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

[Clem Fandango]

On the bright side, if the Cubs go 7 years when others aren't willing, Scherzer is going to demand 7 years too and then they're gonna have to be all like "Ugh fine! We should've just done that with Lester!" and then Theo and Jed will be all like

 

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/article/media_slots/photos/001/051/764/original_original.gif

[rawaction]

Bob Nightengale ‏@BNightengale 6m6 minutes ago

The #SFGiants officials are more optimistic than 24 hours ago that Jon Lester will pick them, while eagerly waiting final decision.

 

These types of jokes get made a lot, but Bob Nightengale saying it truly makes me feel better about our chances.

 

Might be mostly due to the rumors of Boston being out.

[UMFan83]

Bob Nightengale ‏@BNightengale 6m6 minutes ago

The #SFGiants officials are more optimistic than 24 hours ago that Jon Lester will pick them, while eagerly waiting final decision.

 

These types of jokes get made a lot, but Bob Nightengale saying it truly makes me feel better about our chances.

 

Might be mostly due to the rumors of Boston being out.

 

Or they are the team that is rumored to go to 7/175 and they heard Theo's quotes about not going on a persuit at all costs, reasoning that the Cubs aren't willing to match.

[minnesotacubsfan]

7/175 seems ludicrous but I haven't paid much attention to MLB salaries in like 5 years.

[Butterscup1679666578]

If he wanted to play for the Cubs the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

[sneakypower]

he 'wants' to play for the team that best allows him to

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CTeb26aH_k8/TtZcvCO8wHI/AAAAAAAAADk/_cdV_RHlj6M/s1600/Scrooge%20Money.jpg

[UMFan83]

If he wanted to play for the Cubs the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

If he wanted to play for the Red Sox the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

If he wanted to play for the Giants the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

If he wanted to play for the Dodgers the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

[minnesotacubsfan]

I bet SF is lower and they are trying to sell him on a ring.

 

That being said, the reports of 7/175 have to be the Dodgers

[Butterscup1679666578]

If he wanted to play for the Cubs the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

If he wanted to play for the Red Sox the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

If he wanted to play for the Giants the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

If he wanted to play for the Dodgers the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

All three of those teams have more to sell than the Cubs

 

Red Sox: hey we're competitive all the time and you're familiar here

 

Giants: hey we win the World Series every other year

 

Dodgers: hey here's a fuckton of money

 

Cubs: hey we can give you the same contract any of these other teams are giving you (as long as they don't go any higher or any more years because that's scary) and we might make the playoffs again someday (but probably not this year or next)

[Guest]

Cubs: hey we can give you the same contract any of these other teams are giving you (as long as they don't go any higher or any more years because that's scary) and we might make the playoffs again someday (but probably not this year or next)

The Cubs with Lester and one more "big" move probably have as good a chance as any of those other teams to make the playoffs in 2015.

 

Well, maybe not the Dodgers.

[Guest]

If he wanted to play for the Cubs the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

If he wanted to play for the Red Sox the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

If he wanted to play for the Giants the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

If he wanted to play for the Dodgers the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

All three of those teams have more to sell than the Cubs

 

Red Sox: hey we're competitive all the time and you're familiar here

 

Giants: hey we win the World Series every other year

 

Dodgers: hey here's a [expletive] of money

 

Cubs: hey we can give you the same contract any of these other teams are giving you (as long as they don't go any higher or any more years because that's scary) and we might make the playoffs again someday (but probably not this year or next)

 

no.

[TruffleShuffle]

red sox: hey jon, we're competitive all the time!

jon lester: you know i was on the red sox in 2012 and 2014, right?

[treebird]

i liked 6/140 a lot more than 7/175.

 

i would kind of rather trade baez and whatever for a pitcher at this point.

[Sammy Sofa]

red sox: hey jon, we're competitive all the time!

jon lester: you know i was on the red sox in 2012 and 2014, right?

 

"Oh yeah; I was also there all of those other years, included the two where we won the World Series!"

[UMFan83]

If he wanted to play for the Cubs the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

If he wanted to play for the Red Sox the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

If he wanted to play for the Giants the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

If he wanted to play for the Dodgers the money wouldn't be an issue (based on the reports that everyone is around 6/150).

 

All three of those teams have more to sell than the Cubs

 

Red Sox: hey we're competitive all the time and you're familiar here

 

Giants: hey we win the World Series every other year

 

Dodgers: hey here's a [expletive] of money

 

Cubs: hey we can give you the same contract any of these other teams are giving you (as long as they don't go any higher or any more years because that's scary) and we might make the playoffs again someday (but probably not this year or next)

 

Red Sox: We've finished in last place 2 of the last 3 years and tried to prop our team up by signing a 31 year old oft injured SS and a 3B that will probably eat himself off the field in 2-3 years. Plus we insulted you by low balling you last season.

