Jon Lester News: Pro Sports Daily

Francona would like to come back with Lester in Game 4

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October 10

Boston Globe

"After the Red Sox dropped Game 1 to the Angels Thursday night, Jon Lester, who was tagged with the loss, said he couldn't wait to get back on the mound. He might get that chance sooner than anticipated. As the Sox had hinted when they made the decision to pick Lester over Josh Beckett for the first game of the series, the team is focused on bringing back Lester for a potential Game 4 Monday in Boston. That would mean Lester pitching on three days' rest. Lester has pitched on short rest only once in his career, allowing four runs (including two homers) over five innings last season. "Once we get through tonight, he may throw a side tomorrow [at Fenway],'' manager Terry Francona said last ..."

Terry Francona's plan calls for Jon Lester to start Game 4

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October 10

Boston Herald

"Officially, the Red Sox have not named a starter for a Game 4 of the Division Series against the Angels. But listen closely to manager Terry Francona, and it becomes apparent he would very much like the starter to be left-hander Jon Lester and is planning accordingly. Lester, the losing pitcher in Game 1 Thursday night, would be pitching on three days' rest. The alternative would be right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka, who was available for relief duty last night when the Sox took on the Angels in Game 2 at Angel Stadium. Noting Lester may pitch a side session at Fenway Park today, Francona said, "We've already talked with him . . . we'd like to bring him back (in Game 4). Again, we're getting ..."

Angels' big breakthrough against Jon Lester has been a long time coming

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October 9

Los Angeles Times

"Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester was 2 years old the last time the Angels led a playoff series with Boston. And the last time the Angels scored an earned run against Lester in the playoffs? Well, that had never happened before Thursday. It almost didn't happen then, either. But Lester made one mistake and the Angels made him pay dearly, with Torii Hunter turning Lester's only bad pitch of the night into a three-run homer, paving the way to a 5-0 victory. That gave the Angels their first lead in a playoff series with Boston since the American League Championship Series in 1986 when the Angels, leading the series 3 games to 1, lost the final three. That sent Boston into the World Series, where ..."

One bad pitch? No, Jon Lester just aced out

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October 9

Boston Herald

columnist Steve Buckley

"Feel free to throw it out there that, hey, you take away one bad pitch - just one bad pitch - from Jon Lester's performance in Game 1 of the Division Series last night at Angel Stadium and maybe we're looking at one of those classic extra-inning scoreless ties that inspire poetry, documentaries and a trip to Cooperstown for home plate and the pitcher's rubber. Yeah, right. But while Lester did make a pitch to Torii Hunter that landed off those fake rocks in deep center field for a three-run homer in the fifth inning of the Angels' 5-0 victory, and while those were the only runs the left-hander allowed in six innings, it would be wrong, very, very wrong, to fall back on the one-bad pitch ..."

Past gives Jon Lester, Red Sox edge

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October 7

Boston Herald

"Any baseball history buff will tell you it's a good time to be Jon Lester. John Lackey? Not so good. For Lester, the Red Sox named him their Game 1 starter against Lackey's Angels tomorrow night. His superlative 2009 season made him the relatively easy choice but history also is in play in this Division Series like few others. Lester beat Lackey in the first game of the ALDS last year, a key road victory that paved the way for the Red Sox' eventual series win, something they have done the last three times these teams have met: 2004, 2007 and 2008. An individual win and a team win. Not a bad fact to have tucked away in his back pocket. "I guess it's just that added confidence. I mean, I ..."

Lester, Beckett provide new 1-2 punch

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October 5

Boston Globe

"Throughout much of the season - with the exception of the seven-out start in which he got nailed by a line drive against the Yankees - Jon Lester has been the ace of the Red Sox staff. More than that, Lester has been one of the best pitchers in baseball, author of a brilliant stretch beginning at the end of May that solidified a standing made clear by a dominant 2008. That position was made official yesterday as the Red Sox announced their postseason rotation for the first three games of the American League Division Series against the Angels. Lester will start Game 1, ahead of Josh Beckett, in a move that has much to do with his ability to bounce back if needed, but also much to do with ..."

