ALDS Notes: Lester Ready, Velasquez With Red Sox

Posted by Adam Hart October 7, 2009 at 6:33 am

Chris Collins files a video report from Anaheim, and we look at a certain LAAofA pitcher’s lack of success against the Red Sox. Read more

Lester Proves Healthy, Ready For ALDS

Posted by Adam Hart October 2, 2009 at 4:38 am

Less than a week after taking a line drive off his knee at Yankee Stadium, Red Sox starting pitcher Jon Lester put together a solid outing against the Cleveland Indians, improving his record to (15-8) to cap his regular season. Read more

Lester Locking Up 5-Year Extension

Posted by Adam Hart March 8, 2009 at 2:52 pm

Red Sox youngsters love financial security. And the Red Sox love paying below market value to lock up their core players. This is the latest example. Read more

Awesome v Not-Awesome

Posted by Adam Hart February 10, 2009 at 12:54 pm

The new SI Swimsuit Edition is here! The new SI Swimsuit Edition is here! …But that’s not all. Inside you will find a vicious battle between Awesome and Not-Awesome. Be a spectator. Read more

Shaking in Their Boots

Posted by Adam Hart December 19, 2008 at 5:00 pm

CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett were introduced as the newest members of the NY Yankees yesterday. Now the Red Sox staff has much to fear. Not. Read more

Chess Match

Posted by Mike Giardi October 14, 2008 at 3:06 pm

Much has been made in the last 24 hours aboutTim Wakefield’s recent layoff.  He hasn’t started a game since September 28th, a span of 15 days. What you haven’t heard much about is how Wake was dealing with some more discomfort in his right shoulder and back. As far as I’m concerned, the break was a needed one, and I would anticipate rust not being a factor for the aging knuckleballer.

Now after having had tremendous success against the the Rays in his career, Wake had one bad outing at the Trop this September, and that skewed his numbers. Give Tampa credit. Joe Maddon had his hitters change their approach, and it worked. They attacked Wake early in counts and had the Sox hurler headed for the showers in 2.1 IPs. Kinda sounds like what the Rays did to Jon Lester last night. Now comes the chess match: how does Wake adapt, and what do the Rays do in return? That may well decide whether this series is even at two games apiece, or if the Rays are just a win away from a World Series trip.

Lester and Dice, then not-so-nice?

Posted by Chris Collins September 29, 2008 at 10:23 pm

So, Josh Beckett has to get pushed back to Game 3 of the ALDS.

On the surface, the back up plan (Jon Lester) is one heck of a back up plan. Ever since Theo put his stamp on the Red Sox they have been set up to win short series – that’s how you win world titles.

And today, the Red Sox have the best front line pitching in baseball. They have the best #2 starter and the best #3 starter in Lester and Matsuzaka, and even though Josh Beckett has been just a shell of his ‘07 self, when the weather cools off Beckett heats up.

If he can pitch.

No matter how you spin it, to have to push back a big game pitcher of the magnitude of Josh Beckett is a terrible way to start the post season. Winning is tough enough — trying to win without your ace healthy is nearly impossible. So the next couple of days are huge. The Sox need to get Beckett back and healthy, and if they don’t, despite a great number two and three in Lester and Daisuke, no Beckett means no back-to-back.

Lester’s Pitching a Gem

Posted by Morry Levine August 28, 2008 at 3:41 pm

The Sox and Yanks are in the 7th inning of their series finale.  Jon Lester was just pulled after a great outing.  Lester went 6.2 innings with no earned runs, but he’s responsible for the runner on 2nd base.

A Moment to Remember

Posted by Mike Giardi May 20, 2008 at 10:27 am

Jon Lester doesn’t want me to think about that dark day a couple of summers ago, the day when we all learned he had cancer. He claims its not anything he preoccupies himself with, so why should I? Or any of you? Good in theory, but hard to accomplish.

Last year, it was impossible to not think about his diagnosis and subsequent recovery. It was too soon. And that was before the quiet southpaw capped a 2007 comeback by earning a win in the deciding game of the World Series. How could we not frame that evening in the back-story?  It was just too fitting; perhaps a reminder from the baseball gods that Jon Lester deserved that moment, deserved to feel that good just a year removed from such a dark period in his young life.  I felt good for him. All of baseball did.

There were rumors in the months that followed of a possible trade to Minnesota for Johan Santana. Lester was definitely on the table, and that was hard for some in Red Sox Nation to fathom. They had such a tie to him, wanted so much to see the Washington native become a finished product and help anchor the rotation for years to come. Fans got their wish when the Mets finally sealed the deal for the established ace, but there’s been more than one reference to Santana this April and May, and the typical second-guessing, “Why did Theo hang on to Lester?’

At the start of spring training, Lester was different. 20 pounds heavier, and oh how the staff and brass raved. If I heard that the Sox were “bullish” on Jon and his talents, well, you know…Perhaps that was as I sign that at least I was moving on. But even then, almost every story written about the kid had some link to his diagnosis in 2006. When could we – the media, the fans – let it go?

I didn’t know the answer. Until last night. Sometime after 10 o’clock. Jon Lester threw the last of his 130 pitches. It went past Kansas City’s Alberto Callaspo, into catcher Jason Varitek’s mitt, and that was it. A fresh new chapter in this tale, one that sent chills racing up and down the arms of all 38-thousand crammed into those seats at Fenway, and to the millions watching at home, on the couch, or chair, or lying on the floor with their dog (that was me).

Jon Lester had pitched the game of his life, a no-hitter. He turned into the pitcher we had all heard about during his run through stops like Portland, Maine, and Pawtucket, Rhode Island; the pitcher we had seen flashes of as a rookie in 2006 and – on a couple of occasions – in 2007. Jon Lester is finally where he wants to be, not just in his body and mind, but in the hearts and souls of a rabid fan base. Said Mike Lowell, “It shows his ability has come full circle. Besides the no-hitter, he shows he can really shut down a team, because he has that kind of stuff.” Yes, Mike, yes he does. I just saw it with my own eyes.

Capping a special comeback

Posted by Chris Collins May 19, 2008 at 10:14 pm

If there ever was any doubt that Jon Lester had made it all the way back from cancer after last year pitching the World Series clincher, tonight absolutely sealed the deal.

The Comeback Kid tonight turned into the No-Hit Kid. Lester was brilliant right from the giddy-up. His command was outstanding, working a plus fastball and locating his off-speed stuff — at one point he retired twenty Royals in a row. And he only two guys (an area that has been an area of concern with Lester, but not tonight).

And as always seems to be the case, there has to be one outstanding play made behind the pitcher to make it all happen. Last year, it was Clay Buchholz who supplied the no-no, and then-rookie Dustin Pedroia making the no-hit saving play. Tonight, it was rookie Jacoby Ellsbury with the glove work.

And while young pitchers throwing no-hitters is getting to be routine around the Fens, I don’t think there will ever be anyone who deserved this more than the young lefty tonight — Jon Lester.

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