 

Giants: We are only losing our 3B, 2 starting pitchers and closer this offseason

 

Dodgers: (this is me) Your point was based on the report that all the teams were offering something in the range of 6/150 contracts so 'hey here's a [expletive] of money' doesn't work

 

Cubs: We have the top farm system in baseball, with all of the top guys ready to play this year or next, we have a highly regarded president and GM who you are very familiar with and have a good relationship with, we have what most people consider a top 2-3 manager in baseball, that everyone whose played for loves, we have only like $90 mil committed next year if you sign, we are the 3rd largest market in the country and are expecting a significant revenue boost almost immediatly from the Wrigley rennovations, and another bump towards the middle of your contract when we start our own TV network to air the games. We already have the best ST facilities in baseball and in your second season with the team you will have highly regarded facilities at Wrigley Field. Finally, you see how revered your teammates that played on the 04 Red Sox are. Damon went to the Yankees and still gets standing ovations when he comes back to Fenway, Dave Roberts was a pinch runner/defensive replacement and gets free drinks for life in Boston. Imagine the response from winning a WS with the Cubs.

Edited December 9, 2014 by UMFan83

[UMFan83]

red sox: hey jon, we're competitive all the time!

jon lester: you know i was on the red sox in 2012 and 2014, right?

 

"Oh yeah; I was also there all of those other years, included the two where we won the World Series!"

 

 

Theo: BTW, I was the GM for the first of those two, and the players I developed/acquired played a big part in the second! Come to the Cubs!

[sneakypower]

i'm sure he'll still end up signing somewhere for 6/150

 

think about the Joel Sherman report of the Yankees having no internal discussions about him and then suddenly they're in the mix as a team you don't want to count out, it all transparently reeks of Levinson trying to drum up fake interest to get some dumb team to panic and go 7 years and the teams involved are probably too smart to fall for that game

Edited December 9, 2014 by sneakypower

[TruffleShuffle]

red sox: hey jon, we're competitive all the time!

jon lester: you know i was on the red sox in 2012 and 2014, right?

 

"Oh yeah; I was also there all of those other years, included the two where we won the World Series!"

 

an argument of "we're competitive all the time" falls a bit flat when the club has finished in last place two of the past three seasons.

[Guest]

not that it's of much consequence, but is there really someone who doesn't think joe maddon is the best manager in the game?

[Sammy Sofa]

red sox: hey jon, we're competitive all the time!

jon lester: you know i was on the red sox in 2012 and 2014, right?

 

"Oh yeah; I was also there all of those other years, included the two where we won the World Series!"

 

 

Theo: BTW, I was the GM for the first of those two, and the players I developed/acquired played a big part in the second! Come to the Cubs!

 

I think these guys weigh recent franchise history more than a lot of us want to admit.

[Sammy Sofa]

red sox: hey jon, we're competitive all the time!

jon lester: you know i was on the red sox in 2012 and 2014, right?

 

"Oh yeah; I was also there all of those other years, included the two where we won the World Series!"

 

an argument of "we're competitive all the time" falls a bit flat when the club has finished in last place two of the past three seasons.

 

Far more competitive than the Cubs, competitive more of ten than not and they've shown the propensity to bounce back quickly when he was with them and the willingness to do what is needed to bounce back quickly. I don't think it's a stretch at all to say the Cubs have to sell themselves a lot harder than teams like the Red Sox or the Giants.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Sammy Sofa

[RynoRules]

i liked 6/140 a lot more than 7/175.

 

i would kind of rather trade baez and whatever for a pitcher at this point.

 

If that trade is for Zimmerman or Cueto, I am with you. But I doubt Cueto is available and neither the Cubs nor Reds would risk an intra-division trade of that magnitude. It would have to be Zimmerman.

 

I'm on the other side of that fence when it comes to Hamels, but if the haul isn't too heavy, I could be convinced otherwise.

[UMFan83]

not that it's of much consequence, but is there really someone who doesn't think joe maddon is the best manager in the game?

 

I think a good percentage of people would say Bochy is the best manager in baseball and its hard to argue at this point

[Guest]

not that it's of much consequence, but is there really someone who doesn't think joe maddon is the best manager in the game?

 

I think a good percentage of people would say Bochy is the best manager in baseball and its hard to argue at this point

 

Meh.

[Cubswin11]

Rosenthal just said on MLBN that the a reason the Lester decision could be dragging is that ownership groups are now getting involved and they tend to slow things down, so cue the PTR jokes.