taking antibiotics. If infection does set in, doctors have told him he would need intravenous treatment.
"The biggest thing holding me back is them worrying about any kind of sweat getting in it," Peavy said.
Peavy threw all 40 pitches from the stretch as he worked on his mechanics. He does not think he will have to start the season on the disabled list.
"I don't see that being a problem," he said. "I certainly don't foresee it going that long to where it affects [the schedule.] You can get some work in a controlled environment to get your arm speed up.
"If it came down to it, we could simulate a game environment and throw one or two less actual games and still be ready."
John Lackey : Red Sox righthander John Lackey pitched for the first time in spring training this morning, going three innings in a minor league intrasquad game.
Lackey was perfect, retiring all nine hitters he faced and striking out six of them. He threw 36 pitches, all fastballs and a few changeups.
It certainly beat the alternative, which would have been a long bus ride across the state for the game against the Marlins.
"I just didn't want to go to Jupiter today to be honest with you," Lackey said. "It's a lot shorter trip here."
Lackey is scheduled to start on Tuesday against Miami at JetBlue Park.
"I felt good. Pretty much threw a lot of fastballs, trying to get that location to start off with," Lackey said. "Good place to start."
Lackey was coming of Tommy John elbow surgery when he reported to camp last season. Now he's pitching with much more peace of mind.
"Definitely just a lot different," he said. "Last year you kind of wondered how you were going to feel with the elbow more than trying to locate pitches. I was just trying to see how my elbow was going to feel more than anything."
Lackey had a strong season in 2013, going 10-13 with a 3.52 ERA over 29 starts and 189.1 innings. He was 3-1 with a 2.77 ERA in the postseason. He pitched a key inning of relief in Game 4 of the World Series then beat the Cardinals in Game 6, allowing one run over 6.2 innings.
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