Jon Lester looks ace-OK

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October 2

Boston Herald

columnist Sean McAdam

"His night's work complete, Jon Lester, head down, trudged off the Fenway mound in the seventh inning last night. Before he could get halfway to the first base foul line, the chilled crowd stood and saluted him with a loud and lengthy ovation. Half of the fans, it seemed, were responding to a job well done; the other half were cheering out of relief. From the night last Friday when Lester went down in a heap on the Yankee Stadium mound, the Red Sox had assured everyone that their ace lefty was fine, that the liner smoked by Melky Cabrera was merely painful and not debilitating. But until Lester went back out and pitched, it seemed more like wishful thinking on the club's part. And where ..."

Lester cleared to start on Thursday

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September 29

MLB.com

"In the strongest sign yet that Jon Lester doesn't have any significant after-effects from the Melky Cabrera line drive that smacked him on the right knee on Friday night, the left-hander made his side session as scheduled before Monday's game. The session went so well that Lester left no doubt about the fact he will be able to take the ball on Thursday night in his final tune-up before his first start of the postseason, which could very well be Game 1 in Anaheim on Oct. 8. "I felt fine," said Lester. "No problems. Just the normal long tossing and everything. Right around 55 pitches. Everything was good. I felt good this morning when I woke up and walking around and everything. But there's ..."

Some good news on this pair of aces

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September 29

Boston Globe

"Although Josh Beckett was scratched last night because of back spasms and Jon Lester was struck in the quad by a line drive Friday night at Yankee Stadium, the Red Sox remain positive about the probability that both pitchers will be healthy once the postseason begins. Manager Terry Francona said yesterday that the upper left side of Beckett's back stiffened Sunday night as the team returned from New York and they thought it best to hold him out and start rookie Michael Bowden. "On the plane last night he tried to get comfortable and didn't,'' Francona said of Beckett during his pregame chat with reporters. "I think he thought he'd wake up, take a hot shower and go about his business. When ..."

Jon Lester not missing a go

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September 27

Boston Herald

"Jon Lester's right quad did not swell up overnight, a positive development that strongly indicates the left-hander emerged relatively unscathed from his Friday night encounter with a line drive by Melky Cabrera. The chances of Lester making his next start are very much alive. "It's still attached, so it's going in the right direction," said Lester before yesterday's game. "It still hurts, but it will be all right, it's not swollen. Just a little red mark right now. Everything's going in the right direction." Lester probably won't throw his usual side session today, so his next test will be to see if any swelling develops after physical exercise. He said that climbing steps still bothers ..."

Lester escapes serious injury in Red Sox' loss

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September 26

Boston Globe

"The image of Jon Lester falling to the ground, writhing in pain as the Red Sox training staff streamed out of the dugout, was startling. He dropped immediately, the ball slamming off the side of the right knee, his face turning a shade of red. He stayed down. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez said to himself, "Oh my God.''"

Lester makes a strong case

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September 25

Boston Globe

"Paul Byrd had seen his new teammate pitch, but he had never met Jon Lester. This was last year, after Byrd joined the Red Sox. From afar, Byrd assumed Lester was average size. And then Byrd walked up to Lester, his head level with Lester's shoulder, and shook Lester's hand. "It was like putting my hand in a vise grip,'' Byrd said. "I thought, 'Man, this guy is just a horse.' '' Byrd learned what the Red Sox had believed since Lester began his ascent in the organization. Lester possesses a rare mix of size and ability that enables him to pile up innings and carry a pitching staff. Those attributes - his durability and dominance - have been on full display this season."

Jon Lester will start it off

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September 25

Boston Herald

columnist Sean McAdam

"In 2003, he won Game 5 for the Florida Marlins in Yankee Stadium on three days' rest and was named World Series MVP. Four years later, he won all four of his postseason starts for the Red Sox. Now that Curt Schilling is retired and John Smoltz is 42, Josh Beckett is widely viewed as baseball's best big-game pitcher. But when the Red Sox open the playoffs in less than two weeks, their plan is to start Jon Lester [stats] - and not Beckett - in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. Beckett would start Game 2, to be followed by Clay Buchholz in Game 3. The Red Sox have yet to make that declaration publicly, of course, since the team can't clinch a postseason spot until tomorrow while ..."

