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TORONTO -- As written, the Official Rules of Baseball can occasionally be difficult to decipher, the language convoluted and the logic difficult to follow.

This was not one of those times. The rule is 5.09. The relevant subsection is (b). It states:

"The ball becomes dead and runners advance one base, or return to their bases, without liability to be put out when (b) the plate umpire interferes with the catcher's throw attempting to prevent a stolen base or retire a runner on a pick-off play; runners may not advance."

What does all that have to do with Boston's 9-7 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays here Tuesday night? Plenty, as it turns out.

Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia said that when he cocked his arm to make a bases-loaded throw to first base in the third inning, his elbow struck the mask of plate umpire Clint Fagan. The ball sailed well beyond the reach of Sox first baseman Mike Napoli, two runs scored on the play, and eventually so did a third.

The play did not decide the game. The Sox eventually wiped out that 4-0 deficit and took a 7-6 lead before falling 9-7 to the Blue Jays. But Saltalamacchia admitted afterward that had he known the rule, he wouldn't have let the play go unchallenged.

"My elbow hit the umpire's mask, which I've done in the past, but no one has ever said anything, so I didn't make a stink about it because I didn't really know the ruling on it," Saltalamacchia said. "Now I know, once it hits his mask it's got to be a dead ball.

"It definitely hit, but [that is] part of the game, apparently."

Saltalamacchia said he discussed the play with Fagan after manager John Farrell had gone out to discuss the play in between innings with the umpire. Farrell said he didn't realize immediately what had happened.

"Not immediately at the time," Farrell said. "It was a bang-bang play, a quick reaction play on his part, and then after thinking the direction of the ball, Salty's a little more accurate than that. And that's when, after the inning, I asked [Fagan] what he had on the play, and he said he thought his elbow hit him after [Saltalamacchia] threw the ball and he was recoiling. He didn't see it the way we saw it."

Farrell relayed to Saltalamacchia the umpire's version, that the Sox catcher had hit the mask on his follow through.

"Kind of impossible," Saltalamacchia said. "I tried to tell him that. He said, "Well, I thought you did.' I told him that when my arm is going back I felt it hit you. At that point, I was already getting ready to go forward, and I couldn't hold up."

Saltalamacchia said the same thing has happened in "spring training, big league games. Mainly it's the backpick to first. You jump up real quick. He's trying to see the pitch all the way in, and [the arm] hits his mask. Usually, I'm able to kind of stop. But at that point, I was trying to get the backpick and get an out for Jonny [Lester]."

The umpire didn't say anything immediately after the play, Saltalamacchia said; not that he was obliged to.

"I didn't hear anybody say anything. Like I said, if I had to do it all over again, I definitely would have made a stink about it and got us at least a try at it."

Making it even more aggravating for the Sox catcher, he thought the play had a chance to work, too. Jose Bautista, who was on first base, had taken a big lead.

"He was getting off pretty good," Saltalamacchia said. "He didn't start heading back until I was ready to throw it. So I think we probably had a good shot at him."

BOSTON -- Jon Lester once flirted with a Cy Young Award. He was mildly in the mix in 2010 and certainly addressed a few questions about his chances at winning 20 games and factoring in the voting for postseason awards late that season. Ever so humbly, he brushed aside the inquiries and then had a miserable outing in his season finale in Chicago, thereby sinking his chance at 20 wins and destroying his opportunity to take home the top pitching prize (he finished fourth in the voting).

Thus far in 2013, Lester is again mixing it up with Cy Young, only this time in another way. And each time he has come out on top.

Lester, who has already outdueled former Cy Young Award winners CC Sabathia and R.A. Dickey, outlasted 2012 American League winner David Price on Saturday in a scintillating duel at Fenway Park, which was treated to a 2-1 Red Sox win in 10 innings. Boston's ace lowered his ERA to 1.42, which is more than seven runs lower than it was after three starts in that 2010 run.

Of course, nobody needs to talk postseason awards in April, but it is clear that Lester is getting the better of those who know what it takes to win such honors. He and Price both got no-decisions Saturday, but Lester he is absolutely carrying the Sox, who are 3-0 in his starts and 3-4 in all other games.

Manager John Farrell insists he sees no difference in Lester based on the opposing pitcher, but the southpaw allowed himself to admit to a slightly altered mindset when someone like Sabathia, Dickey or Price is on the other side.

"It's in the back of my mind that I've got to keep these guys close," he said.

That's just what he did Saturday after a somewhat auspicious beginning. Lester walked the second batter of the game, allowed two hits in the second and gave up a base hit and an RBI double to begin the third. From then on he was virtually unhittable, retiring 12 straight after the Rays' only run. Of Lester's last 10 outs, seven came on the ground, two were strikeouts and one was a weak pop to second. The only man to reach in that span was Yunel Escobar, who singled to start the seventh. Lester needed just four more pitches to end that inning, getting a quick double play and an inning-ending groundout on the first pitch to Jose Molina. One hundred pitches, a handshake in the dugout and Lester was done.

"An outstanding effort," Farrell said.

After a year in which innings often went from bad to worse for Lester, he impressed his new manager by composing himself after the early run, making an alteration and then beginning to dominate.

"I thought Jon Lester made a very good adjustment about the fourth inning, and he did an excellent job today for us," Farrell said.

The explanation of that adjustment entailed a lot of pitcher speak from Farrell, who discussed Lester's ability to "use his arm side" and "get back downhill." When the man who served as Lester's pitching coach in 2010 discusses such matters, and Lester produces such results, it is easy to see how Farrell's presence -- which many thought would elevate Lester back to an elite level -- is making an impact.

In 19 innings, Lester has struck out 18 and walked just three. He has yet to give up a home run after serving up a career-high 25 last year, and has allowed opponents to score in just two of those 19 frames.

Maintaining such a pace is not likely. If he did it, Lester certainly would field a few late-season questions about his Cy Young Award candidacy. For now, he's happy just beating up on the other contenders.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- It had been assumed, and now it’s official: Jon Lester will be the Opening Day starter when the Red Sox face the Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Monday.

