Lester looks great in first start of rebound season

JUPITER, Fla. -- Those with faulty laptops or tortoise-like home computers fully grasp the concept of reboot or reset, not to mention the unavoidable third partner, regret. Jon Lester, a predominant figure in the Red Sox's summer of discontent in 2012, is quite familiar with the regret part. He was introduced to it in July. Since then he has yanked the plug from the outlet, disconnected the battery and waited the recommended 30 seconds, also known as the offseason.

Now, to mix the metaphor, his canvas is clear. And this 29-year-old left-handed pitcher who is hardly unfamiliar with masterpieces is preparing to paint again.

The first brush strokes of any significance came Sunday afternoon in sweltering Roger Dean Stadium. If Lester wasn't in midseason form -- and how could he be? -- at least the temperature was. He threw 24 pitches to six Cardinals batters, retiring all, including the three in the second inning on merely six pitches. As if any of that numerology means anything in February. The outcome of the Sox's first Spring Training game -- they won, 5-3 -- wasn't of much import either.

To a pitcher as accomplished as Lester, February usually is about getting back on the bump and doing what he's been doing for most of his adult life. A change of calendar and little else. This February is different because last July was different; also uncomfortable, grotesque and, he hopes, forgettable in every way.

So there he was Sunday, after a winter of "digging through the bad to find the positives." After a poor Mets season under his guidance, Joe Torre once likened that chore to picking through bologna skins, ketchup-stained napkins and yokey egg shells to find the inadvertently discarded $5 bill.

"Five dollars is always useful," Torre said, decades before he earned his first five million.

Consider Lester's first attempts at command of his fastball to be worthy of one Lincoln. Manager John Farrell noted how the second-inning strikes found the bottom of the zone, a truly Lester-like attribute. The manager also spoke of his pitcher's change of pace. Lester said he threw just one; must have been one of a Bugs Bunny quality.

Jasper's thoughts:  "Great to See Lester go out and have a great start.  Haven't seen that in a while!  This is a great sign that 2012 is now behind us!"

Jared Sullinger out for season

ESPN Boston:  BOSTON -- Boston Celtics rookie forward Jared Sullinger underwent back surgery Friday to repair a lumbar disc and will miss the remainder of the season, the team announced.

He is expected to be ready in time for training camp.

Sullinger left Wednesday's game against the Sacramento Kings just four minutes in with back spasms and did not return. Though he did not practice on Thursday and missed the team's morning shootaround on Friday, coach Doc Rivers and president of basketball operations Danny Ainge both initially downplayed the severity of the injury.

"No, I'm not that concerned," Rivers said before Thursday's practice. "Could he miss games? Like I said [Wednesday], here and there he may. But it's not anything career-threatening or anything like that."

Ainge, meanwhile, told Boston sports radio station WEEI on Thursday: "Sullinger is just getting tests done. He didn't practice today. He was still sore today and [with] back spasms, you just never know. They really are day to day, and we're hoping that he has a quick recovery and gets back soon."

Sullinger had been enjoying a fine rookie season, emerging as one of the Celtics' best rebounders and most consistent big men. Through 45 games, he boasted averages of 6.0 points and 5.9 rebounds in 19.8 minutes, while shooting 49.3 percent from the field.

Sullinger, initially pegged as a lottery pick in last June's draft, was medically red-flagged because of concerns over his back and slid to the Celtics, who selected him 21st overall out of Ohio State.

The news comes as another crushing blow to the Celtics, who lost All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo for the season on Sunday when an MRI revealed he suffered a torn right ACL in last Friday's double-overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

Jasper's thoughts:  "Wow!  This is terrible news for the Celtics.  Chris Wilcox is the only other NBA center besides KG on the Celtics, which means that unless there is a major trade on the horizon, we are going to have a D-League center playing nine minutes per game."

Overbay lands Minor League deal with Red Sox

redsox.com:  BOSTON -- The Red Sox have their first-base insurance policy.

Veteran Lyle Overbay has been signed to a Minor League deal with an invite to big league camp, a baseball source confirmed to MLB.com on Thursday.

Overbay turned 36 three days ago and has nearly 12 Major League seasons under his belt, including five in the American League East with Toronto from 2006-10. Mike Napoli's here, but just how his hips can hold up -- he has avascular necrosis, which affects blood supply to the area -- is to be seen.

A left-handed bat who plays almost exclusively against right-handed pitching, Overbay split last season between the D-backs and Braves. He did particularly well in the first half with Arizona, putting up a .292/.367/.438 line in 110 plate appearances. Both Napoli and Boston's other first baseman, Mauro Gomez, are right-handed.

Overbay hit 20 home runs two seasons ago, then nine in 2011 and last season saw the total drop to just two. He's done well against the Sox lifetime, with a .303/.374/.514 line (90 games), and he's even better at Fenway Park: .323/.395/.500 (43 games).

Overbay was reportedly talking to the Brewers as well.

The Red Sox would be Overbay's sixth Major League team. His contract has an opt-out clause at the end of Spring Training, according to the Boston Herald, where the signing was first reported.

Jasper's thoughts:  "This is a smart move by the Red Sox.  Overbay won't be a huge MLB presence, but with we know that Napoli will have health problems, and extra backup is always good."