If he is healthy, I don't see him wanting to honor that option year for league minimum. There is just not very much honor among athletes when it comes to the almighty $. Only time will tell if he has integrity. I'm not saying that he will refuse to play for us. It will be more subtle than that. Maybe he dogs it this season to the point where we don't exercise his option and he catches on with another team for an MLB contract with incentives.
Also, I am amazed at the public relations campaign by the Sox to have us pin our 2013 hopes on Lackey. Seriously, they have nothing going for them if they are making John Lackey the poster boy for our 2013 hopes and dreams. The guy has always sucked at Fenway, even in his Angel years.