<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Lester feels normal in first game after cancer treatment By HOWARD ULMAN, AP Sports WriterMarch 5, 2007FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Jon Lester pitched in his first game Monday since his last cancer treatment just 2 1/2 months ago. His mechanics were good and his command was outstanding as the Boston Red Sox left-hander retired all three batters he faced on grounders. ADVERTISEMENT "It's great. Just to get back and be normal again is awesome, just to get back on the mound and throw the baseball and not worry about other things," the 23-year-old said. "So it's good, and I enjoyed it and, hopefully, we just build from here." Lester underwent chemotherapy after being diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma late last season. He's now cancer free and has regained much of the weight he lost during the treatments. The plan was for Lester to throw just the first inning in the "B" game against the Minnesota Twins, and he needed only eight pitches. His six fastballs were clocked at between 88-90 mph. He threw two curveballs in the dirt at 69-72 mph. He feels strong enough to pitch longer and has pitched in bullpen sessions at the same pace as other starters. Manager Terry Francona wants to bring Lester along slowly, considering his "traumatic" experience. "They have my best interests involved and I'm not too worried about it," Lester said. "I'll get my work in one way or the other, so we'll just take it slow and go from here." Lester is to throw next in a bullpen session on Wednesday then pitch one inning Saturday in a simulated game against Boston teammates. With a very solid starting rotation, the Red Sox don't have to rush him. Lester was 7-2 with a 4.76 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 81 1-3 innings last season.</div>~Yahoo Sports~For those of you who don't know about this story. Jon Lester, a young prospect 22-year old pitcher for the Boston Red Sox was diagnosed with lymphoma last year in late August. He underwent chemotherapy treatment and his apperenatly doing great. This is an unbeilvable story and I couldn't be more happy for Lester. One that his health is back and two that he's back pitching, he's got great stuff and could be a great pitcher for the Red Sox in the future. On a bizarre side note, another Boston athlete, Phill Kessel, a 19 year old player for the Boston Bruins had testicular cancer earlier this year and he too has recovered well.