“The way he was lined up, he was probably targeted all along,” manager John Farrell said Wednesday, “but at the same time, we didn’t want that to be a focal point. His work that was needed and the adjustments he has continued to reinforce and repeat on the mound were the priorities, and we felt like it was important to focus on the needs of spring training for every pitcher, including Jon.”

Farrell said Lester has reverted back to the delivery that made him a dominant pitcher for four years before his ERA blew up to 4.82 last season, when he gave up 216 hits in 205 1/3 innings and had his lowest strikeout total since 2008.

This spring, Lester is tied with Seattle’s Brandon Maurer for the lowest ERA (0.90), has given up just six hits in 20 innings, and has a MLB-leading WHIP of 0.50.

“He’s executed pitches with a consistency we’ve seen before, which made him one of the top left-handers in the game,” Farrell said. “He’s had a very strong spring training.”

In the past, it was regarded as “Josh Beckett’s rotation” -- a nod to his experience and accomplishments. With Beckett now in Los Angeles, is this now “Lester’s rotation”?

Not necessarily, Farrell said.

“A lot is made of an Opening Day assignment,” he said. “For everybody on a major-league roster, that’s a special day in and of itself. Once we get past that, it’s maybe a cliché, but the guy who walks to the mound is our No. 1 starter. We don’t want to lose the importance of the five guys in the rotation, and yet Jon has been in the discussion of a very select group of pitchers in the major leagues, and he’s pitching like that again.

“We have a pretty varied group in the rotation. I think each shows their leadership by their work routine and how they go out and compete, and the priority they place on the role that they have. I can’t say it’s because Jon is starting on Monday that he becomes a different person in the clubhouse. I think that would be pretty unrealistic. But he’s five or six years into his big-league career and he’s more than capable of that responsibility of being an Opening Day starter.”

Farrell said Clay Buchholz and Ryan Dempster will follow Lester in the series in New York, then Felix Doubront and John Lackey will go in Toronto.

The Red Sox have the lowest ERA (3.95) and WHIP (1.27) of any team in spring training -- which Farrell attributes to health, the pitchers’ willingness to embrace some of the suggestions the new staff has offered, and the input of pitching coach Juan Nieves.

“I think that’s shown up in some positive results that reinforce that -- whether that’s working a little bit quicker or whether that’s some of the individual adjustments guys are taking to the mound and repeating,” he said. “Our rotation is going to give us an element of consistency, and that comes every single night. You can’t stress that importance enough. That has to become a cornerstone of this team because it will take us a long way in how deep we go in this season in contention.

“Juan has done an excellent job. Juan’s a very good pitching coach. He’s got lot of experience first-hand as an elite pitcher in his own right, yet his career was cut short because of injury. He’s a great communicator. He’s genuine. Pitchers know that he cares about them and is there at any time of day for them. Because of that genuineness, that trust is being built by the day.”

Other takeaways from Farrell’s media session:

* He said the organization is still “working through” a decision on whether Jackie Bradley Jr. will open the season in the big leagues.

“We’d probably like to have some sense of who our 25 guys are going to be by the end of day tomorrow,” Farrell said. “We just want to be fair to all that are going north that they have a couple of days to prepare themselves.”

* Jacoby Ellsbury, who sprained his ankle Sunday, will be kept out of today’s game as a precautionary measure. Farrell said Ellsbury is expected to be back in the lineup Thursday, along with Shane Victorino (right wrist).

* David Ortiz hit Wednesday morning and Farrell said he is “making solid process in terms of increasing his activity. There will be agility work on the field as well. He’s feeling pretty good right now. He’s done some straight-ahead running, so part of that agility program will be change of direction. He’s feeling like he can progress from hitting in the cage to hitting off the machine to getting on the field today with the normal group.”

* Farrell said that he has not ruled out a minor-league game for shortstop Stephen Drew, still recovering from a concussion.

“Based on how he felt this past Sunday, that seemed to be in line, but yet there were recurring minor symptoms and we have to let that clear up,” Farrell said. “He feels improved today. What’s been happening is he’ll have those feelings at night after a full day of activity, and sometimes it extends into the following day. When that occurs, it’s obvious things are not back to complete 100 percent. It does vary at times.”

Farrell said that Drew and Ortiz are likely to head north with the team, while pitchers Franklin Morales and Craig Breslow will likely remain in Fort Myers.

* Catcher Ryan Lavarnway was optioned to Triple-A, and pitchers Anthony Carter and Jose De La Torre were reassigned to minor-league camp.

Farrell on Lavarnway: “Right now, he needs everyday at-bats. He has come back in at a weight that is more consistent with his in the past, and overall strength. I thought he did a very good job with the catching side of the game. His transfer and footwork are much improved. He threw out (Minnesota’s) Ben Revere the other day on a release time from the pitcher that was average, yet we had him 1.9 (seconds) at the plate, which is more than acceptable at the big-league level. The emphasis this spring training was on the defensive side, yet we’ve known him to be an offensive player. When those two parts of his game are aligned, he’s a major-league player.”

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Jon Lester insists that his calendar remains open on April 1.

"I know we're in New York," he says.

Lester says there have been no texts, no phone calls, no conversations, no white smoke billowing from the Sox clubhouse at the Jet informing him that he has an appointment in the Bronx to pitch against the New York Yankees that day. He swears it with a face straighter than Stephen Colbert talking about Paul Ryan.

Lester has started the last two Opening Days for the Red Sox. No Sox pitcher has started as many as three in a row since Pedro Martinez was handed the ball seven straight times in the opener (1998-2004). The last Sox lefty to throw three openers in a row was Mel Parnell, and that was nearly 60 years ago (1952-54).

Lester is pitching on a five-day schedule, meaning his final action in camp comes Wednesday in what is expected to be an abbreviated tune-up here against the Miami Marlins. Even arithmetically challenged sportswriters, though they may have to employ the digits on their hand, can figure out that five days after that is April 1.

But to get either manager John Farrell or Lester to admit the lefty will be pitching that day is a fool's errand.

"You guys know anything?" Lester said after throwing 100 pitches over 5 1/3 innings in a minor league game here Friday afternoon. "I have not been told anything. I'm looking to Wednesday, go from there. I'm sure you'll find out before I do what's going on."

