Lester has waited long enough

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Lefthander Jon Lester will make his 2007 spring training debut in a B game against minor leaguers Monday at 10 a.m.

"Obviously, it's a day to look forward to," Lester said yesterday. "But I feel like I've been facing hitters in live batting practice."

Lester hasn't pitched in game conditions since August. His 2006 season was cut short when he was diagnosed with a form of anaplastic large cell lymphoma. He was treated at home over the winter and his cancer is in remission.

The 6-foot-4-inch southpaw is on a five-day program and will pitch one inning in his second outing, also against minor league hitters.

"I want to do more, but I have to listen to what they say," he said. "They are working in the best interests of my career."

"If we can ratchet up the intensity and pick up the endurance we will," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "But if we look ahead to 12 years from now and he's had a long career, it won't matter if it took an extra month down here this year to get him back on track."

Lester was getting the job done in the Sox rotation when cancer struck. Since then, Boston has brought Daisuke Matsuzaka into the fold and moved closer Jonathan Papelbon into the rotation to join Josh Beckett, Tim Wakefield, and Curt Schilling.

"I want to be in [the rotation]," said Lester. "But where I am is up to [Francona] and the front office. We've got a great starting rotation and if I have to go somewhere else, I'll go. I'll be here in case something happens."

Lester said his weight is back to 215 pounds, which is where it was when he was stricken last summer.

John Kiera, the promoter of last weekend's classic car auction in Atlantic City, said he had been told "many times" by Tony Averso, the man who was putting Manny Ramírez's 1967 customized convertible Lincoln Continental up for bid, that Ramírez and his car would be coming to the event.

Kiera said he asked repeatedly if Ramírez was coming. "[Averso] sent us photographs of both Manny and the car, and told us Manny and the car were both coming," he said. Kiera said that's why they advertised Ramírez's appearance at the event. A contract was not signed, he said, and Ramírez wasn't going to get an appearance fee. "We didn't want to put out any false claims, and when we were told he wasn't coming, we put out a statement and posted it at our box office," Kiera said.

"I think at this point, we're going to be the villains," Kiera said good-naturedly.

Averso, who said he'd been in daily contact with Ramírez last week, said Ramírez told him repeatedly he'd be attending the event. Asked if he thought Ramírez might have made him look foolish, Averso said: "Nobody made me look foolish. I was representing the car. I assumed he was coming. It's over with, it's done."

The car, Averso said, was not sold.

Would-be closer Joel Pineiro came on to start the third inning of last night's exhibition opener against the Twins and was shaky. He gave up a couple of hits and an unearned run, thanks to a throwing error by new shortstop Julio Lugo. You could almost hear Sox fans groaning, "Why didn't they keep Alex Gonzalez?" (Gonzalez made one error in the Sox' first 62 games last year.) Lugo got the run back with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning. Francona said Pineiro was a little inconsistent on his release point . . . David Ortiz hit an RBI single in the third, then came out of the game . . . Brendan Donnelly had a 1-2-3 fourth inning . . . Jason Varitek caught only the first three innings . . . The attendance was 7,649 . . . Julian Tavarez came on for the fifth and his third pitch sailed behind batter Jason Bartlett. Joe Mauer, the reigning American League batting champion (.347), later hit a tying three-run homer off Tavarez . . . Veteran reliever Mike Timlin (back spasms) said he'll throw a bullpen session in another day or two. "I'm going to give it as much time as it needs," said Timlin. "It's not like this is my first spring training." . . . Outfield prospect Jacoby Ellsbury started in center field. "It's exciting for me," said Ellsbury, who looks a little like a young Johnny Damon. "Last year I got to play in an exhibition game in Philadelphia, but nothing down here." He will probably play at Double A Portland this year and said, "I understand how the process works. It's a matter of time and hard work. I can't think about how the people in front of me are doing. That would make me lose focus on what I'm trying to do." Ellsbury took a called third strike in his first at-bat, then cracked a two-run single in the fourth. "We saw the tools everyone is talking about," said Francona. "This is a great learning experience for him. It looks like it's fun for him to run." . . . Chad Spann played third base for the Sox, made two errors, and struck out with runners in scoring position in the eighth and 10th innings . . . Alex Ochoa, who played in Japan last year, made two sensational throws from right field for the Sox in the ninth inning, preserving the 4-4 tie, which is how the game ended. After seeing Ocho throw out the potential go-ahead run with his seconds throw, Francona said, "I managed him in the Fall League in 1994, I saw that arm 13 years ago. That was one of the better throws you'll ever see."

Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino participated in a ceremony downtown Tuesday and said the Sox have no plans to leave Fort Myers. The Sox presented a 2004 World Series ring to city officials. The ring is part of a Red Sox display case in the Old Lee County Courthouse. At 4:30 p.m. yesterday, the Sox unveiled a Ted Williams statue at the corner of Edison Avenue and Broadway in front of City of Palms Park. It's a version of the statue located outside Gate B at Fenway Park. Ageless Johnny Pesky participated in the ceremony . . . Matt Clement left camp for a few days after a death in his family. Abe Alvarez is also away because of a family matter . . . Wakefield and Papelbon make their spring debuts Saturday against the Phillies.

The Sox play two games each today and tomorrow. Beckett gets the ball this afternoon at City of Palms Park against Northeastern. Kason Gabbard is scheduled to start in the split-squad game against the Blue Jays at Dunedin. Brad Mills will manage in Dunedin and Eric Hinske, Kevin Cash, Wily Mo Peña, Dustin Pedroia, and Alex Cora will make the trip . "Pedroia's going because he's Pedroia," said Francona. "He's the Youkilis of this year." The Sox play two home games Friday, a 12:35 start against the Blue Jays and a 6:05 game against Boston College. Kyle Snyder gets the ball against the Jays and Matsuzaka is slated to start against BC. Francona said he would use some of the regular players against the Eagles. "It's not fair to have Boston College show up and face Brad Mills and Terry Francona," he said . . . Francona is trying to quit his smokeless tobacco habit and has agreed to a bet with Lucchino. If Francona lasts the year without chewing, Lucchino donates $20,000 to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. If Francona fails, he's on the hook for $20,000 to a charity to be named.

Gordon Edes of the Globe staff contributed to this report.