Spring Training Notes

We savvy baseball fans here in The Nation all know that the scores & stats from spring training games are about as meaningless as a as a claim of paternity in the Anna Nicole case. That's why we must read between the box scores to see what's really going on with our Sox as the spring heats up and the starting 25 rounds into shape.

Here's a rundown of some Grapefruit League goings on as Boston sports a 1-4 record (who cares?!)after today's loss to the Dodgers:

-Schill's experiment with new pitch looks good in his second outing
The Globe's Nick Carfado reports that Shill threw 9 or ten of the "new change ups" the 40-year old is experimenting with in yesterday's 3 1/3 innings of work in a 6-1 win over the Twins. Schill is learning the new pitch in an effort to broaden his pitching repertoire as he advances in age, a la Pedro Martinez or Roger Clemens. And it probably won't hurt Curt's efforts to enhance his chances of signing one more big contract before he retires, whether it's with Boston or elsewhere.

-Future (?) closer hammered while former closer excels

Free agent acquisition Joel Pineiro, a.k.a The Man Who Could Be The Closer, got roughed up by the Phils Saturday in his second appearance for the Sox, while last year's stopper, Jonathan Papelbon had a stellar debut as he prepares for his new role as a starter.

Pineiro faced 10 batters and allowed four runs on four hits and two walks, including a 2-run homer to the immortal Greg Dobbs and an RBI double to Aaron Fence Face Rowand. The interesting part about the former Seattle starter's situation is that he can make some serious cash in Boston if he becomes the team's closer; the scenario is detailed in this Gordon Edes piece.

Another interesting tidbit gleaned from the article is the part where Pineiro raised a question about why Francona threw him for more than one inning, believing the tobacco-free skipper was going to "build up his arm strength". My initial impression of this situation: Pineiro is too thin-skinned to make it as a close in Boston, and the complexity of his incentive-laden contract could serve as a detriment to his development in the role.

Meanwhile Papelbon showed no ill effects of last year's season-ending shoulder injury in his spring debut. He pitched two innings, the 3rd & 4th, and allowed no runs while striking out 4 of his 6 opponents, including reigning MVP Ryan Howard in the 3rd with some nasty high cheese.

The 26-year-old has started previously in his baseball career, in high school college, and even early on with the Sox, so his transition to the rotation is more based on the health of the shoulder than his ability to adjust to the change.

But the development of these two hurlers, both central figures in Boston's bid to find a new closer, will be one of the biggest stories to keep track of in the weeks and months to come.

-Lester pitches today for the first time since cancer diagnosis
On a back field in a "B" game against spring training scrubs in front of 200 or so non-paying customers, one of the greatest stories of the season had another chapter written.

In what has to be THE best story of the spring & the regular season for any team anywhere, Boston's Jon Lester took the mound today for the first time since being diagnosed with large-cell lymphoma last August.

After six rounds of chemo, Lester was declared cancer-free by his doctors in January, and the 23-year-old lefty reported to training camp two weeks early to get ready for his return to action.

Today that return was completed as Lester started the "B" game against the Twins in The Fort.The fact that Lester threw only eight pitches, six fastballs for strikes and two curves in the dirt, while facing just three batters in reaching his 1-inning limit was inconsequential. The fact that Jon Lester was able to stand on a ball field under the South Florida sun and enjoy doing what he does best while his friends and family are able to watch him do so is something that transcends wins, losses, and stats.

Welcome back, Jon.