Is it possible that Lester is withholding information? This is a man, after all, who prior to the 2011 season received a text message over the winter while in a deer stand from then-manager Terry Francona, informing him that he would pitch the opener. He then professed ignorance until Francona made it official on St. Patrick's Day.

"I had to on that one," Lester said. "Tito told me on that one. I honestly haven't heard anything. I just know my schedule. That's it."

No one has yet to unearth the documentation that would prove the Sox of willful deceit, even as the manager's lips remain sealed.

"I think he's just messing with you all," Lester said. "I think he just doesn't want to tell anybody."

And until Farrell does, Lester isn't talking, either.

So for now, the Sox starter on April 1 is someone you all know and love: The ubiquitous TBA.

In case it should be Lester, we can tell you that he made it through the first four innings Friday on one single while striking out five. He was touched up for a couple of runs in the fifth, and came out with one out in the sixth after his 100th pitch. The line: 4 H, 2 ER, 1 B, 7 K's. That's on top of the 0.90 ERA he has from his five starts in big league exhibitions.

The most positive development of his spring, he said, has been his ability to live at the bottom of the strike zone with his fastball.

"That's the biggest thing for any pitcher," he said. "Regardless if it's Jamie Moyer or Randy Johnson, you've got to have fastball command to get them to swing at your other pitches.

"The next step below that is how pleased I've been with my curveball, and the adjustments with that. I've been able to throw it for strikes. I've been able to throw it for balls and get swings. That's another big pitch for me, to get people off the cutter."

Lester professes that he doesn't need a spike in his strikeout rate, which last season was down to 7.3 per nine innings, from a peak of 10.0 in 2009. As a rule, FanGraphs.com notes, 10 and above is considered excellent, above average is 7.5, and average is 7.1, though that can vary a bit from year to year. So when that number declines, the stat guys nod knowingly.

"I don't know, tell them to swing more, swing and miss more," Lester said when asked how he can reverse the trend. "Really, there are times it's appropriate to go after strikeouts, but I don't care if I strike out one guy this year as long as I'm getting ground balls and getting outs. Strikeouts for me are just one of those stats that look cool.

"It's fun to strike out guys, but it's also a lot of pitches. I had to throw a lot more pitches [Friday] than last time because I struck guys out, went deeper into counts, had more foul balls. I'd rather have them hit ground balls to the infield and let them have some fun and go nine. That would be a lot easier."

But what about the stat analysts wringing their hands, some of whom occupy offices at 4 Yawkey Way?

"Why is that?" Lester said. "I don't get that. Just because you punch a lot of guys out doesn't mean you're a good pitcher."

Well, it doesn't hurt. Here are the 10 active leaders in K per 9 rate, minimum 1,000 innings:

Tim Lincecum, Oliver Perez, Johan Santana, Jake Peavy, Cole Hamels, Justin Verlander, Josh Beckett, Felix Hernandez, Mariano Rivera and, checking in at No. 10, one Jon Lester. Other than Ollie, this is a fairly accomplished group, judging by Cy Young Awards, World Series rings and All-Star appearances.

"You can have good seasons without a lot of strikeouts," Lester said. "Like in '08, I didn't strike a lot of guys out, but I had a good season. I won some games, I was able to have some contact, and I still threw 200 innings."

All of which is true. In 2008, his first full season in the big leagues, Lester's K's per 9 was 6.5, the lowest of his career, but he still went 16-6 with a 3.21 ERA.

"I feel like strikeouts, sometimes they put too much emphasis on them to determine how a pitcher is like," he said. "It's fun to strike out a guy. It's awesome. But at the same time, I'd rather go nine innings and strike out two guys or no guys than go five innings and strike out 10. It saves your bullpen, it saves all that stuff."

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Takeaways from the Fort, where one intrasquad game in college at Rice University is all the third base Brock Holt ever played before Boston's 9-3 spring training loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday afternoon.

Naturally, it took only two batters before Holt was tested, and he was equal to the task, diving to his left and spearing a ground ball by Andrew McCutchen, and throwing out the swift McCutchen with a strong throw across the diamond. In the fifth inning, he came in on a chopper and threw to second for a force.

And just like that, the battle was joined in earnest for one of the few jobs available on a Sox roster offering very little in the way of intrigue, other than the Big Question posed by Big Papi and his troublesome Achilles tendon.

The Sox are looking for a backup infielder who can play at least three positions, with bonus points if that player can also play the outfield. There are three candidates. The incumbent is Pedro Ciriaco, 27, whose fast start and impressive mugging of the Yankees masked the fact that he limped to the finish line, posting a .233/.269/.291/.560 line in the season's last month. There is veteran Drew Sutton, 29, who was with the Sox in 2011, played the infield for the Rays last season and the outfield for the Pirates, and has hit in spurts.

And there is Holt, 24, the other player in the deal that brought closer Joel Hanrahan to the Red Sox from the Pirates. Holt stands nose to nose with Dustin Pedroia, and put up impressive on-base numbers during a rapid ascent through the minors that led to a late-season call-up to the Pirates.

Holt is a shortstop by trade and has also played a lot of second, but had never played third until John Farrell started him there Wednesday afternoon. It won't be long, Farrell said, before the Sox take a look at Holt in center field, too.

"He's a good athlete, and he's shown a lot of good aptitude," Farrell said. "He's taken on third base, one new position. Gradually, we'll look to incorporate [center field] as well, but he made a couple pretty good plays today at third base."

Procedural matters favor Ciriaco, who is out of options and would have to pass through waivers for the Sox to send him back to the minors. Sutton is a non-roster player, which means the Sox would have to create a roster spot for him to make the team, which is not an enormous obstacle but would require some shuffling. Holt has options, which means the team could stash him in Pawtucket, have him play every day there, and be on call should the need arise.

That's why making a strong impression in camp is of some urgency to Holt, who suspects that the ability to play third behind Will Middlebrooks will be an important determining factor.

"I think it's huge," Holt said. "Obviously, right now it's just Middlebrooks. Ciri has proven he can play over there. He plays great defensively, no matter where he's at. The more positions I can play, the better.

