J. Lester...and next season

[Atomic1]

Where will Lester wind up for next season ? Back in Boston ? Not Likely but that would be something if the Red sox pulled that off. Or
with the Yankees who've probably lost their Ace Tanaka for awhile or over in Seattle with Robbie Cano don't ya know ? It could be Seattle out bidding the Yanks for Lester next season . Also something tells me the Red Sox , being loaded with young talent down on the farm are not done wheeling/dealing in order to get some pitching for next season.

[SnoBrdr]

Where will Lester wind up for next season ? Back in Boston ? Not Likely but that would be something if the Red sox pulled that off. Or
with the Yankees who've probably lost their Ace Tanaka for awhile or over in Seattle with Robbie Cano don't ya know ? It could be Seattle out bidding the Yanks for Lester next season . Also something tells me the Red Sox , being loaded with young talent down on the farm are not done wheeling/dealing in order to get some pitching for next season.

Stormchaser deleted his post asking if Lester had another year to go on his contract.

There was no option and he's gone to Oakland with Gomes for a 1 year rental of Yoenis Cespedes.

Cespedes will be a free agent after 2015.

So the Sox basically gave Lester away.

[Dickc]

Where will Lester wind up for next season ? Back in Boston ? Not Likely but that would be something if the Red sox pulled that off. Or
with the Yankees who've probably lost their Ace Tanaka for awhile or over in Seattle with Robbie Cano don't ya know ? It could be Seattle out bidding the Yanks for Lester next season . Also something tells me the Red Sox , being loaded with young talent down on the farm are not done wheeling/dealing in order to get some pitching for next season.

Stormchaser deleted his post asking if Lester had another year to go on his contract.

There was no option and he's gone to Oakland with Gomes for a 1 year rental of Yoenis Cespedes.

Cespedes will be a free agent after 2015.

So the Sox basically gave Lester away.

Cespedes is under contract until 2018, and is only arbitration eligible in 2016. Not a Bad, bad deal in my mind, but it will depend on if the Red Sox can entice Lester back in the off season. That is just a wide open question.

Just heard that John Lakey is now gone to St. Louis. Not sure what the Sox got in return.

[SnoBrdr]

Where will Lester wind up for next season ? Back in Boston ? Not Likely but that would be something if the Red sox pulled that off. Or
with the Yankees who've probably lost their Ace Tanaka for awhile or over in Seattle with Robbie Cano don't ya know ? It could be Seattle out bidding the Yanks for Lester next season . Also something tells me the Red Sox , being loaded with young talent down on the farm are not done wheeling/dealing in order to get some pitching for next season.

Stormchaser deleted his post asking if Lester had another year to go on his contract.

There was no option and he's gone to Oakland with Gomes for a 1 year rental of Yoenis Cespedes.

Cespedes will be a free agent after 2015.

So the Sox basically gave Lester away.

Cespedes is under contract until 2018, and is only arbitration eligible in 2016. Not a Bad, bad deal in my mind, but it will depend on if the Red Sox can entice Lester back in the off season. That is just a wide open question.

Just heard that John Lakey is now gone to St. Louis. Not sure what the Sox got in return.

You better recheck your facts.

He is under contract until the end of 2015 and he is NOT eligible for a qualify offer and the Sox would get no drafts pick back.

This is because he is a international player and is signed under different rules.

Lackey is gone for outfielder Allen Craig and right-hander Joe Kelly.

I don't follow the NL so I know nothing about them.

So basically the Sox have zero pitching for nest year and beyond.

[junior]

Where will Lester wind up for next season ? Back in Boston ? Not Likely but that would be something if the Red sox pulled that off. Or
with the Yankees who've probably lost their Ace Tanaka for awhile or over in Seattle with Robbie Cano don't ya know ? It could be Seattle out bidding the Yanks for Lester next season . Also something tells me the Red Sox , being loaded with young talent down on the farm are not done wheeling/dealing in order to get some pitching for next season.

Stormchaser deleted his post asking if Lester had another year to go on his contract.

There was no option and he's gone to Oakland with Gomes for a 1 year rental of Yoenis Cespedes.

Cespedes will be a free agent after 2015.

So the Sox basically gave Lester away.

Cespedes is under contract until 2018, and is only arbitration eligible in 2016. Not a Bad, bad deal in my mind, but it will depend on if the Red Sox can entice Lester back in the off season. That is just a wide open question.

Just heard that John Lakey is now gone to St. Louis. Not sure what the Sox got in return.

You better recheck your facts.

He is under contract until the end of 2015 and he is NOT eligible for a qualify offer and the Sox would get no drafts pick back.

This is because he is a international player and is signed under different rules.

Lackey is gone for outfielder Allen Craig and right-hander Joe Kelly.

I don't follow the NL so I know nothing about them.

So basically the Sox have zero pitching for nest year and beyond.

