Former Patient Jon Lester Wins Hutch Award...Truck Day Will Be February 6

The following is part of an article I found at the Seattle Post Intelligencer website dated Wednesday, January 21st...seems like yesterday...

"Wednesday, for the first time in 44 years of its existence, the Fred Hutchinson Award winner was someone who has walked the same path as the children who occupy the Hutch Center. Puyallup's Jon Lester is the first former Hutch Center patient to win the award, given annually to a major leaguer who has exemplified the honor, courage and dedication of Seattle native Fred Hutchinson, a big league pitcher and manager who died of cancer in 1964."

"It's very special to me to be the first patient to have won the Hutch Award," Lester said Wednesday morning at Safeco Field. "It's a special feeling I really can't put into words what it means to me and my family."

Jon, you mean SO much to all of us here awaiting the games of summer. Last year, Jon had a record of 16-6 with a sparkling ERA of 3.21. He will be the solid number two guy in the rotation in 2009, and with a healthy Beckett, they will make quite a great one-two punch. Add that dynamic duo to Matsuzaka, Penny, Smoltz and Wakefield and you have the makings of a great starting pitching staff. Now if the injuries stay away, these guys can and will play!

I want to add a quick reminder...Truck Day will be coming up at supersonic speed. The big rig(s) will pull out of Boston, the Hub of the Universe, on February 6th, just a scant 15 days away. The trip to Fort Myers, Florida will take three days. Get ready to get ready!!

Thanks for popping in, have a great Thursday, and as always, BE WELL. You can click on the title of this post to be cosmically transported to the Sports Illustrated Boston Red Sox homepage. From there, you can go almost anywhere. I'll see you soon.