"I'm coming here every day, trying to get as much work as possible at every position. If I'm at second in the morning, I'm trying to take ground balls at short and third after practice, trying to get as much work as I can. Hopefully, they see I'm working hard and starting to get more comfortable over there. I think it's been going good."

* The novelty of having a knuckleballer in camp has been a popular storyline early, but Steven Wright, still a kid in knuckleballer years (28), very much remains a work in progress, one that Farrell said Wednesday will require patience. Wright was cuffed for five hits and three walks in two innings by the Pirates, who in his last outing had three hits and three walks while scoring two runs in 2 1/3 innings.

"Going back to the final inning in the previous outing and today, just not the consistent feel or the shape to the knuckleball," Farrell said. "It's one of those things where we have to be patient with the pitch and him as a knuckleball pitcher."

Farrell then cast the issue in terms suitable for discussion in a Harvard philosophy class: How do you perfect the imperfect?

"If you look at the bigger picture, he's at the early stages of trying to perfect this pitch, one which is an imperfect pitch," Farrell said.

* Hot prospect Rubby De La Rosa also had a flawed afternoon, giving up three runs on three hits and a walk.

* Jon Lester threw 52 pitches while giving up a run on two hits in four innings, walking three and striking out three. "Good four innings of work," Farrell said. "I thought he used his curveball more today than in the previous two outings. Part by design, part by situations that arose. Might not have been as sharp as his last time out, still 52 pitches in four innings, a good day of work for him."

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The stat analysts at Baseball Prospectus, who have devised their own system to project future player performance, have identified Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia and pitcher Jon Lester among the 5 position players and pitchers around baseball they expect to make the biggest improvements this season (Insider).

Baseball Prospectus employs a system they call PECOTA, which stands for Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm. It projects player performance based on comparison with historical player-seasons. To learn more about the system, go to the Prospectus website.

Here’s what Prospectus author Ben Lindbergh says about Pedroia and Lester, and he throws in a positive mention of Clay Buchholz as well.

Dustin Pedroia
2012 WARP (623 PA): 1.7
2013 WARP (667 PA): 4.3
Projected WARP improvement: 2.6

Pedroia had a down year due to injury, but unlike the Rockies' Troy Tulowitzki, he was able to play through most of his problems, sabotaging his stats in the process. Boston’s second baseman hurt his thumb early in May and played hurt through July 3, when he hit the DL. He batted.250/.319/.363 over that injury-affected span and a combined .313/.365/.501 before and after it, finishing strong down the stretch. PECOTA expects that late-season success to continue into 2013, producing another prime Pedroia season.

Pedroia, who hit his first spring home run Monday, was told of the projection.

"That's nice,'' he said. "Tell them thanks.''

Jon Lester
2012 WARP (205.3 IP): 1.1
Projected 2013 WARP (195.3 IP): 3.5
Projected WARP improvement: 2.4

Lester struck out roughly 10 batters per nine innings in more than 400 innings from 2009-2010, but a lat strain and extended mechanical struggles have caused his strikeout rate to suffer since. PECOTA projects a partial recovery in 2013, including a return to his 2011 strikeout rate. Lester is healthy, by all accounts, and he still throws very hard for a lefty, so it’s plausible that he could round back into form, especially with former pitching coach John Farrell once more keeping a close eye on his delivery (not that PECOTA knows about that). In more good news for the Red Sox rotation, PECOTA projects Clay Buchholz to rebound from a replacement-level 2012 and be worth 2.0 WARP.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Red Sox today posted their projected pitchers for the first two Grapefruit League games, naming John Lackey to start Saturday’s opener against the Rays and Jon Lester for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.

Lester’s start would put him on track to start Opening Day for the Sox, but manager John Farrell wasn’t willing to commit to him just yet when asked about it.

Here is more info on others scheduled to pitch through Monday:

* Saturday vs. Rays at JetBlue Park
Lackey (1 inning or 20 pitches)
Drake Britton (2 innings or 35 pitches)
Also scheduled to pitch: Pedro Beato, Anthony Carter, Jose De La Torre, Oscar Villareal, Alex Wilson and Steven Wright.

* Saturday (simulated game)
Clay Buchholz (2 innings or 35 pitches)
Franklin Morales (1 inning or 20 pitches)

* Sunday at Cardinals
Lester (2 innings or 35 pitches)
Rubby De La Rosa (1 inning or 20 pitches)
Also scheduled to pitch: Junichi Tazawa, Joel Hanrahan, Andrew Bailey, Andrew Miller and Koji Uehara.

* Monday at Rays
Alfredo Aceves (2 innings or 35 pitches)
Chris Hernandez (2 innings or 35 pitches)
Also scheduled to pitch: Daniel Bard, Clayton Mortensen, Oscar Villareal and Alex Wilson.

* Monday at Blue Jays
Steven Wright (2 innings or 35 pitches)
Allen Webster (2 innings or 35 pitches)
Also scheduled to pitch: Terry Doyle, De La Torre, Beato, Chris Carpenter and Anthony Carter

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The first official day of full-squad workouts was rather uneventful here on the backfields at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. That just means everything went according to plan for manager John Farrell and bench coach Torey Lovullo. The team held its annual spring training meeting in the morning, and the session lasted 50 minutes before the players took the field.

After they stretched, the players broke off into groups. The position players first focused on baserunning drills. Longtime Red Sox staffer and batting practice pitcher Ino Guerrero served as a third-base coach and waved the runners home. One small problem emerged: He was waving his arm the wrong way (counterclockwise), which had the players, especially Dustin Pedroia, giving Guerrero a hard time. Even Farrell got a laugh from it.

The catchers worked out as a group, with new bullpen coach Dana LeVangie leading the way. After the pitchers worked on some fielding drills, some select hurlers tossed bullpen sessions, including Jon Lester, John Lackey, Alfredo Aceves, Allen Webster and Rubby De La Rosa.

The position players took BP, and the day was complete by 11:45 a.m.

* Lester is dedicated to bounce back from a horrible 2012 season. His session looks more like a real game, and he wasn't messing around with his session on Friday. The lefty was under the watchful eye of new pitching coach Juan Nieves and Farrell. Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia was behind the plate.

