Meet-and-greet with Sox player available in auction

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Red Sox manager John Farrell feels fortunate each day that his non- Hodgkin's lymphoma was caught early enough that he was deemed cancer-free two months later, and he expects to be back in the dugout next season.

But others aren't so lucky, and the Red Sox have again joined MLB's cause to increase awareness and funds via the Stand Up To Cancer initiative.

The online auction will continue until Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.

The team has offered an autographed item from David Ortiz, plus a meet-and-greet with a Red Sox player.

Another compelling auction item is the ability to take the lineup card out to home plate before a game at Fenway Park.

Or how about a chance to get a hitting lesson from Red Sox hitting coach Chili Davis?

This auction initiative has raised nearly $500,000 since its inception four years ago, and a significant portion of the proceeds from this year's event will go to Stand Up To Cancer, a longtime partner of Major League Baseball, its founding donor in 2008.

In addition, this year's auction will benefit Do It For Durrett, in honor of the late Texas Rangers ESPN.com reporter Richard Durrett, who passed away suddenly last year, and the YouCaring page established for Miami Marlins Sun Sentinel beat writer Juan C. Rodriguez, who is currently battling a brain tumor.