Lester, Red Sox Again Beat Orioles

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September 20

Washington Post

"Oftentimes when Orioles Manager Dave Trembley is asked to explain the inexplicable during another losing season in Baltimore, he dusts off his fallback answer: "That's baseball." It's his way of saying there are circumstances that can't be controlled, ones that often challenge reason. Saturday night's 11-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox was the "that's baseball" special, with the Orioles facing a club that had already beaten them 14 times in 16 tries this year. The Orioles (60-88) were attempting to solve the majors' hottest team and its blazing pitcher while countering with a depleted lineup and a struggling rookie starter. What unfolded was a close, well-played contest with the Orioles ..."

Lester lowers broom

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September 14

Boston Globe

"Young Red Sox pitchers do not seek out Jon Lester for advice, he explained, because Josh Beckett is there. Beckett is the elder ace and the staff's clear leader, the starter Lester himself still emulates. The delineation is a function of age and not performance, which is no slight to Beckett. There may not be a better pitcher right now than Lester - in the Red Sox clubhouse or anywhere else. After Lester finished cleaning the bones of the Tampa Bay Rays last night, a snapshot view of the baseball landscape would suggest Lester is as good as it gets. He shut out the Rays for eight innings while allowing two hits in a 4-0 victory in the second game of a doubleheader, extending his scoreless ..."

Lester lowers broom

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September 14

Boston Globe

"Young Red Sox pitchers do not seek out Jon Lester for advice, he explained, because Josh Beckett is there. Beckett is the elder ace and the staff's clear leader, the starter Lester himself still emulates. The delineation is a function of age and not performance, which is no slight to Beckett. There may not be a better pitcher right now than Lester - in the Red Sox clubhouse or anywhere else. After Lester finished cleaning the bones of the Tampa Bay Rays last night, a snapshot view of the baseball landscape would suggest Lester is as good as it gets. He shut out the Rays for eight innings while allowing two hits in a 4-0 victory in the second game of a doubleheader, extending his scoreless ..."

Jon Lester in the mix

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September 13

Boston Herald

"First a disclaimer: For Jon Lester to actually win the Cy Young Award, he probably needs to alternate no-hitters and shutouts in his final four starts. And even then, he might not get it. Such is the hole he dug for himself in April and May while finding his way during a 3-5 start. But no one in the American League has been better than Lester since. Starting with an 8-2 victory against the Blue Jays on May 31, Lester has gone 9-2 with a 2.15 ERA and 10.53 strikeouts per nine innings in his last 18 starts. His overall numbers stand at 12-7, 3.44 entering tonight's start against the Rays. Although the AL Cy Young Award is virtually guaranteed to end up going to either Kansas City's Zack ..."

His play was the thing

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September 7

Boston Globe

"The catch seemed improbable. Dustin Pedroia scrambled to the foul line in mid-range right field. He was in place in time, making a stellar over-the-shoulder grab, and firing the ball immediately to shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who doubled up Scott Podsednik at second for the first two outs for Jon Lester. The play was pure Pedroia. But, more to the point, it saved Lester in the only moments in which he found himself in trouble throughout yesterday's 6-1 victory over the White Sox. It was the only inning in which he allowed more than one base runner, with Podsednik reaching on an infield single and Jayson Nix walking. And then, Paul Konerko lofted a blooper that looked like it would fall. Not ..."

Jon Lester in top form

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September 7

Boston Herald

"A longtime major league scout had a question in mind yesterday morning, hours before the Red Sox-White Sox game. "How many guys would you take over (Jon) Lester in the American League right now?" he asked. Told that perhaps the list could be limited to just two names for certain - Toronto's Roy Halladay and Seattle's Felix Hernandez - the scout considered the response for a minute. "Whatever the number is, it's not many, is it?" he asked. Not many at all. While the Red Sox wait for Josh Beckett to find himself in the final month, there is no such vigil for Lester. He tossed seven shutout innings as the Red Sox snapped a two-game losing streak and beat the Chicago White Sox, 6-1. Lester ..."

