Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald reports that the Red Sox have "closely monitored" Felix Doubront's offseason conditioning program this winter. They've also "encouraged him to return to the U.S. earlier than usual" after Doubront went back to his native Venezuela after the World Series. The left-hander has shown up to spring training out of shape two of the last three years, and he can't afford to do so again with a rotation spot on the line. Lauber writes that "a strong spring from Doubront could compel the Red Sox to pull the trigger on a trade involving either Ryan Dempster or Jake Peavy."