Jon Lester's spring debut was a disaster. He got roughed up on the mound, and could not field his position better than a tee-ball kid.
In speaking to friends, if I was Lester's opponent, I would constantly bunt on him until he could prove that he can throw the ball to an infield base. A bunt and throwing error equals a double. Two doubles equal a run.
But current baseball batters abhor bunting. They are driven by individual stats that lead to objective evidence for contract negotiations. Winding up on second because of a Lester miscue error does not add points to the batting average even though it helps your team's scoring chances.
So Lester's fielding is in mid-season form which means it is really bad. On one off day, he should be sent to a vacant field and made to make hundred throws to each base. Fielding drills until he gets so tired of it he stops thinking about errant throws.
The other bad news from yesterday's game was that Kyle Schwarber left the game with a knee tweak. He says it is minor and he will play in a couple of days. He hurt himself in LF while trying to make a throw.
This is the problem with playing someone out of position. Schwarber is a stocky guy, a "catcher's body," who is trying to play a mobile left field. His body is not used to the twists and turns of playing this new position. Schwarber's mindset is that he will try harder than his skill set to make plays. And that will lead to blunders and potential injuries.
Schwarber has not given up on his goal to be a catcher. Spring training should focus more on his catching skill improvement than trying to play LF. He is more valuable as a catcher than a LF.
