Report: Extension for Lester

If it's true, that is awesome. Lester is the cat's meow.

And the beat goes on. This management group and group of players are dynamite and committed to each other, clearly. Hopefully, Papelbon will see that "security" is a good thing, especially when it means playing with the likes of Lester, Dustin, and Youk for the next half decade.

Great move!!

Let's get Bay and Paps signed up next.

A Lefty Lockdown Ace entering the prime of his career for 6 Mill a season? WOW

Papelbon is an idiot. Don't get your hopes up. I mean, just listen to an interview with him and you know he's a dunce.

If Pap doesn't sign long-term then Daniel Bard will be the next closer.

Very great move by the Sox.

Papelbon was on WEEI a couple of weeks ago with D&C and said that he will play things out on one-year deals until he hits free agency. He wants to maximize his pay day...and feels that he should be paid as one of the best in the game. Don't think you'll be seeing a long term deal with Papelbon...

jc686, that's why he's a dominant reliever. He has the head to shake off a bad outing and go back the next day to get the job done without dwelling on the last outing because of his loose personality, or what you call "idiocy." Around here, that's not such a bad thing...

Literally couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Congratulations, John.

As a Yankees fan, I find it humorous when you compare Yanks' pitchers salaries to that of Bostons. For example: In my opinion, talking in terms of today, Lester is leaps & bounds better than Pettitte, and yet he gets signed for only $6 million per for 5 years, while Pettitte still gets $10 million per. Lester, honestly is probably almost up to par with a player like AJ Burnett, and yet AJ gets around $14-16 million per throughout his contract.

It just goes to show you that the Boston organization really has the trust of their players, It seems like they have a tight knit group over there. Still, as a Yankees fan, I hate the Red Sox, but I must give credit where credit is deserved.

Outstanding

To retort to the Papelbon comment...he is a winner...and he hopefully understands what a great situation he is in with the Red Sox....However, Bard looks dynamite and the Red Sox organization has done great keeping the talent coming through the farm system. Great time to be a Red Sox Fan.....for years to come

It would be great to say that the Red Sox have better trust with their players, but the one and only reason Pettite is $10MM per year/Burnett $14MM per year and Lester $6MM is that the Red Sox had Lester under their control whereas Pettite and Burnett were free agents. Whatever trust they have, Lester would not be signed for $6MM per if he were a free agent. Why is Paplebon so stupid? Sounds pretty smart to me.

BBKOA, Pettite was a FA, we bought out arb years for Lester and potentially 2 free agent years. Lester would not be getting more then 2-4 mil/year through his first couple arb years. While I appreciate your humility its not really a good comparison.

paps better wake up before he tears his shoulder off without any garentees. sox are lucky to have such a great young bunch of players. great job theo.

The way Bard has been pitching this spring and if it continues throughout the season, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Red Sox maybe consider trading Papelbon next offseason if he doesn't agree to a long-term extension.

paps better wake up before he tears his shoulder off without any garentees. sox are lucky to have such a great young bunch of players. great job theo.

Glad Lester wants to be with the Sox for a long time!

GREAT MOVE SOX!!!! Lester is a great player,and he want to play here...

Just speaks to the quality of the organization- John Henry, Larry Luchinino and Theo Epstein on down. Truly the reason why the RedSox have earned me as a fan.

Great deal if its true....Paps?? well, I have to agree. Paps is a lot of fun to have around, but he really is an idiot and he is DEF not in it for the long haul. He is all about the money. He will go to the highest bidder no matter who it is...he would play in KC if they could roll up enough pennies to get him.

Well-deserved extension for Jon... a great pitcher and a class act all the way! I can't wait to see what the future holds for him.

definitely a good deal for all. bosox lock up lester for his best years, he gets good money and the bosox management shows that good deals can be done for the right price. none of this $160M for cc sabathia. give me a break.

now if only the bosox can start lowering the ticket prices. that would be something.

Nice to see Lester is going to be around for a while with Dice, Beckett, Youk, etc...as far as Papelbon goes... it is too bad he is going to continue to do interviews and run his mouth cuz historically we have cut these types loose.......as they are just distractions in the end.......

Really, what the Sox are doing with their young core, during an economic downturn...in another year or two, these long term deals will look even better--salaries may be down, but long term, reasonable deals for young players are really giving them a good foundation here. As for Papelbon, he has acknowledged that the Sox have taken care of him pretty well the last 2 years. Sure, he may be looking for a big payday, but the Sox could have stiff-armed him and paid him a lot less until now. Instead, they have walked a fine line with him as well, and when the time comes, they will be in a good position to keep him if they want to. The Red Sox will have the best full assessment of whether Papelbon's stuff is declining or not and what value he represents at that time...meanwhile, I agree, part of what makes Pap so good is his selfishness, but

time to sign Bay and Ellsbury to long term contracts......especially before BORASS can really do damage with the Ellsbury negotiations.....ohhhh and even though Clay Buchholz has been pitching lights out.....time to go get our catcher of the future from Texas "SALTZY" with a draft pic or two in return....sorry Clay but you gotta go in order to get what we need come next year and sooooo on

I like Jon Lester.