"Jonny looked great," Saltalamacchia said. "This is the second bullpen I've caught him this spring. All fastballs, which is great, and he's working on just keeping the ball down and commanding. I was trying to give him some feedback on how he was doing. You don't want to say 'great job' on every pitch even though every pitch was great."

* Aceves' bullpen was an interesting one. Prior to each pitch during the session, he would yell out a teammate's name to the catcher. He started with Ellsbury, Pedroia and Ortiz and worked his way through an imaginary batting order. "I try to simulate a game, so when it's real I'm ready," he said. "It helps."

Aceves is being stretched out this spring as a starter because he'll represent Mexico in that role at the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

"To represent your country, for me, it's something huge, man," he said. "Not too many people can play baseball, play in the field, can throw a baseball, can hit, can run. Not too many people can do it. I'm excited to take advantage of that."

Once the WBC is completed and Aceves returns to the Red Sox, he's prepared to fill any role given to him by Farrell.

"Play. Play baseball. I just want to play baseball," Aceves said. "It's not just a game. I like to play. I have the skills, thank God. He gave me the skills and my father's. My parents, they gave me the genetics. I like to be around my teammates, have fun, study, to learn and to hang out."

Farrell understands and respects Aceves' versatility because he can pitch in any role needed.

* Sox starter Felix Doubront is set to throw his first session of the spring on Wednesday. He'll play long toss at 135 feet on Saturday. Each of his workouts has increased in intensity.

* Reliever Craig Breslow played catch at 75 feet today and is making steady progress. He's still in the early phases of a throwing program, and there's no timetable when he'll get on the mound.

* Starter Clay Buchholz (hamstring) played long toss at 120 feet on Friday. He's likely to get back on the mound to keep his arm strength up before he's given clearance to return to full baseball activity. He's had no ill effects while playing catch.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Some quick hits from Jon Lester's post-workout media session:

* On new pitching coach Juan Nieves: “I know there’s been a revolving door there, but I think Juan will be a good fit for us.’’

* Whether he has a chip on his shoulder: “Obviously. Obviously, that desire not to fail. It’s solely on me. Not anybody else. Not on the revolving door of pitching coaches, not on the manager, not on anybody but myself. That being said, I still have to look at the positives that were there and not focus on the negatives. ... Yeah, there’s a little bit of a chip there. I want to prove that last year was a fluke and won’t happen again.’’

* On players wanting to make up for last season: “I don’t think it’s about talking about last year. I think you can just see it in some guys, especially. David [Ortiz], I’ve been with him, he’s one of the last guys, I played since 2004 with Pedey [Dustin Pedroia] and Ells [Jacoby Ellsbury] and all those guys. We’ve never, in the minor leagues or big leagues, had a season like that. It’s frustrating, and it’s humbling, it can also be a positive in the end. Nobody wants to be that team. Nobody wants to do what we did last year.’’

* On taking a break from the game: “I didn’t even pay attention to baseball in the offseason. I didn’t even watch the playoffs this year. That first month I tried to get as far as away as I could, spend some time with my family and just unwind and release as best I could. Obviously there were some days in there you couldn’t help but think about it and reflect on the season but like I said, I tried to drown out the negative -- there was a lot of it. You try to filter through that and get to some positives. I think by the end of the offseason, I finally got there and feeling good about where I’m at.”

* On inheriting the responsibility for the rotation now that Josh Beckett is gone: “Oh, absolutely. Since Josh left, now I’m the highest-tenured Red Sox as far as the pitching staff. I inherit that responsibility and take it in full stride. What I was getting at is, it’s not a matter of not wanting to be a leader, it’s a matter of I don’t want to call myself a leader. The people that nominate themselves to be leaders are false leaders. The guys, like ‘Tek [Jason Varitek], who go out, play hurt, bust their butt and they show everybody that they're the guy, everybody puts that on him. That’s what I hope happens.’’

* On changing his mound demeanor: “Obviously there are a lot of things I can improve on as far as my on-field actions. I know I've had some problems with umpires, I know I've had some problems with body language at times. A lot of people have. It’s something that we all struggle with and it’s something I can get better with. Every year I strive to get better at it.

“It’s just when you get caught in those moments being competitive, you throw all that stuff out the window. It’s just that. Taking the ball every five days, grinding every pitch out and trying to be that guy on the field whether it’s on Field 6 or Fenway Park -- good body language, not cussing the umpire, not throwing fits in the dugout, doing those little things.

“I don't know. I think it depends on the player. You take a guy like Youk or a guy like Pedey: They need to do things like that or else I think they’d have heart attacks. They need to blow up. Some players are looked at as it being gritty and blue-collar, and other players are looked at as being whiners. I think we can all get better with it. As far as the fans, obviously people don’t want to come out and see you lose. Winning is the first step. We show them that we’re a good team and we can worry about those little, nitpick things later.”

* On whether he loves baseball and Boston, because sometimes it doesn’t appear that way: “I love baseball. I love Boston. People don’t see me other than the fifth day. When I’m out there, I’m not out there to kid around. I’m not out there to joke around with hitters. At the same time, I’m having fun. It may not look like it. I may be cussing up a storm and yelling at somebody, but I’m having fun. I love to pitch. I love everything that is pitching, everything there is to baseball.

“I don’t want to also come across as lackadaisical and aloof and not really caring about working hard. I take everything I do very seriously. I want my workouts to be the way they should be, I want my bullpen to go the way it should be, I want my game to go the way it should be. If it doesn’t, I’m going to be [ticked]. That’s just who I am. At the same time, yeah, I can improve on those in-between days where you don’t take it as serious. But I’d rather be on the serious side and work my way down than be the goofball and work my way up.’’

* On people having lowered expectations for him: “I love it. Bring it on. What you guys expect of me is nothing next to what I expect of myself. I expect a lot. That’s why, as far as me being serious, that’s why I am the way I am. I try to live up to my own expectations before anybody else’s.

“Obviously that’s never going to happen. I take my job seriously, and I want to reach those. Just because I don’t doesn’t mean it’s a failed season. Every year, my expectations have been higher of myself than what I have done, but that doesn’t mean it’s a failed season. There are things involved in that season that are good and some that are bad.