Sox OK right from start

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September 7

Boston Herald

columnist John Tomase

"Manny Delcarmen is the unofficial statistician of the bullpen, and each Jon Lester start unfolds in roughly the same way. "Manny counts the strikeouts for all of our starters," reliever Daniel Bard said. "And he'll always be like, 'Man, that's nine. Can you believe it?' " Yes, Bard can. "Did you expect anything different?" Bard said. "He does it every time out. It seems like he strikes out nine, 10, 11 every start. He just has overpowering stuff. From the left side, there aren't many guys in this league that can compare to him. Hitters don't see a lot of guys like that. The results have been pretty good." And how. Yesterday, Lester shut down the White Sox on four hits over seven shutout ..."

Jon Lester is nearly in elite club

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September 6

Boston Herald

"Left-hander Jon Lester will be looking to join some select company when he takes the mound today against the White Sox. Lester needs just four strikeouts to become the 10th pitcher in team history to reach 200 in a season. The others on the list are a who's who of the best in franchise history. Roger Clemens did it eight times, Pedro Martinez six, and Smoky Joe Wood and Cy Young twice each. The pitchers to reach the milestone once aren't too shabby either: Curt Schilling, Jim Lonborg, Luis Tiant, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideo Nomo. "I don't consider myself a strikeout pitcher because I don't try to strike people out," Lester said. "It just so happens that that's what happens. Guy on third, ..."

Lester's groin tweak not serious

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September 2

Boston Globe

"Jon Lester left his victory over the Tampa Bay Rays after six innings in part because he tweaked his right groin, but both manager Terry Francona and Lester believe the ailment, which first surfaced tonight in the later innings of the start, is not serious and will not cost Lester any future starts. "I don't think it's going to be anything that's going to hinder me," Lester said. Lester started feeling the groin pull in about the fourth inning. In the start of the sixth inning, Ramon Ramirez warmed up in the bullpen just in case Lester needed to leave. After the sixth, despite throwing 97 pitches, the fewest in any of his starts since May 9, Lester exited. "As far as pitching goes, he ..."

Jon Lester strikes up a gutsy effort

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August 15

Boston Herald

"For Jon Lester, every pitch was a struggle. And yet, when he left the mound after six innings last night, his line included 11 strikeouts. Just another day at the office for Lester, who posted his sixth outing of 10 or more strikeouts this season in the Red Sox' 8-4 comeback victory against the Rangers. That's more than any left-hander in franchise history, breaking a tie with Bruce Hurst, who had five double-digit strikeout games in 1985 and '86. "A day like today, when he's having to battle, you still see 10 strikeouts," catcher Jason Varitek said. "Today was a battle for Jon. It didn't come easy for him, as far as command. He had to really work today. It's a great feat for a great young ..."

Orioles Still Can't Solve The Mystery of Lester

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June 30

Washington Post

"The frustration set in long before the bottom of the sixth inning on Monday when both Manager Dave Trembley and second baseman Brian Roberts took turns yelling at home plate umpire Jerry Layne from the top step of the Baltimore Orioles' dugout. The outbursts were likely triggered by far more than just Layne's called third strike on Roberts that ended the fifth inning and the Orioles' lone threat against Boston Red Sox starter Jon Lester. There was the 14 Red Sox base runners through six innings, each one loudly cheered in the Orioles' home ballpark. There was Boston right fielder J.D. Drew's bid at the cycle, which came up just a double short on the two-year anniversary of Aubrey Huff ..."

Lefty shows he's no slow starter

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June 30

Boston Globe

"Jon Lester still can't figure out why, exactly, he started this season as a mediocre pitcher. He threw great in spring training. His preparation never changed. He didn't tinker with his mechanics. "I don't know what to do different,'' Lester said. That, after Lester's performance in a 4-0 Red Sox victory last night at Camden Yards, is a problem for another day. Why bother dissecting the past when you can savor the present? Lester finished up a sterling June with seven shutout innings and eight strikeouts, further extricating himself from his slow start and further validating himself as one of baseball's best pitchers. "I've always kind of been in my career a slow starter,'' Lester said. ..."