I just wonder if I'll be able to find love.

don't forget Beckett! he is due soon

Congrates to Lester and the Sox! I hope when the time comes the sox don't take the option year but extend him for even a larger paycheck for another 5 years! Loyalty works from both sides and those coming from the farm are loyal and the management commits to them. A truly class outfit!
Go Sox and thank you Theo for commiting to the sox future!

GREAT moves. Lester is one of the top lefties in the game and he`s young and the contract is right. TOO BAD AROD is out for the next few months...

Regarding Papelbon:

His situation is interesting because he already had a shoulder injury. He almost has to take a chance that he will be healthy because his offers from Boston will take into account the previous injury. It might be wise to take a 3-4 year deal for 3-5million each year if the Red Sox are offering it. I'm not sure how much longer he has for free agency, but the deal would obviously need to buy one year of free agency for the Sox to do it.

Mcdrunk... there is no draft pick trading in Major League Baseball. Additionally, there's talk Salty won't even be a catcher in Texas.

How did they get him for that cheap? He's one of the best in the game, and inn the prime of his life.

i find it odd that people bash cops and firefighters about the amount of money they make, but they sit here an justify lester making such money. and for the record, i think all of these people are overpaid.

I'm so happy that the Red Sox signed Lester. In a couple of years he is going to be the best left handed pitcher in the league.

Awesome! I've wanted a big lefty in Fenway, since Bruce Hurst left town. Congrats, Les & family. You can do no wrong in Beantown. Now, just pitch the lights out!

Hopefully, Hagadone will develop and become part of the big 5. :)

I hope that those that are calling Paps selfish/all about the money aren't the same that call for Mauer to be signed when he's up for free agency.

I mean, if he left his hometown Twins to come to the Sox, he'd be all about the money...right?

(P.S. They're all about the money. Just like how I am when it comes to my employment.)

Great to extend Lester. As for the Buchholz-Salty trade people talk about, I'm not sure about that. It might be worth a gamble to see what Tek has left and to see if Mark Wagner develops. Wagner just might be a possibility down the road. I'd hate to give up an arm like Buchholz for a player who still is unproven.

reality your an idiot...they get paid for their extraordinary talent and ability to put people in the stands...im sure those brave cops would do anything for a 100 mph fastball that would break the bank

et #33...Lester had very little leverage as he was not slated for free agency for another four years. They gave him more $$ for his 4 arbitration years to buy one or two years of free agency (probably two given the option). Lester gets more guaranteed money and the Sox get two bargain years when he would have been a free agent.

By the time Papelbon is a free agent, the Yankees will be looking hard for a closer. They'll sign him, and the Sox know it. They're looking to grow another one...

lester got screwed

The Sox aren't going to offer Paps a long term deal. It's to their advantage to take it one year at a time. Paps injury history, however brief, plus the nature of the position, makes his longevity a question mark. Paps is great though, much smarter then you think

There are many who believe that the word "reality" should always be in quotes ("reality"). In the "real" world of major league baseball, the Sox are getting it right. This is another signing that the veteran Sox fan can be proud of.

Paps will blow his arm out if he continues to throw so much heat. Hitters are starting to catch up to him. He won't make it to free agency with the stats he has now unless he mixes his pitches better and saves his arm.

Sounds like a case of premature reporting, but they'll have to come to an agreement now to avoid creating a big distraction/having egg on their face. I would think Lester's side would have the most to gain by leaking the story...seems this proposal is a bit above market in the first couple years and at market after that. Obviously, it would be awesome to have the #1 starter locked up for 5 years.

You would think Jon Lester came cheap, #33, but the Sox bought out two years of Arbitration, which might have given him $1-2M each. Yahoo Sports says this is the biggest contract for a pitcher with 2 years of service ever, doubling that of Fausto Carmona last year. It's a good deal. Remember that this was only Lester's, Pedroia's and MDC's second "full" year, and Youk's and Papelbon's third. The Rays are taking the same approach with their top young players, like Longoria. I can't believe that some Sox hater-fans are already knocking Paps, the best reliever in the game, because of his contract negotiations. Get a life.

And #34, top end baseball salaries have gone nuts, but the Red Sox are trying to hold the line while being fair and generous. Cops and firefighters don't make enough, and It's the Pensions that people are ticked off about, not salaries. Barring service related disabilities, it makes no sense to pay a fortune for life after a few years of service. We all know lots of young, retired firefighters (and postal workers) in perfect health earning full pension and a good salary on an easy dream job..

WOW # 34 what an original thinker you are......... too bad we are not as deep as
you, the world might be a better place !!!!
Captain Obvious

Even when Yankee fans compliment Sox fans, it sounds backhanded. One guy said "Lester is almost on a par with a guy like AJ Burnett." Almost? Lester had a 3.21 ERA last year. Gave up like 20 less walks, allowed less homers, way less runs, and like I said was almost a full run better than Burnett in ERA. And, he's been a proven commodity in the postseason.

But Burnett's better.

God.

Great move! Guess the Tex money isn't going to waste ;)