“You try to take every offseason and learn from those, throw out the negatives and move on with the positives and hopefully you just keep building off those and your expectations get higher and higher from there.’’

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Pitcher Jon Lester, for one, hopes that John Lackey's days as Boston’s DH --designated heavy -- can come to an end after three years of being pilloried as a lousy pitcher and a worse person.

“I’m always encouraged by Lackey,’’ Lester said. “People don’t understand how happy-go-lucky he is.

“I understand that Lack’s Lack. Lack’s going to do what he tells you he’s going to do. He’s going to go out there, he’s going to take the ball, he’s going to compete. He’s done that. The first year he was here [2010], Lack threw 200 innings. If you go back, he gave up a hit per inning. That’s Lack. His ERA was a little higher, [but] he was in the American League East. Still, he won 14 games. And the next year, he’s pitching with a blown elbow.’’

In 2010, Lackey was 14-11 with a 4.40 ERA, his highest ERA since his first full season in the big leagues, 2003. He pitched 215 innings, and gave up 9.8 hits per nine innings, just a tick higher than his last season with the Angels.

But having signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Red Sox, more was expected, whether fair or unfair. In 2011, Lackey had a historically bad performance, his 6.41 ERA the worst ever by a Sox starter with 150 innings or more, and his 114 earned runs allowed were the most in the majors. He’d gone on the disabled list early in the season, but an MRI taken by the Sox did not show a significant difference from elbow damage shown in an MRI before he signed, according to GM Ben Cherington. It wasn’t until after the season, when he went to Los Angeles orthopedist Lewis Yocum for additional testing, that Lackey elected to proceed with Tommy John surgery.

His problems were not limited to on the field. He went through a difficult divorce, was targeted by a gossip website, and was fingered as a beer-and-chicken villain. His relationship with most of the media was strained, even as Terry Francona and others vouched for him repeatedly.

Lackey traveled with the team for much of 2012, even as he continued his rehabilitation, and by the end of the season was in excellent condition. He threw some innings in the instructional league after the season, and comes to camp without any restrictions, according to manager John Farrell, who has named him one of his five starters.

“I love Lack,’’ Lester said. “Lack is one of the guys on this team that I know I can go up to when I’m feeling sorry for myself and he’ll call me on BS. I know Lack’s the guy, while we’re running, will be making jokes and having a good time.

“He looks great. One thing with Lack, yeah, he’s lost a lot of weight, but work ethic has never been a problem or issue with him. I assume you can go back to his Angels days, and people will tell you that. He made some lifestyle changes as far as eating a little bit better; that’s something we can all do.

“Look at him now, he looks like a teen-ager.’’

Lester understands that Lackey’s image needs rehabilitation, a difficult task especially in Boston, where many people have already formulated a strong opinion on him.

“I think people think he’s just an [expletive],’’ Lester said.

“Lack came from L.A., where he was the guy, to a place where it was really me and Josh Josh [Beckett], then him, and he was getting all the blame. That was tough for him. I hope that this year, not just for us, but for him personally, I hope he has an awesome year and he can be Lack and people can really see how genuine a person he is and how nice a person he is and how competitive a person he is. He gives a damn and he wants to win more than anybody on this team, I guarantee you that.’’

BOSTON -- Red Sox manager John Farrell, appearing at the team's "Christmas at Fenway" event Saturday at the ballpark, touched on a number of topics with reporters.

On whether he has been involved in recruiting free agents: "To varying degrees. That's probably more related to where we are in certain stages with individual guys. I certainly anticipate that being the case going forward."

On whether he has spoken with Alfredo Aceves, who was tendered a contract Friday: "Briefly. We've had some brief conversations, a number of messages left. Colorful. He's a talented pitcher. He can do some things in the game, he may be the only guy who can do them. With the frequency with which he can pitch, to the number of pitches that are thrown, he's a talented guy.

"From my standpoint, the approach taken is to be candid with him, to be consistent with him, both in terms of what we value in guy's approach, but as best can be communicated to him in his role. That will evolve going forward, but I think the most important thing is for him to understand where he sits with us, how we view him, and what his role is, then he can best prepare for that."

Asked whether he has made a determination of what Aceves' role will be, Farrell said: "Not definitively. We certainly feel the frequency of his availability as a reliever is a major asset."

On speaking to pitcher Jon Lester, and addressing with Lester the speculation that the left-hander could be traded: "You take the temperature of their reaction, of what could initially be there. And I know Jon, in his own words, wants to prove a number of people wrong. And I said, ‘Before we go that far, look at it as a positive, that you're a good player. Teams inquire about good players all the time. You can't change the opinion of others by what you do right now. You can by performing to your capabilities, and that's where our focus has to be.'

"He's a Red Sock. I think any time that first rumor gets out there, it's going to be a little startling for guys. But I know one thing: He's extremely motivated and he's working his tail off right now to have a very strong year."

Farrell said he has had conversations with catchers Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ryan Lavarnway, who also have been mentioned in trade talk.

"I think it's important to communicate with guys what the thought is, and this is a starting point. Certainly not the end come April 1."

Farrell said he has not decided whether he will be visiting with any players.

On whether he would be surprised if the Sox traded one of their front-line starting pitchers: "Anything is a possibility, but until we get there, I'm planning on everyone who is on the roster to be here. We have some work to do to get guys back to the levels they were before, and that's where the focus is right now.

"Ben [Cherington] is going to put together a damn good roster, and I'm fully confident in that."

On whether there has been any discussion on moving Ryan Lavarnway to first base: "We haven't had those discussions, because there is so much focus and emphasis on his development, that's where the focus continues to be. With his offensive production as a catcher, he's putting himself in a small group. There's some work to be done there, but that's where the focus is."

On whether he'd like to see greater depth at shortstop: "That's a conversation that's ongoing. It's December 1st. I know the winter meetings are starting and the market is taking shape and things will start falling in place, but that's all part of a number of moving parts."

