I should have just shut off the laptop and went to bed. I just finished Guardians of the Galaxy and the combination of Chris Pratt, Rocket Raccoon, and a talking tree named Groot had put me in a good mood. My addiction to Twitter was too strong so I had to hit refresh one more time before I closed my eyes. But to my horror the biggest disappointment for Red Sox fans this offseason stared me right in the face.
And just like that, Boston’s favourite left-handed pitching son wasn’t coming back home.
Even with the signing of Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez, this one was a punch in the gut for Red Sox Nation. For the record, I’m not mad at John Lester; he got the Red Sox to the top of the mountain twice. He has ties with the Chicago Cubs in GM Jed Hoyer and team president Theo Epstein. There are also 155 million reasons to head to the Windy City. Lester’s got to look out for number one.
The biggest thing that irked me was the second part of that tweet. Seeing that the Boston Red Sox had low-balled the best starting pitcher they have had since Pedro Martinez threw Don Zimmer to the ground should be infuriating for fans of the Red Sox.
If this doesn’t get you into the Hall of Fame I don’t know what will.
Also, I see you Josh Beckett, but the Beckett vs Lester debate is for another time.
Team ownership missed the mark by 20 million dollars. They weren’t even close! Hell, even the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants apparently had higher bids. The Red Sox have a history of overspending during free agency. Everyone remembers the ghost of Carl Crawford *shudders*, which almost haunted left field of Fenway Park on a contract that was suppose to be 142 Million over seven years *double shudders*.
So let me get this straight: The Red Sox ownership was willing to spend 142 million on a guy who had never played in a major market and had been a thorn in the spine of the team when he was on the Rays; but they won’t spend more than 135 million to get the pitcher that was your ace for the last 5 years?
Probably the most painful part of the Lester Saga can be felt if we look back to Spring Training. Lester had just won his second ring for Boston. During that World Series he won 2 games with 15 strikeouts and only one run allowed over 15 innings pitched. Did the Sox try to lock him up then because most knew the pitching market was going to skyrocket because Clayton Kershaw resigned with the Dodgers for record breaking contract?
HELL NO! YOU LOW-BALL HIM!
So what happens now? The ownership will probably enter save-face mode and overspend for a starter that doesn’t have Lester’s pitching résumé, or you know, a connection with Boston that has been built for the last eight years.
Just please don’t say your selling your talented arms in the minors for an average pitcher your hoping will step up.
UGH
GROOOOAAANN
The age of baseball players staying with one franchise their whole career officially died when Derek Jeter hit a walk-off in his New York farewell. I get that. Red Sox ownership had the chance for a great homecoming that would have made up for this season being a chemical fire. Lester’s cup of coffee with the Oakland A’s could have been just that, a 3 month cup of coffee. Ownership could have said to fans that they know Lester is a fan favourite, so okay, we will overspend for a guy you love. But in a move that makes you question how in touch with the fans they actually are- they didn’t. A team that was willing to spend to the mars for players with question marks weren’t willing to spend to the moons for a guy loved by fans and a proven performer.
Congratulations Red Sox ownership, you lost your ace, possibly some fan support and you’ve made fans question how you do business. Which isn’t hard for Red Sox fans to do, but this time, more importantly, you actually deserve all of it.
I can’t wait till they tell Red Sox fans to get excited for their 2015 Opening Day starter……Clay Bucholz!
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