Jones: The Red Sox Don't Really Want Jon Lester
BOSTON (CBS) - Top free agent Jon Lester is nearing a decision, and CSNNE's Sean McAdam reports that the announcement could come by the end of the week.
Most presumed that his next team would either be the Red Sox, Cubs or Giants, but according to one report out of Chicago the Yankees have thrown their hat into the ring as well on an offer that is both "late and large."
98.5 The Sports Hub's Adam Jones has contended all along that the Red Sox contract offer to Lester is a way for the organization to save face, and that they have no real interest in signing the 30 (31 in January) year old to a long term deal.
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And with the Yankees getting in the mix here late on Lester, strangely enough Jones actually believes that's a best case scenario if you're in the Red Sox public relations department.
Why? He explained Wednesday night.
"Get ready for the Red Sox to tell you they had the second highest offer. They don't actually want the player -- it's why they never really negotiated with him in the first place. Now that he's out there on the free agent market they're going to use his past comments against him," Jones said in reference to Lester's willingness to take a hometown discount.
He continued...
"If [Lester] goes to New York then he lets the Red Sox ownership off the hook, because I think people's judgement will be clouded about this. Red Sox fans have been burned in the past by players going to New York. Johnny Damon says he'll never play for the Yankees, he goes and plays for the Yankees and he gets booed every time he steps up to the plate. Jacoby Ellsbury goes to New York and all of a sudden he's looked at as some sort of traitor or mercenary."
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There's also Roger Clemens (via Toronto), Wade Boggs and many, many more -- even Babe Ruth if you want to go way back in the time machine.
Jones argues that signing with New York will be held against Lester in a couple different ways:
1. "[Red Sox] could always say, 'He said he wanted to come back! He said he would take a hometown discount, but he chased the money and went to New York!'"
2. "[President] Larry Lucchino, [owner] John Henry and [chairman] Tom Werner can still tout that they do things differently than New York."
3. "Every time Lester comes in here he will be booed, even though the Red Sox never negotiated in good faith with him in the first place. He'll always be looked at 'the guy who went to New York' and that's not fair."
Listen below for the full conversation!
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