For teams bidding for Jon Lester, it was disappointing when he signed with the Cubs.
However, tying up millions of dollars long term on a 31 year old pitcher can be a curse.
Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci wrote a story about the Lester sweepstakes and made the following two declarations:
1) "Whichever team winds up winning the bidding for Jon Lester will get a very good pitcher and a very bad contract."
2)
"It's foolish to give a pitcher in the Testing Era a six- or seven-year
contract that begins with his age-31 season. In fact, it's so foolish
it's never been done before."
Verducci provided statistics to defend his claims.
Although the Giants clearly wanted Lester, Comcast SanFran asked the question of whether the team possibly dodged a bullet?
"Oh I totally agree," TV analyst Mike Krukow said. "You know how I feel about six-,
seven-year contracts for pitchers, I just don't think they are realistic
... It's a roll of the dice. I just don't like it ... I don't think
that it makes that much sense.
"But you know what, it's a roll of the dice, total roll of the dice.
You're betting on a six-year deal to get him for the first four. If you
get him for the last two that's a benefit. I don't think anybody giving a
contract of six years or more to anybody 30 years of age or older is
planning on the back end of that contract. I just don't think they are.
"So I do agree that in a way the Giants did dodge a little bit of a bullet there, but still, it's disappointing."