Lefty starting to get right

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June 13

Boston Herald

"When a group of reporters approached Jason Varitek [stats] late last night and asked about the performance of Sox starter Jon Lester [stats], the veteran catcher smiled and said, "Did he pitch today? When was that?" It certainly seemed that way. Though Lester threw seven brilliant innings against the Philadelphia Phillies last night at Citizens Bank Park, he was long gone by the time the Red Sox [team stats] emerged with a 13-inning, 5-2 victory. Lester allowed just one run in those seven innings, and he retired 18 of the final 19 batters he faced. And with 11 strikeouts, Lester became the first Red Sox pitcher since Pedro Martinez in 2004 to register 10 or more strikeouts in at least ..."

Jon Lester gets up to speed

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June 7

Boston Herald

"Jon Lester fell short of making history last night. But in the process, he might have succeeded in turning around his season. Michael Young's one-out double in the seventh ended any chance of Lester authoring baseball's 16th regular-season perfect game and thwarted Lester's bid to become the 23rd pitcher to record multiple no-hitters. Lester later lost his shutout, almost as an afterthought, in the Red Sox' 8-1 win over Texas. There seems little doubt, however, that Lester has put his early-season problems behind him. Last night's two-hit gem followed a 12-strikeout effort in Toronto last weekend. In all, in his last four starts, Lester is 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 27 ..."

Jon Lester likes Texas toast

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June 7

Boston Herald

"For a while last night, Jon Lester appeared intent on recasting his May 2008 no-hitter. As easily as Lester silenced the punchless Kansas City Royals a year ago, he looked even better against the Texas Rangers' explosive offense for much of last night's 8-1 Red Sox victory. The left-hander took a perfect game into the seventh inning at Fenway Park before Michael Young ripped a clean one-out double to left-center. Lester lost his shutout with two outs in the ninth, but it hardly detracted from his complete-game two-hitter. "That's one of the best games I've ever seen in my career," Young said. "Barely over 100 pitches (107), pounding the (strike) zone with all his pitches, you've got to ..."

For Lester, success brings more challenges

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June 2

Boston Globe

"Jon Lester entered this season with an enhanced reputation after he went 16-6 with a 3.21 ERA in 2008. Lester, who struck out 12 in a dominant, six-inning victory at Toronto Sunday, has not noticed batters attacking him differently, but he has noticed something else. "The approach is still the same," Lester said. "They know I'm going to come after them with fastballs in and cutters in and they know what I've got. I think just with having a year like last year, especially being a part of this organization, you have a target on your back. "Teams want to beat you. All five guys in this rotation, I think teams come in every series and they know that we're going to give our best, and they're ..."

New lineup hits stride, backs Jon Lester

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June 1

Boston Herald

"With General Motors expected to file for bankruptcy today and Detroit's economy in tatters, the Red Sox were flying into one of the most depressed regions in the country last night. It will have to get truly grim to wipe off the grins the Red Sox carried onto their charter flight. Yesterday's 8-2 victory against Toronto featured anything and everything that make the Red Sox and their fan base extremely happy. Not to ride the automotive metaphor too hard with respect to the serious ongoing economic turmoil, the Red Sox hit on all cylinders against the Blue Jays to avoid the sweep. Jon Lester was about as sharp and dominant as he can be, limiting the Blue Jays to just three infield hits as ..."

Changeup for Jon Lester

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May 30

Boston Herald

"It's always dangerous to watch an athlete in action, and then, based on various eye twitches, head bobs and teeth gritting, attempt a guess as to what's going on between the player's ears. Case in point: Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester. Pitching against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday at the Metrodome, Lester suffered through the dreaded "one bad inning," in this case the home half of the fifth. Not even a spectacular catch in center field by Jacoby Ellsbury could save Lester from the Twins, who wound up putting a five-spot on the board in a 5-2 victory. And Lester wound up in the dugout. It would be way, way overdoing it to suggest he pulled a Carlos Zambrano after he was yanked from the ..."

