The Jon Lester Signs w/ Cubs - 6 yrs/$155 Million

[Sammys Boombox]

Somehow slept through 13 texts from my dad and brother starting at 2:30 AM!

 

http://media.tumblr.com/5b61042c0f19ca4e592fab8b9853a8a9/tumblr_inline_n5jhjdSdwA1rh3k1r.gif

 

Removing Cobs from sig!

[UMFan83]

Also:

 

Patrick Mooney

@CSNMooney

Theo: "We're not shopping (Castillo) at all. The second that the Montero news came out, we got calls from a number of teams about Wely."

 

Patrick Mooney

@CSNMooney

Theo: "We'll always listen, just because it would be crazy not to listen. But we really like the way (Montero and Castillo) fit together."

 

That was pre-Lester

 

Anyways judging by the time stamps I went to bed 15 min before the news broke. Figures.

[Little Slide Rooter]

We're currently sporting a 10 deep rotation.

 

Lester

Arrieta

Hammel

Hendricks

Wood

 

Jaxon / Wada / Doubront / Turner / Straily

 

Do we still have to pretend like those last 3 are worth anybody's time now that we have Lester?

I still have my doubts that Hendricks and his 87 MPH FB and 5 k/9 is nothing more than a poor mans Carlos Villanueva and not a #4 starter on a team trying to win. Really would like to see us add McCarthy yet at minimum.

 

I agree with you on Hendricks...not enough success to show it can be sustained. I'd love to see Turner grow into the pitcher many thought he would be.

 

Unless they end up doing some kind of bad contract swap with Jackson, the 5 spot is likely his to win or lose. I'm still hoping that Bosio works his magic on Turner. In what little I saw of Doubront last year, he looked to me like a guy who was a bit of coaching away from being as good as he was once supposed to me, and Wada's your consumate 5-7 starter/swingman. This being said, I'd bet on Wood being traded between now and roster decision time.

[RynoRules]

I went to bed at 11:00 thinking this wasn't resolving until today....

 

http://www.jamieleighto.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/tumblr_mbxkzmpdlu1r85uhro1_500.gif

[JennieGarthAlgar]

2014: Edwin Jackson

2015: Jon Lester

 

2016: go [expletive] yourself

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Castillo can have 54 starts at C, DH 10 times, maybe teach him to give Rizzo like 6 days off at 1b, and PH in like every other game.

 

No DH in the NL. Thanks, Kap.

 

They play 10 road games at AL parks.

[hawkeyecub]

I wish I could see Rizzo's reaction. I'm happy for that guy, he has to be so [expletive] pumped.

[fiver]

Exciting to wake up to this news.

[Cubs Fan Dan]

2014: Edwin Jackson

2015: Jon Lester

 

2016: go [expletive] yourself

 

You mean 2013 Edwin Jackson? Are you comparing Edwin to Lester?

[RynoRules]

I wish I could see Rizzo's reaction. I'm happy for that guy, he has to be so [expletive] pumped.

 

This. Dude has to feel like the cavalry has genuinely arrived.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Now lets trade for Justin Upton and go to bed until March.

[nocode416]

All hail nocode.

 

This.

Hail, Hail nocode!

 

Well played.

[Lefty]

Assuming normal decline, here's Lester's projected value over 6 years depending on your starting point in 2015.

 

5 WAR: 168 million

4.5 WAR: 146 million

4 WAR: 124 million

3.5 WAR: 101 million

 

What would a normal decline look like? 4.7 WAR would be like 200 IP with a 3.00 ERA, right?

 

I don't buy this precise dollar value to WAR. Nobody has any idea what the economics of baseball is going to be in a few years.

[RynoRules]

Now lets trade for Justin Upton and go to bed until March.

 

That's my preference as well. Posted in other thread, but I will put it here also since its where the traffic is:

 

Baez, Alcantara, Edwards and a high-ceiling Low A or Rookie level guy for Upton. Too much or too little?

[Cubs Fan Dan]

Now lets trade for Justin Upton and go to bed until March.

 

That's my preference as well. Posted in other thread, but I will put it here also since its where the traffic is:

 

Baez, Alcantara, Edwards and a high-ceiling Low A or Rookie level guy for Upton. Too much or too little?

 

Hart is on record saying the braves want to stock arms. Would it be possible to throw a package of Edwards, Almora, Johnson and Blackburn?

[UMFan83]

I'm sick that one of the first things I did is troll Red Sox forums for bitter reactions

 

Disappointing on so many levels. [expletive] Theo, Maddon and the Cubs. I hope Lester has a wonderful career, pitching for a fourth place Cubs team that goes another 100 years without a championship.

 

I respect the Red Sox for not going any higher than 135 million -- I wanted them to offer him less. It should be noted that Theo has a pretty poor track record with BIG money free agent signings -- the Lester contract will probably be another disaster for him.