On Pedro Ciriaco: "When you consider he was a minor league free agent, he was a darn good player. He's athletic, can do a number of things. I know there was an attempt to put him in center field, which when you look at a player with his skill set, that's a natural thing. If he can play center field, boy, his value really starts to increase.

"Good first-step quickness, plenty of arm strength to play anywhere on the field, I don't want to say he was a great find, but he was a heck of an addition when you consider how he came to the big leagues."

On hiring Victor Rodriguez as assistant hitting coach: "Victor does have a lot of relationships with guys on this club and throughout the system, and whoever the lead hitting coach was coming in, once we named that person Victor was a very easy match to that to give a lot of background information and be able to contribute in his own right. Victor is going to be a very strong addition to this staff."

On taking his coaching staff to the team's training facility in Fort Myers for a two-day session next Friday and Saturday after the winter meetings: "With the exception of Gary Tuck, Arnie Beyeler and Victor, we've never laid eyes on that complex. To have some understanding of it, to plan spring training, so when we start there's no hidden element to this, I think this will give us a leg up on training for spring training."

Farrell brought the Blue Jays to Fort Myers last spring a couple of times, so he has seen it.

Bench coach Torey Lovullo will be charged with planning big league spring training, Farrell said. The team's advance scouting team and some other front-office staff will also attend the session in the Fort.

On Franklin Morales coming to camp preparing to be a starter: "You can always go back the other way," he said. "But what he did in the rotation the time he was in it was very impressive. Not to say how our rotation is going to look, but he did a good job."

On the importance of adding stars: "You're never not going to want or take talented players. But more important to that is the success of the team has got that team concept buy-in. That's not only an area that's being talked about with players that have been here, but what we're looking to add to it. How we work collectively, how we work together and compete together, you can have a group of individuals but if there's no common thread I think that's just going to make the challenge more difficult."

No need for Jon Lester to contact a realtor in Kansas City.

“There’s nothing going on” between the Red Sox and Royals regarding a possible trade for the Red Sox left-hander, a team source said Tuesday, responding to a Kansas City Star report that the Royals and Sox had discussed a deal in which the Sox would have received top outfield prospect Wil Myers in return.

The source hinted that the topic may have been broached; after losing 93 games last season, the Red Sox are open to discussing a wide range of trade possibilities, and teams generally ask about most players in which they have even a modicum of interest.

The soon-to-be-22-year-old Myers is considered one of the top prospects in baseball. Last season, he hit .314 in 134 games between the Double-A and Triple-A levels, with 37 homers, 109 RBIs and a .987 OPS.

Lester is coming off the worst season of his career. The 28-year-old lefty was 9-14 with a 4.82 ERA in 2012. He had won at least 15 games in each of the previous four seasons.

The Royals are clearly rebuilding their pitching staff, having already added Ervin Santana and Jeremy Guthrie, and Star baseball reporter Bob Dutton noted that the Royals might be willing to part with Myers for a No. 1 starter, like Tampa Bay’s James Shields or Lester. But Dutton cautioned that the talks had not advanced very far, and the Red Sox source made it clear it wasn’t going anywhere.

The Red Sox are expected to enter 2013 with Lester anchoring their rotation. They have him under team control for two more seasons (2014 is a team option), and it would seem highly unlikely the Sox would move him unless they had another commensurate pitching move to make.

Your turn: So it looks like this rumored Lester-for-Myers possibility that finally lit the Sox hot stove is fizzling out. Nevertheless, it was an intriguing possibility. Which player would you rather have going forward, Lester or Myers? Vote in the poll above and share your thoughts in the comments section.

On each weekday until baseball’s GM meetings Nov. 7, we will spotlight one key decision the Red Sox need to make this offseason that will help determine the success or failure of the 2013 team.

Today’s topic: How do the Red Sox improve their starting rotation?

Red Sox starters ranked 27th in major league baseball with a 5.19 ERA, with only the Indians, Twins and Rockies worse, three teams that lost even more games than the Sox in 2012. Franklin Morales was the only Boston starter with a sub-4.50 ERA, and he made just nine starts.

Defining the decision: Do the Sox have the pieces internally to improve or are big changes needed?

The Sox already have made one change, and it is a significant one, bringing back former pitching coach John Farrell as the team’s manager. When the Red Sox won the World Series in 2007, Farrell’s first season as pitching coach, they had the fourth best ERA in baseball, 4.21, and a year later lowered that to 4.02, eighth best. That ERA was 4.17 in Farrell’s last season, 2010.

On the day he was introduced as Sox manager, Farrell insisted that the team has a strong core to build around in Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Felix Doubront and John Lackey, who will be returning next season after missing the 2012 season with Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery. Skeptics abound, especially with Lester coming off the worst season of his big-league career and Lackey having shown little in his first two seasons in a Boston uniform, though it’s possible he has never been healthy here. Lackey looked to be in very good shape by the end of the summer, though, and impressed the Sox with his throwing sessions.

Lester and Buchholz are healthy, Doubront made impressive strides in his first full season in the big leagues, and Lester already has expressed great enthusiasm at being reunited with Farrell, who he credits for molding him during his successful run as one of the most consistent left-handers in the American League.

Still, the Sox will need much more than these four going forward, a fact recognized by both GM Ben Cherington and Farrell when they spoke of acquiring additional pieces.

Option A: Add from within

The Sox could promote Franklin Morales and Alfredo Aceves to full-time starters, convert Junichi Tazawa from reliever to starter, and give long looks to the two pitchers who came in the Dodgers megadeal, Allen Webster and Rubby de la Rosa.

Morales was brought along slowly in spring training because of shoulder weakness, then was shut down for the season’s final five weeks with a “tired” shoulder, so he comes with questions heading into next season.

On performance alone, Aceves probably should have won a starting job coming out of camp, but Daniel Bard got the nod and when Andrew Bailey went down, Aceves became the closer. He also clashed openly with manager Bobby Valentine and was suspended, leading to suggestions he would be persona non grata going forward. That doesn’t appear to be the case. Aceves’ versatility still holds great appeal to the Sox, and Farrell appears on board with the notion of keeping him. But because of his ability to pitch multiple innings out of the 'pen, the Sox may be inclined to keep him there.

