Rumor: Jon Lester’s Former Teammates Believe He Will Sign With the Chicago Cubs

[SilenceS]

Lester be stupid to go to a shitty team.

He should take a short term deal & stay in Oakland.

Will you be my agent in pretend land?

 

[chibears55]

I dont know. This isnt the old man bidding Yankees. They have Sabathia and they have Tanaka on the books. Jeter comes off and Im sure they will be strong players but I dont see them as the unstoppable force they were before. If they do decide that, I think Scherzer would be there target.

Jeter comes off but Arod goes back on for next 3 years

Do they have a SS ready to replace him or is that someone they need to go out and find

 

[JZsportsfan]

There has been a lot of smoke about Tulo to the Yankees but no idea what the Yankees would give up via trade

 

[chibears55]

There has been a lot of smoke about Tulo to the Yankees but no idea what the Yankees would give up via trade

Arod..lol

 

[beckdawg]

I'd rather you keep reinforcing your opinion. I'd like to know why you think the Cubs will trade for a "young top tier starter"...I am assuming that is opposed to signing one like Lester?

Well since you're asking, I think there's better value in trading for a 25-26 year old rather than paying for 29+ year olds in FA even if it costs you prospects. Like I said I don't think that stops them from signing a Lester type. But having two 29+ year olds it puts you in a position where you could fall off quickly as they eventually hit their declining years. On the contrary, if you get one 29 year old and trade for a younger guy that gives you one established player to take some of the pressure off the younger pitchers.

That plus as I mentioned you're going to have multiple expendable prospects. And as I've mentioned you can make the argument for letting them hit the majors and see which to keep but at some point you have to have faith in your own minor league evaluation.

 

[2323]

I believe they need to add 1 and trade out Wood for next year. Over all Wood has been in decline. Jackson would be a 22 mil contract eat. I see them being stuck with that one until it is a lesser deal to absorb.

They could just go after Maeda and trade out Wood.

I agree it would come down to Boston not offering Lester his market value. I believe it will take a 130 mil offer to sign him.

How is it you have anything to add on thus topic after you swore on your life that Lester would sign with the Red Sox?

 

[JP Hochbaum]

It is pretty rare for a player to be traded by a team and then go back and sign again with that team. I find it harder to believe that Boston is a real player here, especially considering everyone in baseball knows the Cubs huge potential upside here.

Players in the majors don't just look at records, they know that the Cubs are building something historic here.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Stay away from Lester. He walks too many guys.

 

[CSF77]

How is it you have anything to add on thus topic after you swore on your life that Lester would sign with the Red Sox?

Nice of you to quote me.

What I found:

The perception that Jon Lester and the Red Sox have some sort of tacit agreement that the southpaw will re-sign with the team this winter is “amusing,” ESPN’s Buster Olney writes in his latest Insider-only column. Such an agreement would require a lot of trust between both sides, and after the way the Sox approached negotiations with their former ace, “the Lester-Red Sox relationship degraded into a business transaction.” This doesn’t necessarily mean Lester won’t re-sign, Olney notes, just that Boston will need to greatly increase their contract offer in the offseason.

Also from Tomase, the Red Sox are “realistic about their chances” of bringing Jon Lester back in free agency. Though Boston certainly intends to pursue Lester, the team’s reluctance to commit too much money to over-30 pitchers could see the Sox get outbid by another suitor.

I pull most of my infor from MLBtrade rumor. I see you pulling most of you opinion out of your ass.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/post/_/id/39485/some-sox-players-say-lester-will-be-back

BOSTON -- A couple of Red Sox players said early Saturday afternoon that they are convinced former teammate Jon Lester will re-sign with Boston as a free agent during the offseason.

Lester’s former teammates were curious how he would fare in Oakland as a rental pitcher, and the left-hander made a relatively easy transition to the AL West by leading the A’s to an 8-3 win over the Kansas City Royals at the Oakland County Coliseum. Lester worked 6 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on nine hits, with one walk and three strikeouts to improve his record to 11-7.

The pitcher received help from some old friends. The A’s scored eight runs in the win, but five were driven in by former Red Sox teammates. Gomes provided two RBIs, while Jed Lowrie, Josh Reddick and Nick Punto contributed one apiece.

“I think being traded to this team was a blessing because I knew so many guys on it,” Lester told reporters in Oakland.

Purely a rental for the Athletics, the team that owns the best record in baseball and could contend for a World Series title this season, Lester will gain a lot of attention from the free-agent market. Many believe there’s no way he will re-sign with Boston, because it goes against conventional wisdom. They say that other clubs, maybe even the Yankees, will open their wallets and offer Lester well above market value.

But even if other clubs offer Lester a big contract, a few Red Sox players believe he will take less money to return to Boston. Lester is cut from a different cloth, they argue. He worked so hard to achieve the success and consistency during his entire career in the Red Sox organization. He has a special bond with John Farrell, as both a former pitching coach and now manager. Plus, he was disappointed about leaving Boston, they say.

If that’s the case, and Lester returns to the Sox as the ace of the staff while Cespedes continues to hit cleanup, the players and fans in Boston would be thrilled. But don't get your hopes up. It's probably just wishful thinking.

I believe it will take a 130 mil offer to sign him. If Boston trys to short change him and another team offers an extra year he will go there.

That is a 6 year 130 mil offer. He turns 31 this off-season so the commitment would be from 31-36 YO. I don't expect much decline with him.

