Jon Lester

Sasquatch hunters would lose their minds if they happened across Fenway Park. The men of the 2013 Boston Red Sox own some of the gnarliest beards in baseball, and it's about time we settle the argument of who has the best. 

I mean, seeing as how these players went through all of the trouble and weeks (hours when it comes to Jonny Gomes) to grow these things, we might as well judge them. 

From the scraggly to those who would make The Most Interesting Man in the World happy, we have you covered. 

The first two games of the 2013 World Series have been headlined by leather.

Boston sports fans coming off their Stanley Cup hangovers are beginning to notice the Red Sox again, and what they are seeing is a team defying all expectations.

In fact, the Sox are on pace for one of the greatest single-season turnarounds in franchise history.

The baseball gods can be cruel, but they’ve got nothing on Father Time.

That crotchety old you-know-what rarely allows for ballplayers to age like fine wines, and he’s particularly unfair to pitchers. One day a pitcher will be fine and the next—BAM!—he’ll be over the hill. No more velocity, no more stuff, no more guile, no more nothing.

A week after ending the longest sellout streak in baseball, the Red Sox helped fill their fans' hearts with pride after one of Boston's darkest days. Then they continued their own shocking revival.

In most instances, a manager will focus on the opposing team’s starting pitcher when filling out his lineup card prior to a game.

A little over a week from now, teams will be starting up the 2013 season and working toward the ultimate goal: claiming the title of World Series champions. Players have been working year round and spent this past winter trying to fine tune their craft and adding new dimensions to their game.

Four players have stood out so far this spring who have added to their skill set as a major league player and have already seen tangible results this spring.

New Red Sox manager John Farrell has his work cut out for him as he tries to pick up the pieces from last year's horrendous showing under Bobby Valentine. He's been tasked with patching up the leaking holes that led to the Red Sox' worst season in nearly 50 years—and then some.

If he can take anything away from his predecessor, it's a long list of don'ts.

When thinking about all of the things Farrell should approach differently this year than Valentine, the short answer is everything. But here are five crucial lessons to be learned for a guaranteed turnaround in 2013.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Jon Lester has enjoyed much success during his career, but it’s always seemed that he’s never reached his full potential. Declining production and his own surprising recent comments have further questioned whether he can ever really be an ace.

The Boston Red Sox endured a miserable 93-loss season in 2012, with starting pitcher Jon Lester being one of the players who struggled the most. However, in looking ahead, there are a number of reasons why Lester can bounce back in 2013.