Jon Lester's struggles a going concern

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May 28

Boston Herald

"If David Ortiz' sudden and precipitous power decline is the single biggest disappointment of the 2009 Red Sox season to date, the inconsistent work of No. 2 starter Jon Lester surely must rank second. Lester enjoyed a breakout season in 2008 when he went 16-6 with a 3.21 ERA and probably was the American League's second-best lefty starter behind Cy Young Award-winner Cliff Lee of the Cleveland Indians. But with this season approximately one-third complete, Lester sports a 3-5 record with a 6.07 ERA. He has averaged slightly more than a strikeout per inning (62 in 59 1/3 innings), but opponents are batting .307 against him. On Tuesday night, Lester was knocked around for five runs in six ..."

Lester rebounds with a redeeming quality

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May 22

Boston Globe

"Jon Lester created an unfamiliar backdrop for last night's start with his prior performance, both during his outing and after it. Lester suffered another loss, then stood in front of his locker in Seattle and berated himself. Lester has done a lot of things in his young career, but he has never endured such a string of lousy outings. His bleak numbers - a 2-4 record and a 6.51 ERA - disgusted him, and he vowed diligence in his work and change in his results. "I just wanted to make sure that everybody knew that I'm not throwing in the towel," Lester said. Lester promised he would be different, and last night he delivered. He lasted 6 1/3 innings, his third-longest start of the season, and ..."

Lester lets loose following another loss

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May 16

Boston Globe

"Jon Lester's start last night unraveled like most of his outings this season, one pitch or play snowballing into another wasted ballgame. He is baffled and frustrated at the way his season has started. He expects more of himself, and he vowed last night, after his fourth loss of the year, that things will change. The result of Lester's outing - five runs in 5 2/3 innings - hinged mainly on his fielding, not his pitching. He allowed two home runs, both to Ichiro Suzuki on "fastball right down the middle, both times," he said. But the play that led to another bitter night was a ball that bounced less than 60 feet back to him. He still stewed about that play more than 90 minutes after his ..."

Jon Lester settles into new Stadium

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May 5

Boston Herald

"NEW YORK - Jon Lester's experience at the old Yankee Stadium was limited but successful: He allowed just one run in two career starts there. Taking the mound last night in the Red Sox' first appearance at the new Yankee Stadium, the left-hander picked up where he left off. Working seven innings, Lester tied a career high with 10 strikeouts and improved to 2-2 as the Sox beat the Yankees, 6-4. "It's one of those deals where, I don't know if you over-emphasize playing the Yankees, or being in Yankee Stadium, but you run out to left field to warm up, you're getting booed, 'You suck,' things like that. It's fun," Lester said of pitching in the Bronx. "In a lot of other stadiums you don't get ..."

Lester had good stuff but not great results

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April 25

Boston Globe

"By the time the magic happened, Jon Lester had changed into street clothes. Not wanting to put his uniform back on, he stayed in the clubhouse for the first home run, by Jason Bay, and the second, by Kevin Youkilis. Lester's contribution to the game had ended much earlier, and without nearly as much drama. He managed to get down the tunnel in time to share the joy of Youkilis's walkoff blast in the 11th inning - if not the jumping around at the plate - with a few high-fives for his teammates. But his pitching, a night of good stuff and poor efficiency, had ended five innings earlier. "I thought I had pretty good stuff tonight, but I don't think I let it play in the zone as much as I should ..."

Jon Lester quality

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April 25

Boston Herald

"Jon Lester was long gone when the Red Sox fought back for an 11-inning, 5-4 win last night, but not before registering his second straight quality start. Lester limited the Yankees to just two runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out seven in six innings. "His stuff was tremendous," manager Terry Francona said. Lester's efficiency, however, was lacking. By his own admission, the left-hander wasn't aggressive enough in the strike zone, and the Yankees, notoriously patient at the plate, succeeded in driving up his pitch count. He threw 114 pitches. "I think I battled myself more than anything," Lester said. "I thought I had pretty good stuff tonight, but I don't think I let it ..."

