A year from now, the Red Sox will have to make a decision even more important than the Jacoby Ellsbury issue. It will be the fate of their big, strong, lefty hurler from Tacoma, Washington named Jon Lester.
Nick Cafardo writes that Ben Cherington will "look at everything on a case-by-case basis. The decision they made on Ellsbury might be different than the one they make on Lester."
As Les approaches free-agency, the Sox must take one thing into account-the man's durability. Unlike the oft-injured Ellsbury, Lester has been a horse in the rotation ever since he joined it in 08. He has been remarkably consistent, averaging 32 starts, 205 innings pitched, 191 hits (a rather high ratio, but acceptable), and 85 earned runs for a 3.73 ERA. He has also averaged 70 walks and 186 strikeouts, also very good numbers.Only once has he surrendered more than 20 homers. His 89-54 record and .622 winning percentage was achieved despite a 9-14 mark in the lost year of 2012. He has 10 complete games and 3 shutouts to his credit.
But numbers alone don't tell the story. Lester has become the symbol of the triumphs over adversity that the team has shown in their three World Series championships. Late in 06, he was diagnosed with a treatable form of anaplastic large-cell lymphoma. He was forced to endure a winter of apparently-successful chemotherapy, but by midseason 07 he was back with the team. Not only did he compile a 4-0 record in 11 starts, but started and won the clinching game of the Series over Colorado. Early in 08, he threw a no-hitter over KC, the 18th in Boston history. After several years at the top of the rotation, he folded with the team in September 2011 and was mentioned in the chicken-and-beer stories. Along with the Sox, he suffered through a terrible 2012, constantly arguing with umpires and seeing his ERA balloon to 4.82. But his recovery in 2013 also parallels that of the team, as he threw a career-high 213 innings while going 15-8 with a 3.75 ERA. He continued his success in the postseason, going 4-1 and 3.57 and winning twice in the Series over the Cardinals.
Heading into his contract year, Lester has regained his spot as the Sox' stopper and one of the league's premier pitchers. Though things could change in 2014, it would most likely be a terrible blow if he was allowed to walk. According to Cafardo, the team will put a value on him and not exceed it. But they must remember that in many ways, Jon Lester is the heart and soul of the Red Sox.
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