EllisTheRimMan said:
If the Sox break the bank on Lester even without an NTC he'll be pretty hard to move, so they're going to war with him and none of the other options for the next 5 years+ We're all good with that given the many alternatives out there this year and next?
I am, because it's market value, today, and today's market value next year. While demand CAN drop, it needn't drop, and it needn't drop next year.
Lester at $25 million/year for seven, including when he's 37
vs.
Scherzer at $25.5 million/year for seven, including when he's 36.5
vs.
Zimmerman at $26 million/year for seven, including wen he's 36
vs.
Cueto at $26.5 million/year for seven years, including when he's 36
and one of those other guys may get an eighth year and even more money. I know there's a risk that this is the Mike Hampton of current baseball. It could be the Kevin Brown deal of current baseball, or the CC Sabathia deal. And any of the others could, as well.
Now, there's a chance that if it's Boston and Chicago, the Cubs will go as high as they need to. The Sox will know that if they are at 7/$175 million and Lester's side say it'll take more. If he goes to the Cubs at 8/$208 million, I'll say the Sox were wise to drop out, 1) because the Cubs will pay more, and 2) there's a level where other teams will tell Scherzer, Cueto, Zimmerman. "that's not market value in my mind. That's one crazy GM. I'm not paying anyone that." The higher Lester's price goes, the more likely that scenario becomes. Unfortunately, there's always the MFYs and the Dodgers and the Mets.
@JosephKellyJr