http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/images/gameday/mugshots/mlb/452657.jpg Lester 0-1
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/images/gameday/mugshots/mlb/425848.jpg Harden 1-0
Lester eyes redemption vs. A's
Red Sox (2-1) at Athletics (1-2), Wednesday, 3:35 p.m. ET
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
The leap didn't start in Tokyo, where Jon Lester clearly was not at his best. But perhaps the left-hander will start his upward rise Wednesday afternoon, when he again faces the A's, albeit in Oakland this time.
For years, Lester has been lauded in scouting reports for his upper echelon stuff and tough-minded demeanor. But 2008 could be the year he puts it all together.
"I'm pretty bullish on him," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said of Lester recently. "I think he's going to do well. There's always sort of a breakthrough season out there for a talented pitcher. It might be this year for Jon."
Red Sox manager Terry Francona has similar optimism when it comes to the 24-year-old Lester, who is 11-3 in 28 career outings.
"When he starts working quicker and getting hitters on the defensive, there's no stopping this kid," Francona said. "It gets to a point sometimes in games where every pitch is almost an event. He threw a pitch and then all of a sudden he backs off and the last pitch doesn't have the effect it probably should have because there's a little time in between and he's thinking, but it's there. It's going to be fun to watch him get better."
Perhaps the most consistent problem Lester has had earlier in his career is keeping his pitch count down. That again manifested itself in the start at Tokyo, when Lester threw 83 pitches over four innings.
Once Lester establishes more consistent command, that problem should disappear.
"I think things are kind of breaking his way," Epstein said. "Physically he's in a really good place. His pitch development has progressed so now he's got a pretty nice arsenal to attack different kinds of hitters. It's just a matter of commanding and staying healthy. He could do some nice things this year."
For the second start in a row, Lester will be opposed by Rich Harden, who stifled the Sox in Tokyo.
Right fielder J.D. Drew (lower back strain) is expected to make his 2008 debut for the Sox in this one.
Pitching matchup
BOS: LHP Jon Lester (0-1, 9.00 ERA)
Lester didn't get off to the start he was looking for, being touched up for five hits and four runs on March 26 in Tokyo in a loss to the Oakland Athletics. The left-hander has a chance for immediate redemption, as he again faces the A's.
OAK: RHP Rich Harden (1-0, 1.50 ERA)
Harden, who was limited to seven appearances (four starts) by a variety of arm injuries in 2007, powered his way through the vaunted Red Sox lineup in Tokyo on the way to six innings of three-hit work with nine strikeouts and three walks.
Tidbits
The only Boston player to have any degree of success against Harden last week in Tokyo was Manny Ramirez, who clocked a solo homer ... In fact, Ramirez has homered three times off Harden in six at-bats ... Fellow Sox slugger David Ortiz has also had his moments against the hard thrower, going 4-for-6 with two homers and four RBIs.
Tickets
Buy tickets now to catch the game in person.
On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes
On television
• NESN
On radio
• WEEI 850, WROL 950 (Español)
Up next
• Thursday: Off-day
• Friday: Red Sox (Tim Wakefield, 0-0, -.--) at Blue Jays (Shaun Marcum, 0-0, -.--), 7:15 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Red Sox (Clay Buchholz, 0-0, -.--) at Blue Jays (Jesse Litsch, 0-0, -.--), 1:07 p.m. ET
Let the Manny mojo roll!!!