Now that said I've said my #1 choice has been Maeda out of Japan. He has been right behind Tanaka over their careers in Japan and I expect him to dominate here as Tanaka did. The plus part is he wasn't abused the same way Tanaka was in Japan. He would be my #1 target due to age and longevity in the league. Lester is my #2 due. Boston has the inside track with that one.

But in all reality if they were going to spend 100 mil + I would rather have them go after a 27 yo vs a 31 yo. That just makes common sense.

Kenta Maeda
http://www.baseball-reference.com/japan/player.cgi?id=maeda-001ken

Jon Lester
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lestejo01.shtmlLester

 

[CSF77]

Stay away from Lester. He walks too many guys.

1535 career IP 532 career BB. 3.12 BB per 9. This year 35 BB in 158 IP 1.99 BB per 9. Honestly I'm not sure why you said that?

 

[Captain Obvious]

1535 career IP 532 career BB. 3.12 BB per 9. This year 35 BB in 158 IP 1.99 BB per 9. Honestly I'm not sure why you said that?

Because 3 walks is quite a few.

He's in Edwin Jackson company.

Yes, this year it is down. He's pitching like an ace this year, no doubt about it. But he's having a career year. We're going to be paying for Lester to perform like this for the next 5-6-howevermany years. He's proven that he is not this good.

He's a good pitcher, yes. He's not an ace. And he's not worth the money that he'll get.

 

[SilenceS]

Oh we have been over this and you are wrong. Sorry, you just are.

As for Lester, he is not much of a risk. Even if he turns out not to pitch as well the next 5 to 6 years. All it will cost is money. This is why you play the control game with prospects. So, you can sign a guy like this and can absorb the money much easier if he fails. Baez, Soler, and Bryant will not be expensive for years. Castro and Rizzo are a couple years away from their bigger salaries. Even if they sign Lester for 130 million and he shits the bed. The Cubs can take that hit a lot easier now then 5 or 6 years from now.

 

[SilenceS]

You also have to take in account Theo loves his ex players. Lester does not cost a pick. He is a left who doesnt rely on power, so his arm should hold up well. His velocity just dropped but just a hair. He has pitched 191 or more innings every year since 2008. He is a proven post season winner and a guy you would have no problem giving the ball to in any game. Sign me up for Lester. He is also a lefty which the Cubs want since they have very little in the lefty department in the minors and Travis Wood has regressed back.

 

[brett05]

He's in Edwin Jackson company.

You just made Lester/Jackson equality comparison?

Wow. Not helping the reputation of a stereotypical Cub Fan are you?

 

[CSF77]

Lester's career FIP is 3.59. This year 2.59. This is his first yearthat it has dropped under 3. He is peaking at a contract year. Before his career best was 3.13 in2010. That year he ended up with 19 wins. His SO/9 was a huge factor. 9.7 and ended up with 225.

CO is making a valid point here. When you see a guy drop a full point on FIP and he drops 1 BB on BB/9 over his career avg on a walk year it brings to question of it repeating or going back to his career avg.

We saw this with Dempster in his last year and it got him a 3 year deal and he never put up that production again. To be honest seeing a pending F/A peak is pretty common. Boost up his sale value.

 

[CSF77]

[video=youtube;fHYInoL0C6o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHYInoL0C6o[/video]

Still my pick. They would have a power slider from Arrieta, power sinker from Hendricks and a power splitter from Maeda in the rotation. After that figure it out to round it out.

I'm a little concerned with Lester. He would be ace on this team but for how long? Give me a 27 YO on a 7 year deal and move forward.

 

[brett05]

Lester's career FIP is 3.59. This year 2.59. This is his first yearthat it has dropped under 3. He is peaking at a contract year. Before his career best was 3.13 in2010. That year he ended up with 19 wins. His SO/9 was a huge factor. 9.7 and ended up with 225.

CO is making a valid point here. When you see a guy drop a full point on FIP and he drops 1 BB on BB/9 over his career avg on a walk year it brings to question of it repeating or going back to his career avg.

We saw this with Dempster in his last year and it got him a 3 year deal and he never put up that production again. To be honest seeing a pending F/A peak is pretty common. Boost up his sale value.

Lester has basically improved the last three years so he's kinda aged like a fine wine so to speak. I personally think he's a way better value prop than Maeda. The question is can the Cubs outbid the rest including the currently perceived discount he's going to give Boston?

 

[CSF77]

Lester has basically improved the last three years so he's kinda aged like a fine wine so to speak. I personally think he's a way better value prop than Maeda. The question is can the Cubs outbid the rest including the currently perceived discount he's going to give Boston?

That is debateable. Maeda has ace stuff. That overhand curve he was laying on guys was old world. You just don't see that pitch anymore. Not to mention he has a plus slider that he mixes in. He is not the typical split/shuuto type we see coming over.

 

[Parade_Rain]

How much would the Cubs spend to sign one of these high priced FA if they for some reason decide to eat Jackson's contract?

 

[brett05]

That is debateable. Maeda has ace stuff. That overhand curve he was laying on guys was old world. You just don't see that pitch anymore. Not to mention he has a plus slider that he mixes in. He is not the typical split/shuuto type we see coming over.

His numbers speak otherwise. I think he's a solid three. I haven't heard anyone saying he's in the Darvish/Ryu/Tanaka class. The reports I have heard are he's below that. His numbers that I saw agreed with that assessment.