Congratulations go out to Jon Lester, who was honored by Major League Baseball with the Tony Conigliaro Award for 2007- which is given away every year to a ballplayer who has "overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage." I'd definitely say battling back from cancer to become a World Series clinch-winning pitcher in the space of just one year definitely qualifies.

Mike Lowell also won the Tony C Award back in 1999, which is a national award given away by MLB since 1990. Other notable winners? Jim Abbott, Bo Jackson, Bret Saberhagen.

"I didn't really realize the names that were on (the plaque) until the other day when (Red Sox media relations director) John Blake sent me an e-mail that I had received the award," Lester said. "Bo Jackson, Jim Abbott and obviously Mike Lowell, names like that. Obviously Jim Abbott had a lot to overcome when he was pitching. So it just fits. It's a good honor."

Jon spoke about the constant media focus on his cancer diagnosis and recovery- and his hope that someday that might not be the first thing people ask him about:

"I think I'm always going to have that title behind my name. It's going to be a question that comes up regardless, but hopefully, I can just go back to being me and being a normal pitcher and go out and pitch every five days and not have to worry about that, and get questions about my pitching ability rather than what happened last offseason. I know it's going to be a question, but hopefully, it will get few and far between."

His plans for the offseason?

"Eat -- a lot," said Lester, who is now at roughly 215 pounds. "That's kind of my main objective -- to eat a lot and gain some weight."

"It was just a constant, uphill battle to get that weight back, and like I said, the confidence in my body and my mechanics to feel comfortable out on the mound," said Lester. "I've always been able to throw my fastball by guys and do that, and now, this year, I couldn't do that because I didn't have that little extra at the end, and it showed because I wasn't striking guys out. [It was] more contact and pitching to bats. Hopefully next year I'll have that little extra like I did in September and October and be able to pitch a little bit better and go to my strengths more."

Jon has been in Boston this week with several other members of the pitching staff, in town from Atlanta, where he recently bought a new home. Lester was born and raised in Washington state, but has been down around Atlanta to go hunting with buddies, and really took to the area. J.D. Drew and Jason Varitek must be so proud to have another guy with Georgia ties on the Sox roster.

Here is some video of Jon with the plaque yesterday at Fenway Park- speaking about the award and his season this year: