I think in light of all the uncertainty surrounding Jon Lester, it's probably in everyone's best interest that he not make that start.Farrell added that a corresponding roster move would be made "sometime tomorrow".
Rob Bradford (WEEI) tweet:
FWIW, one GM just said it was looking like Lester deal would be done tonight or tomm. morning
10 comments:
I'm equal parts pissed off and sad about this.
Edes, last night: "Six teams still in on Lester, according to source with direct knowledge: Dodgers, Cardinals, Pirates, Blue Jays, Orioles, Athletics"
I'm equal parts pissed off and sad about this.
That pretty much sums up my feelings on this. Since I cannot read Ben Cherington's mind, I don't know if he is banking on Lester making good on his promise to consider an offer from the Sox after the season, or if the brass has no interest in signing him, period.
I checked on Lackey's contract status and the Sox have a club option next season for $500K, which they could trigger since he missed significant time between 2010 and 2014 with an elbow injury (2012 lost due to Tommy John).
Is the front office hoping that Lackster, who will be 36 next season, will mentor some of the new young guns (Webster, De La Rosa, Workman) as they develop into possible rotation regulars?
If they can get an excellent prospect (CF please) or two from him, I am totally fine with the trade.
Lester has been a legit #1 starter this year and there aren't many of those guys out there. But he's also 30 years old. And there are a LOT more of the guys that weren't worth the long-term deal they signed at 30 than guys who were.
I'd much rather trade him and let someone else hope that they get more than a year or two before he turns into CC Sabathia or Johan Santana.
It is sad. Another sad note in this pathetic season.
From SoSH
Edes on SportsCenter:
* Price currently pitching for Rays, which suggests they're holding onto him. Makes Lester most attractive starting pitcher on market.
* Being scratched makes it inevitable he'll be traded
* Six teams still in it for Lester
Pirates, Cardinals, Dodgers most likely landing places
* Red Sox want "a king's ransom" for Lester -- at least 2 top prospects
*Was told they're using Cubs/A's Samardzija trade as a "template"
***
Rosenthal tweets that a source says there is a very good chance both Lester and Lackey get moved.
It's hard to feel confident that the front office is doing what is best for the team here. It feels like they're being frugal for frugality's sake. (As always I'm confused about them not even offering a qualifying offer to Salty, throwing away an already established relationship with the staff and risking clubhouse chemistry with a known a-hole. Just to save a few million for one year.)
If both Lester and Lackey are traded, I mean, crap, then I don't feel real confidence in a single member of next year's rotation. (Who's the starting ace? Buchholz? Rubby De La Rosa, who frankly, isn't even a sure bet to be a career starter with his limited pitch variety?)
And I know this sounds like Monday morning quarterbacking, but it's hard not to think that the front office majorly screwed up the off season. I mean, centerfield alone, it's like they were banking on a couple lottery tickets coming through. (Either Jackie Bradley plays like an Allstar, or a reclamation project magically would be okay again. And the argument that they were okay with Bradley's offense because of his great defense, simply doesn't hold weight. They were clearly thinking of Sizemore as Plan A; otherwise they'd have simply given Bradley the job from the get-go. That's some shitty planning right there. This whole idea that Sizemore "stole" the job in spring trading is either nonsense, or it means the front office was truly short-sighted. We've always been told that spring training is an incredibly small sample size and doesn't mean much, yet suddenly Sizemore took their breath away and forced their hand?)
They had to have even known that Victorino was breaking down and would unlikely put up the same production (or even could be relied upon) this year. As early as last year I've heard people openly acknowledge that they overpaid Victorino for three years, perhaps only to get the one healthy year and have a good clubhouse guy. It was a very real possibility as far back as last year that he probably couldn't be relied on for the full period of his contract. They might as well pencil in Buchholz to be the number one next year, then act shocked and surprised, like it was just bad luck that no one could've foreseen, when he misses some time.
Hell, the entire outfield felt like a "cross your fingers" type of mismanagement. Did they really think that Nava was going to equal his numbers from last year? Did Farrell (and by extension, Cherington) honestly believe that Gomes was magical and his mere presence would ensure wins? (As sarcastic as that sounds, I think in the case of Farrell, he may have actually believed that.)
ESPN:
"Red Sox manager John Farrell said he expects lefthander Jon Lester in uniform and at Fenway for Wednesday night’s game against the Blue Jays"
Tweeters saying the Orioles are close to a Lester Deal.
Also, Doubront to the Cubs?
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