Notes: Lester struggles vs. Bucs

03/11/2006
BRADENTON, Fla. -- After last week's start against the Australian national team, left-hander Jon Lester made his Grapefruit League debut Saturday. It's an outing he likely wants to have back.
Entering the game in the sixth inning with a two-run lead, Lester was saddled with the loss, allowing four runs on three hits, two walks, a wild pitch and a home run in his two innings, before regrouping to strike two of the last three batters he faced.
"The first couple of hitters, he looked a little tentative," manager Terry Francona said. "And then, by the time he starts throwing the ball, he was already in a bind. The only thing I told him is, 'Every time out, you learn.'"
Lester, the organization's top-rated pitching prospect, agreed with his manager's assessment.
"I think it was just more I didn't know what was going on," Lester said. "I couldn't figure out mechanically what was wrong, and then I got a little tentative. And when you start doing that, you start aiming and then it goes all down hill from there.
"[Interim pitching coach Al Nipper] came in and we talked about it a little bit and basically said ... 'Go out and pitch.' That's what I have to do. I can't think about mechanics and can't think about results and all that stuff. I just have to go out and throw the ball."
Lester's next scheduled outing is a start Thursday in St. Petersburg against the Devil Rays. Francona said it's a valuable learning experience for young pitchers, such as Lester, to get big-league starts in Spring Training.
"The more he can pitch, [the better]," Francona said. "We're trying to find some consistent innings for him here as long as we can. We'd kind of like to let him make a few starts, because I think it's good for him. But as far as him giving up runs and us not thinking he's going to be a good pitcher, no, that's not [the case]."
Meanwhile, Beckett at the ranch: With the Sox in Bradenton, Josh Beckett threw a simulated game at the team's Minor League complex. He threw 60 pitches, 40 for strikes, in four innings, allowing two hits and a walk, while striking out seven.
Lefty David Wells was also expected to throw batting Saturday.
Classic returns: Pitcher Lenny DiNardo was at City of Palms Park on Saturday morning, the first of the Sox players to return from the World Baseball Classic, after Team Italy was knocked out of competition. Infielder Trent Durrington and outfielder Adam Stern will return soon, with their teams, Australia and Canada, respectively, also having been eliminated.
The Sox are still without catcher Jason Varitek, pitchers Mike Timlin and Julian Tavarez, and designated hitter David Ortiz, whose teams have advanced to the next round.
Wallace improving: Francona said pitching coach Dave Wallace, at Massachusetts General Hospital where he is being treated for an infection in his hip before undergoing hip transplant surgery, is improving.
"I talked to him [Thursday night]," Francona said. "He sounded really good. He had gotten out of bed, he had gone on crutches. He's probably a day or so from trying to go home," Francona said. "From what I understand, he's still got about a two-month wait to put that hip in. He's got a long road ahead of him."

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/