CENTER FIELD :: Jonny B. Goode

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Jonny B. Goode

Seems like someone is awful excited to get the 2008 baseball season underway...

Jon Lester is already in Ft. Myers-- he reported for spring training a full ten days in advance of the official date for Sox pitchers and catchers to report. A bulked-up Jon (he's now up to 225 pounds (!) after reporting at 190 last year) was at the Sox spring training complex yesterday, and threw a bullpen session of about 35 pitches.

"It's been a habit for me since probably about '04. It just feels weird not getting down here early. I like to get a head start and get used to the sun and get used to running outside and the grass and getting up early and all that stuff."

And unlike last year at this time -- when Lester's comeback from cancer was one of the biggest stories of camp -- the left-hander is a story for baseball reasons only this spring.

"I had a full offseason this year to work out and didn't have any [chemotherapy] drugs going through me," said Lester. "I feel good. I just put on a little weight -- I'm about 225 now. Hopefully, I can maintain it and not lose it the first week I'm down here in the sun. Maybe [I'll] be a little stronger for the long haul this year."

I know I just named Sean Casey my Baseball Boyfriend of the Day back on Friday, but any player who is as jazzed as I am to get rolling on '08 snatches away Baseball Boyfriend honors automatically.

Comments (8)

[ Liza ] says:
on February 5, 2008 6:13 AM

Aww. I love this kid. I'm so happy he's not on the other side of Fort Myers now.

I also love the line about Tito: "I hope they re-sign him -- I hope they lock him up for the rest of his life."

[ sda ] says:
on February 5, 2008 6:50 AM

Been waiting for this since the boys got down off the Duck Boats after the victory parade. Let the spring training stories begin. Here's to another great year!

[ Margaret ] says:
on February 5, 2008 7:32 AM

What a great spirit---acknowledging the wonderful feeling of being able to run around in the sun without chemo drugs in his system.

That is just so genuine and shows such a great attitude, and I don't get into the sentimental stuff very easily.

He's earned Baseball Boyfriend honors, TG.

Also--especially since he mentioned cancer--any pro ballplayer photographed chewing GUM gets a big hug from me. Heck, it doesn't even have to be sugar-free.

[ fc ] says:
on February 5, 2008 8:37 AM

"I don't want to leave Boston. It's a great place to play. No other place is like it."

Awwwwww.

[ Margaret ] says:
on February 5, 2008 9:26 AM

Something I wonder about:

Do the players say such nice things about Boston for PR points or because they actually love playing here? Is there really no other place like it or is that just a suggested soundbite that the fans would love to read?

I mean, sometimes when they mention the "best fans in baseball" I get the sense that I'm being appeased.

And when Paps said to those NESN tools that thing about learning not just baseball, "but Red Sox baseball, which is entirely different"... I don't know, do we think it's contrived?

I'd love to believe the players are being genuine, but I also know the demands of the fans and I wonder if this is part of the media coaching. Any thoughts?

[ fc ] says:
on February 5, 2008 12:55 PM

Margaret, you evil cynic. ;)

Baseball makes me a wide-eyed little kid. I mean, could little Johnny Lester lie to us?

Seriously, I'm sure some of this goes on but I really do believe that some of these comments are genuine. I mean, Paps is full of sh*t at least half the time so who knows about anything he says, but something about Lester's expression of relief at not being traded rings true to me. And when Mikey Lowell talks about the "incredible" fanbase that "embraced" him, I buy it. And Tek's numerous 'thank you's' to "generations" of fans? C'mon, does that man do anything but sincere?

I Call me naive. I'm cool with that.

[ Margaret ] says:
on February 5, 2008 1:19 PM

Yeah I know, I'm really pretty much horrible for asking, but I genuinely wanted to know, especially after Tito told that reporter how much the fickle fans really bothered him.

And I also am inclined to believe that Jacoby Ellsbury's mother doesn't get media training, and SHE was happy, so there's that.

I also liked Mike Lowell's statement about how with the Marlins, they wanted to play to sold-out stadiums every single game and for fans that really cared and were very knowledgeable--and that kind of comment is not easy to fake, since it does involve the opinions of other people.

But yes, I am a cynic. While I believe people saying they're happy to be here, I just smirk when they say that the fans are the 10th man on the field... I don't know. It sounds overly sentimental to me.

[ fc ] says:
on February 5, 2008 1:56 PM

I was thinking of Tito's comment, too. It broke my heart just a little bit. I want him to believe in us.

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