[Atomic1]

Here is a copy/paste from SI.
The Red Sox have a loaded farm system right now, at least on the pitching side of things, so their decision to go out and get major league talent in return for Lester and Lackey puts them in a position to potentially bounce back and contend in 2015.
Craig is hitting just .237/.291/.346 with a 78 OPS+ on the year, but he was one of the league's top run producers in 2012 and 2013, and he is a great buy-low candidate.
He's signed for $25.5 million over the next three years, with a $13 million option for 2018, so if he does bounce back he's a steal at that price.
Kelly has established himself as a solid back-of-the-rotation arm and he has some postseason experience under his belt . As I mentioned, he's under team control through 2018, so he's another long-term piece of the puzzle for a Red Sox team looking to bounce back.
You can argue for the Red Sox going after prospects, but this move puts them in a much better position to contend in 2015. The onus will now fall on their highly-touted young pitching staff to take the step forward.

[SnoBrdr]

Here is a copy/paste from SI.
The Red Sox have a loaded farm system right now, at least on the pitching side of things, so their decision to go out and get major league talent in return for Lester and Lackey puts them in a position to potentially bounce back and contend in 2015.
Craig is hitting just .237/.291/.346 with a 78 OPS+ on the year, but he was one of the league's top run producers in 2012 and 2013, and he is a great buy-low candidate.
He's signed for $25.5 million over the next three years, with a $13 million option for 2018, so if he does bounce back he's a steal at that price.
Kelly has established himself as a solid back-of-the-rotation arm and he has some postseason experience under his belt . As I mentioned, he's under team control through 2018, so he's another long-term piece of the puzzle for a Red Sox team looking to bounce back.
You can argue for the Red Sox going after prospects, but this move puts them in a much better position to contend in 2015. The onus will now fall on their highly-touted young pitching staff to take the step forward.

Isn't what they said about Grady?

[Atomic1]

Here is a copy/paste from SI.
The Red Sox have a loaded farm system right now, at least on the pitching side of things, so their decision to go out and get major league talent in return for Lester and Lackey puts them in a position to potentially bounce back and contend in 2015.
Craig is hitting just .237/.291/.346 with a 78 OPS+ on the year, but he was one of the league's top run producers in 2012 and 2013, and he is a great buy-low candidate.
He's signed for $25.5 million over the next three years, with a $13 million option for 2018, so if he does bounce back he's a steal at that price.
Kelly has established himself as a solid back-of-the-rotation arm and he has some postseason experience under his belt . As I mentioned, he's under team control through 2018, so he's another long-term piece of the puzzle for a Red Sox team looking to bounce back.
You can argue for the Red Sox going after prospects, but this move puts them in a much better position to contend in 2015. The onus will now fall on their highly-touted young pitching staff to take the step forward.

Isn't what they said about Grady?

They gave the Red Sox a A+ for all their moves. But the Red Sox will still have to come up with some pitching but will they be able to compete with the A's or Tigers ? Will ANYONE be able to compete with those pitching staffs ? Especially the Tigers ! They might even have a higher Payroll than the Yankees! I'm also curious as to what the Red Sox payroll is now and who they plan to make the ACE of the staff.

[Geoff]

They gave the Red Sox a A+ for all their moves. But the Red Sox will still have to come up with some pitching but will they be able to compete with the A's or Tigers ? Will ANYONE be able to compete with those pitching staffs ? Especially the Tigers ! They might even have a higher Payroll than the Yankees! I'm also curious as to what the Red Sox payroll is now and who they plan to make the ACE of the staff.

Lackey was the only player they traded who was under contract in 2015 and there was a pretty good chance he will sit the 2015 out rather than collect a $500K paycheck.

The bottom 10 teams in the league don't have to give up their first round draft pick to sign a gold-plated free agent. Max Scherzer is a free agent as is James Shields. The Sox will chase both of them. Unlikely but they could get Lester back. They have Joe Kelly from St Louis as a #3 or #4.

It all depends on how Brandon Workman, Rubby De La Rosa, Edwin Escobar, and Eduardo Rodriguez pan out.

[XtremeJibber2001]

Thought the SOX were the winners in the Lackey trade.

[SnoBrdr]

They gave the Red Sox a A+ for all their moves. But the Red Sox will still have to come up with some pitching but will they be able to compete with the A's or Tigers ? Will ANYONE be able to compete with those pitching staffs ? Especially the Tigers ! They might even have a higher Payroll than the Yankees! I'm also curious as to what the Red Sox payroll is now and who they plan to make the ACE of the staff.

Lackey was the only player they traded who was under contract in 2015 and there was a pretty good chance he will sit the 2015 out rather than collect a $500K paycheck.

The bottom 10 teams in the league don't have to give up their first round draft pick to sign a gold-plated free agent. Max Scherzer is a free agent as is James Shields. The Sox will chase both of them. Unlikely but they could get Lester back. They have Joe Kelly from St Louis as a #3 or #4.

It all depends on how Brandon Workman, Rubby De La Rosa, Edwin Escobar, and Eduardo Rodriguez pan out.

James Shields is signed for next year.

The amazing thing is that the Rays who are supposedly such a smart team got less than a bag of ball for Price.