Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said Wednesday that Andrew Bailey (lat) is ready to face hitters. Bailey has made steady progress since suffering a minor lat strain early in camp. He threw a bullpen session Tuesday without incident and it's possible his next step might be a live game. "Bailey is ready," said Valentine. "He threw the bullpen. The next time might be to a hitter, but it might be batting practice. We're going to see how he feels. He might want to jump right into a game. He's pain-free and feels like he's throwing the ball fine." The 27-year-old right-hander is a bit of a health risk given his history, but he should be a valuable fantasy closer with Boston.