 

I'd have liked to see the Sox go up a few more millions but I guess it didn't matter... If those are the final numbers (and a vesting option, wow), then yeah... Good luck, Jon and f*ck you, Theo.

 

I love Lester, but [expletive] Theo. And Maddon. And Ricketts.

 

Can we please deploy about seven or eight Sosh guys do fly out to Chicago and beat Joe Maddon within an inch of his life?

 

The only scenario that would have me rooting for the Cubs is if they face the Yanks in WS.

 

I'd argue Duquette/Port/Hoyer/Cherington get most of the credit for those championships.

 

Theo stuck us with the mess of 2011 and skipped town.

 

It was known in mid-2011 the Cubs were tampering with Theo and it was leaked all over the media they wanted to pry him from the Red Sox.

 

After the meltdown of 2011, Theo runs off to the Cubs leaving us with his wreckage.

 

Theo then negotiates his own compensation, as the Cubs announce they're basically not giving us [expletive] for poaching our GM.

 

Then the same thing repeats itself with Joe Maddon, one of the bigger douchenozzles in the game.

 

All the best to Lester, I hope he gets another ring with another team after a massive Cubs fire sale in 2016.

 

For the record the opinion is split almost 50/50 between the above and "Good for Jon, I will root for the Cubs to win the WS if the Sox aren't in it"

[rawaction]

Now lets trade for Justin Upton and go to bed until March.

 

That's my preference as well. Posted in other thread, but I will put it here also since its where the traffic is:

 

Baez, Alcantara, Edwards and a high-ceiling Low A or Rookie level guy for Upton. Too much or too little?

 

Probably a little much, but probably what it would take. I personally like Cargo or Kemp. Really like the thought of a big bat that can play CF.

[UMFan83]

Now lets trade for Justin Upton and go to bed until March.

 

That's my preference as well. Posted in other thread, but I will put it here also since its where the traffic is:

 

Baez, Alcantara, Edwards and a high-ceiling Low A or Rookie level guy for Upton. Too much or too little?

 

People keep forgetting he has the Cubs on his limited 5 team no trade list. Maybe he would waive it, but he did update his list just this offseason and still has the Cubs on it.

[Elrhino]

I don't think the Cubs are especially concerned about Castillo being happy. It's more a question of Ross making Lester very happy, and being one of those "veteran leaders" Theo rants about. And the fact that Castillo does have at least some trade value, as a young and cheap catcher who can provide league-average performance.

 

If we're rostering a offensively crappy veteranny veteran to tell fart jokes in the clubhouse, relegating it to the backup catcher is about as harmless as any role. Especially one that's made Lester's inside cutter unhittable to right handers.

 

No need for Gomes. CarGo and Soler are playing 162.

[cbbryan]

Great way to start the day!

[Sammys Boombox]

I don't think the Cubs are especially concerned about Castillo being happy. It's more a question of Ross making Lester very happy, and being one of those "veteran leaders" Theo rants about. And the fact that Castillo does have at least some trade value, as a young and cheap catcher who can provide league-average performance.

 

If we're rostering a offensively crappy veteranny veteran to tell fart jokes in the clubhouse, relegating it to the backup catcher is about as harmless as any role. Especially one that's made Lester's inside cutter unhittable to right handers.

 

No need for Gomes. CarGo and Soler are playing 162.

 

Combined?

[Elrhino]

Now lets trade for Justin Upton and go to bed until March.

 

That's my preference as well. Posted in other thread, but I will put it here also since its where the traffic is:

 

Baez, Alcantara, Edwards and a high-ceiling Low A or Rookie level guy for Upton. Too much or too little?

 

People keep forgetting he has the Cubs on his limited 5 team no trade list. Maybe he would waive it, but he did update his list just this offseason and still has the Cubs on it.

 

And he's already utilized his NTC to nix a trade to the Mariners previously, so it's not just lip service.

[Deeg]

If Beane is totally backing up the truck, maybe he'll move Josh Reddick, too. I'd certainly be checking.

[RynoRules]

Now lets trade for Justin Upton and go to bed until March.

 

That's my preference as well. Posted in other thread, but I will put it here also since its where the traffic is:

 

Baez, Alcantara, Edwards and a high-ceiling Low A or Rookie level guy for Upton. Too much or too little?

 

Probably a little much, but probably what it would take. I personally like Cargo or Kemp. Really like the thought of a big bat that can play CF.

 

Makes sense. And the NTC issue slipped by me.

 

Can CarGo really play CF anymore? And isn't Kemp to SD pretty much done?

[RynoRules]

If Beane is totally backing up the truck, maybe he'll move Josh Reddick, too. I'd certainly be checking.

 

He's played even fewer games than CarGo over the last couple of years.