Jon Lester finds a rival

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April 20

Boston Herald

"In the fourth inning of the Red Sox' 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles yesterday afternoon at Fenway Park, Sox starter Jon Lester blew a low fastball past the O's Nick Markakis for a called third strike. When they faced each other again in the sixth, Lester caught Markakis looking at a two-strike deuce for yet another punchout. Lester wound up with seven shutout innings en route to his first victory of the season. He allowed just four hits. None of them were registered by Markakis, who went hitless in three at-bats against the Sox lefty. Yet despite yesterday's mismatch, it's quite possible we are in the early stages of what could be a terrific rivalry for years to come. Now we aren't ..."

Lester, Sox can't hold Athletics at bay

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April 14

Boston Globe

"For all the acclaim about just how good the Red Sox starting rotation could be, it hasn't been all that good so far. Other than an impeccable Opening Day performance from Josh Beckett, the starters have been eminently fallible, their stats all too mortal. Sure, there have been a couple of passable efforts - Brad Penny's win and Beckett's second start - but the problem lies in the fact that stellar is what is needed. And that was not what was offered in an 8-2 loss to the Athletics last night, with the ace of 2008 showing himself as far less. The loss suffered by Jon Lester left the Red Sox tied for the fourth-worst record in baseball at 2-5. That, of course, means nothing seven games into ..."

Jon Lester, Red Sox go quietly

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April 14

Boston Herald

"The mystery of the Red Sox' 2009 identity theft only deepened last night. Another poor effort from the offense and Jon Lester's second stinker in as many tries resulted in a deep, early hole the Sox were powerless to overcome. They lost, 8-2, and fell to 2-5, last place in the American League East. Lester sputtered from the start, much like he did in a 7-2 loss to Tampa Bay on April 8. He surrendered six runs - five in the second inning - on 10 hits and needed 106 pitches to get through six innings. Lester is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA. On the other side, A's starter Dallas Braden settled down after serving up a home run ball to Kevin Youkilis in the second inning. He retired 11 of the next 13 ..."

Lester on the wild side

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April 4

Boston Globe

"Over his last nine innings, spanning two starts, Jon Lester has walked nine batters. Lester had issued three consecutive walks in the first inning of last night's exhibition game against the Mets at the new Citi Field when pitching coach John Farrell went out to the mound. "We're still bouncing some things back and forth, and we're going to watch some film tomorrow and figure it out," Lester said after going four innings in the 4-3 loss. "I don't think it's anything to worry about. He didn't see anything major, just little things here and there." On a cold and rainy night in Queens, Lester threw just 44 strikes in 83 pitches. But he did not seem concerned. "I really couldn't tell you what ..."

Jon Lester goes wild

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April 4

Boston Herald

"Jon Lester was far from his best in his final spring tuneup, issuing five walks in four innings of last night's 4-3 loss to the New York Mets at Citi Field, but the left-hander wasn't about to worry. "I really couldn't tell you what was going on," Lester said after needing 83 pitches to get through four innings on a wet night at Citi Field. "I just didn't really have a feel for my body or my pitches. It was just one of those nights, I guess, of battling myself from the beginning. "The good thing is it's an exhibition game. . . . In five days, we'll try to make an adjustment and hopefully do a little bit better." Lester walked three straight hitters in the second, and added one free pass in ..."

Playing some 'soft' ball

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March 30

Boston Globe

"In Jon Lester's metamorphosis from highly regarded prospect to blossoming major leaguer to 20-something millionaire, something often gets overlooked. "I love him, but he is still developing," Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek said yesterday at Bright House Field, where Lester and the Sox defeated the defending world champion Philadelphia Phillies, 3-1. "I know that and the [coaching] staff still knows that." As such, opposing hitters may have more cause for worry than ever as the 25-year-old Lester continues to restore a changeup that, like neglected sterling silverware, had grown tarnished. Last season, Lester admitted, he all but abandoned his changeup, calling it his "ninth-best pitch" in a ..."

Change suits Jon Lester

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March 30

Boston Herald

"Jon Lester estimates his changeup was his ninth-best pitch last year. Pitches seven and eight? "I didn't even have them," Lester said. "That's how bad my change was." But with a new season dawning, Lester hopes to take a new weapon to the mound. The changeup he threw anywhere from "zero to one" times per start in 2008 has become a legitimate pitch and one the left-hander hopes makes him even better in '09. "I think it's going to be a pitch like we used it today," Lester said after beating the Phillies, 3-1, with five innings of one-run ball yesterday. "When guys are cheating in, you can drop a changeup on them and they're out in front, swing and miss, or maybe hit a loopy foul ball. It ..."

