There were rumors, courtships and public pleas. But in the end, the band remains separated.
As Jon Lester hemmed and hawed over where to sign in free agency, John Farrell waited, hoping the left-hander would return to the Boston Red Sox. Lester ultimately decided to sign with the Chicago Cubs, and the Red Sox skipper can’t help but feel mixed emotions given his history with the pitcher.
“On one hand, you think back of the time you shared with him here in Boston and all the success that he had, two World Series, there’s a certain element and clear disappointment that he’s not with us,” Farrell told reporters Wednesday at the Major League Baseball winter meetings in San Diego. “And at the same time, knowing him as a person, as a pitcher, you wish him well as he takes on this next chapter in his career.”
Lester, a native of Tacoma, Wash., was drafted by the Red Sox in 2002 and spent eight-plus seasons with the organization before being traded to the Oakland Athletics in July. In that time, Lester embraced all that Boston had to offer, endearing him to a fan base that truly appreciated his blue-collar nature, his fighting spirit and his refreshing outlook on where baseball stands in connection with life’s real trials and tribulations.
Farrell, who first coached Lester in 2007 while serving as the Red Sox’s pitching coach under then-manager Terry Francona, had a front row seat for the special bond formed between a pitcher and his city.
“I think a lot and many, if not all Red Sox fans, really identified with Jon because he was such an exceptional performer in Boston, whether it was in the regular season or postseason,” Farrell said. “But they understand his life story. It was very tangible and what he went through (battling cancer), I think a lot of people could identify with his personal challenges and how he overcame them.
“I think he was a very visible example for what perseverance and, surrounded by some very good medical people, what you can do to overcome some things. Jon’s presence in Boston goes much deeper than what he did on the mound.”
Lester previously expressed a willingness to accept a hometown discount, though Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said Wednesday the organization never brought up the comments during negotiations with the three-time All-Star. The Cubs’ offer simply was too good to pass up.
The reunion tour will have to wait. But the original ride is worth savoring.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