The most intriguing candidate may be Tazawa, who returned from Tommy John surgery to make a sensational impact on the bullpen, posting a 1.43 ERA while striking out 45 and walking just five in 44 innings. Of the last 46 batters he faced over a span of 15 appearances, Tazawa allowed just four to reach, on three hits and a walk. He allowed just one home run all season, to Adrian Beltre of the Rangers.

Tazawa, 26, has all the makings of a dominant setup man/potential closer. But he began his career with the Sox as a starter and has a three-pitch mix (fastball, splitter, slider) that would lend itself to returning in that role, although he questioned whether he has enough arm strength to maintain his velocity as a starter.

What the Sox do with Tazawa may be impacted by their plans for de la Rosa, who touched 100 miles an hour before undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. De la Rosa’s velocity appeared back upon his return to the Dodgers, but there is some debate over whether his future is as a starter or closer type.

The other pitcher acquired from the Dodgers is Webster, who probably needs more time in the minors but like homegrown prospect Matt Barnes figures to help the Sox by 2014 at the latest, if not by the end of next season.

Option B: Look for help in the free-agent market and through trades

The Red Sox are not expected to be players for the high-end starters on the free-agent market, which include Zack Greinke, Anibal Sanchez, Kyle Lohse, Jake Peavy and Edwin Jackson. Dan Haren and Ervin Santana could join that list if the Angels don’t exercise their options. All are expected to command multiyear deals beyond what the Red Sox are willing to give, though Sanchez, who originally belonged to the Sox before being part of the trade with the Marlins that brought back Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell, might be tempting.

The Sox would prefer to acquire pitchers that would require a shorter-term commitment, and thus may be more active on the lower end of the free-agent market. That could mean pitchers such as Francisco Liriano (elbow issues), Brandon McCarthy (shoulder), Jeremy Guthrie or Carlos Villanueva (who Farrell knows from Toronto).

The Sox also will look into the trade market while not wanting to part with top prospects. Matt Garza, Wandy Rodriguez, Josh Johnson, Paul Maholm and Mark Buehrle could be names worth exploring.

Long shot: Lee or Lincecum

Cliff Lee or Tim Lincecum? Both are in the $20-million-plus range, Lee for three more seasons, Lincecum for one more before becoming a free agent. Neither the Phillies nor Giants are likely to move Lee or Lincecum, respectively, but they’re both worth asking about.

Your turn: What's the best option for the Red Sox?

We’ve outlined the possibilities, now tell us what you would do if you were in Ben’s shoes. Vote in the poll above and leave your more detailed thoughts in the comments section.

BOSTON -- Jon Lester won the deciding game of a World Series on John Farrell’s watch. He pitched a no-hitter on Farrell’s watch. Many of his best days as a big-league pitcher, in fact, came on John Farrell’s watch.

So it should shock no one that one of the first things the Red Sox left-hander did Sunday morning when he learned that he would be reunited with his former pitching coach was to text his congratulations. Farrell, the new manager of the Red Sox, called Lester on Sunday afternoon but they missed connections, so Lester will have to wait to deliver his sentiments personally.

But Lester’s public message couldn’t have been more positive, beginning with his tweet early in the day about how he couldn’t wait to get back to work.

“I think it’s a good thing,’’ Lester said of what Farrell’s hiring would mean for him. “He helped mold me into the pitcher I am, the player I am. My work ethic, the work I do between starts, he really helped mold all of that.

“It will be good to have a familiar face and know what to expect coming into spring training. Last year we didn’t know what to expect. I know John, and I’m excited to get back working with him.’’

Farrell served as Red Sox pitching coach from 2007-10 before leaving to manage the Toronto Blue Jays. The Red Sox have had three pitching coaches since -- Curt Young in 2011, and Bob McClure and Randy Niemann last season. There will now be a fourth.

“Now that we got [the manager] out of the way, for me the big thing will be the pitching coach, getting that relationship built and sitting down with John and getting back to being me.’’

Lester is coming off his worst season after going 9-14 with a 4.82 ERA.

The identity of Farrell’s coaches is not yet known, although an industry source said that Farrell is planning to bring Torey Lovullo as his bench coach. One potential candidate for pitching coach is Rick Peterson, who was once Farrell’s pitching coach in the minor leagues and this year served as the Orioles’ pitching coordinator. The two are believed to have had at least indirect contact, according to a baseball source.

Lester lauded Farrell for his preparation and organization. “That’s not to say we weren’t prepared the years he wasn’t around,’’ said Lester, who appeared to take care not to criticize former manager Bobby Valentine by name.

“But John is a very meticulous person. That’s what made Tito (Francona) so good. You knew he was going to be so prepared going into each game that you knew he would put you in a situation that gave you the best chance to succeed. That’s when you end up playing better and bonding together.’’

Lester said this past season “there were a lot of times roles got changed as far as the bullpen and position players, and a lot of things weren’t communicated to the extent players would have liked.’’

Asked to describe Farrell’s communication skills, Lester said, “I can only speak for myself, but for me he was always up front with me. Whatever the issue -- a problem, a concern, even a dumb idea -- I always knew I was going to get a very truthful answer. I knew going forward that he was thinking of what was in my best interests.

“I always respected John. Whether it was about life, pitching, anything, I knew he would give me a straight answer.’’

Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester, whose best seasons came with John Farrell as his pitching coach, tweeted early this morning on the news that Farrell will become his team's manager:

Welcome back John!!Can't wait to get back to work!! #RedSox

— Jon Lester (@JLester31) October 21, 2012

Under Farrell's tutelage, Lester was 54-23 with a 3.40 ERA, 652 strikeouts and 244 walks in 684 2/3 innings pitched from 2007-10. Since Farrell left, Lester is 24-23 with a 4.17 ERA, 348 strikeouts and 143 walks in 397 innings pitched. He had a career-worst 9-14 record and 4.82 ERA this past season.

Infielder Mike Aviles, who will go to Toronto as compensation for Farrell, also took to Twitter to react to the news:

Wanna thank #RedSoxNation for all the support, great city, team and fans! Loved my time there but now it's time for a new chapter! #gojays

— Mike Aviles(@Themikeaviles) October 21, 2012