Jon Lester set to ink deal

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March 15

Boston Herald

"Sometime this morning, Jon Lester and the Red Sox are expected to announce the worst kept secret of the spring - that he has signed a $30 million contract extension. Yesterday, Lester was scratched from a scheduled start against the Orioles in Fort Lauderdale and instead threw a simulated, intra-squad appearance against a lineup of Sox minor leaguers conducted down the street from City of Palms Park at the team's minor league complex. Lester appeared unaffected by the weight of his newly bulging money clip, pitching effortlessly for three innings plus an extra batter. Of the 48 pitches he threw, 30 were for strikes, including a 22-pitch final inning in which he was pressed into some ..."

Lester mum on deal

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March 10

Boston Globe

"Jon Lester comes to the ballpark to pitch, nothing more, and yesterday was no different. "I don't worry about the other stuff," he said. The other stuff would include the contract extension Lester is expected to sign today pending a physical, reportedly worth $30 million over five years with a team option for 2014 worth $13 million. If and when Lester signs the deal, he will set a record for a pitcher with two-plus years of major league service time. Yesterday, as Lester made his third spring training start, both he and the Red Sox remained silent about the deal, neither confirming nor denying the Yahoo! Sports report that appeared Sunday. Lester gave no reason to think the report was ..."

What's the deal with Jon Lester?

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March 10

Boston Herald

columnist Ron Borges

"The majority of fans like to believe professional athletes are innocent stooges manipulated by their agents and kept in the dark by their employers. They are, such people believe, told what to do, when to do it and what to say about it. Scott Boras is a greedy guy bending the minds of his clients. Union officials are the bad guys, not the people whose will they represent. They spend the waking hours convincing innocent ballplayers that their employers don't have their best interests at heart, as they did before the reserve clause was overturned by the Supreme Court and players didn't have to answer questions about $30 million contracts because most of them didn't make 30 cents. There are a ..."

Jon Lester locked up

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March 9

Boston Herald

"The Red Sox [team stats] yesterday declined to confirm a Yahoo! [YHOO] Sports report that they have signed left-hander Jon Lester [stats] to a five-year, $30 million contract extension that includes a $13 million team option for 2014. The deal reportedly is contingent on Lester passing a physical tomorrow after his start against the Pirates today in Bradenton, Fla. It would be the largest deal ever given to a pitcher with only two years of major league service, dwarfing the four-year, $15 million extension the Indians handed right-hander Fausto Carmona last year. Lester would become the third young player in the past three months to receive a lucrative multiyear deal from the club that ..."

Jon Lester deal good sign to mates

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March 9

Boston Herald

"If there are two people who know what Jon Lester [stats] feels like this morning, they are Dustin Pedroia [stats] and Kevin Youkilis [stats]. In the wake of a Yahoo! [YHOO] Sports report yesterday that Lester has signed a five-year, $30 million extension with the Red Sox [team stats], Youkilis and Pedroia both approved of the deal. They have valuable perspective, because like Lester, each was extended this offseason before becoming eligible for free agency. The three now form the young nucleus of the team moving forward. "Everyone is excited about it," Pedroia said. "You want to play for a long time with those guys you came up with. Jon is going to keep getting better and better. I'm sure ..."

Lester lands five-year extension with Red Sox

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March 8

Yahoo! Sports

"Boston Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester, who overcame cancer to become one of the best pitchers in the American League, has agreed to a five-year, $30 million contract extension with a $13 million team option in 2014, a source close to the team told Yahoo! Sports. The 25-year-old Lester received the third long-term extension Boston has given to a homegrown player in the last three months. Reigning AL MVP Dustin Pedroia received a six-year, $40.5 million deal with an $11 million option in 2015, and Kevin Youkilis signed a four-year, $41 million contract that bought out two years of free agency. The deal is contingent on Lester passing a physical Tuesday. The impending deal is the largest ..."