Jon Lester- Who, What, Where, When, Why, How?
By Matt Furtado / KHTK Sports 1140
The Oakland Athletics made a big splash today to acquire Jon Lester and Jonny Gomes. A's fans are familiar with Gomes; the local boy who helped the Green and Gold win the West Division in 2012, but do they know Lester? Well here's a who, what, where, when, why and how about the A's new left-handed starter.
WHO?: Jon Lester. The 30-year-old pitcher was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2002 and made his major league debut in 2006.
What?: A proven number one starter in any rotation. Along with being a top of the rotation guy, Lester also beat cancer in 2007 and came back a better pitcher. His best year came in 2010 when he won 19 games and posted a 3.25 ERA.
Where?: Born in Tacoma Washington. The 3-time all-star has played for the Red Sox his whole career, but has been shipped out of Boston to Oakland in a blockbuster trade.
When?: The trade occurred early Thursday morning, just hours before Major League Baseball's trade deadline.
Why?: The Athletics are looking to put together a starting rotation that can't be beat in the playoffs. Lester has postseason experience with two World Series rings to show for it. This trade shows that the A's are all in to win the World Series in 2014.
How?: The Red Sox picked up Yoenis Cespedes as part of the blockbuster trade. The Cuban slugger is under contract until the end of the 2015 season.