SAN DIEGO - Jon Lester agreed Tuesday night to a $155 million, six-year contract
with the Cubs, the first big deal of the off-season involving a top-level
starting pitcher and one Chicago hopes will help end more than a century of
frustration at Wrigley Fields Friendly Confines.
Kevin Minter Cardinals Jersey .Lesters
contract, agreed to on the second day of baseballs winter meetings, contains an
option for 2021 that, if it becomes guaranteed, would make the deal worth $170
million over seven seasons. The average annual value of $25.8 million is the
second-highest for a pitcher behind Clayton Kershaws $30.7 million as part of a
$215 million, seven-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers that began this
year.Its not often you get to win the lottery, and we won the baseball lottery
this year, new Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. Now its up to us to put it into
effect.A three-time All-Star who turns 31 next month, Lester won two World
Series titles with Boston. The left-hander joins a long-suffering team with a
promising core of young players and a top-tier manager, Maddon, who left Tampa
Bay and signed a $25 million, five-year contract with the Cubs.Now, Chicago has
an ace to lead the rotation as it tries to end a run of five straight losing
seasons and a championship drought that dates to 1908.Lester was dealt by the
Red Sox to Oakland at the trade deadline in July and helped the As reach the
playoffs for the third straight year before a 9-8, 12-inning loss to Kansas City
in the AL wild-card game. He went 16-11 with a career-best 2.46 ERA and 220
strikeouts last season and is 116-67 with a 3.58 ERA in nine big league
seasons.He also had been sought by the Red Sox, World Series champion San
Francisco and the Los Angeles Dodgers.Lester is headed to a team that hasnt made
the playoffs since 2008, but he knows Cubs president of baseball operations Theo
Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer from their time together in Boston.Maddon
had been used to small payrolls in Tampa Bay.Ive not been on this side since my
days with the Angels, when I got an email in Italy that we had signed Vladimir
Guerrero, said Maddon, who was a coach in Anaheim before switching to Tampa Bay.
I think that definitely sends that message how Theo and the group feel about
this particular group. But understand, we have a lot of young players that have
to grow up as quickly as possible. But having Jon there adds to the flavour and
the possibility.The Cubs management is making over the team in a big way.Chicago
has a pending $20 million, two-year deal with right-hander Jason Hammel, traded
by the Cubs to Oakland last summer. Earlier Tuesday, the Cubs acquired All-Star
catcher Miguel Montero from Arizona for minor league right-handers Jeferson
Mejia and Zack Godley — a deal that added $40 million in payroll over the next
three years.Chicagos rotation is likely to also include Jake Arrieta, Travis
Wood, and Kyle Hendricks.The Cubs also have a pair of All-Stars in the batting
order in first baseman Anthony Rizzo and shortstop Starlin Castro and expect
improved performances from young sluggers Javier Baez and Jorge Soler. Ahead is
another wave of prospects that includes third baseman Kris Bryant and shortstop
Addison Russell.Maddon hopes an addition such as Lester helps change the mindset
in the clubhouse when spring training starts in February.It definitely makes it
more believable to everybody else in that room, he said. Ill stand up and make
the same speech regardless, but when you have it backed up by that particular
kind of presence, it adds to it.___AP Sports Writer Howie Rumberg contributed to
this report.
Brandon Williams Jersey . Watch the Senators
vs. Penguins live tonight on TSN at 7pm et/4pm pt. The Senators led 2-0 early
in the second period, but the Maple Leafs scored six of the games final seven
goals to take the tilt in regulation. Toronto winger Phil Kessel capped his
fifth career hat trick with the game-winning goal at 14:02 of the third period.
Tyvon Branch Jersey . But a three-run homer
by Ray Sadler turned a potential Sioux City blowout into a home-opening thriller
at Shaw Park. DORAL, Fla. -- In only his second year on the PGA Tour, Patrick
Reed already is used to playing in the final group on Sunday -- and winning. But
not against a field of stars at a World Golf Championship. And not looking at a
familiar figure in a red shirt playing in the group ahead of him. Reed turned
his game around in four holes Saturday at the Cadillac Championship and wound up
with a 3-under 69 in much tamer conditions at Doral. It gave him a two-shot lead
going into a final round that will prominently feature defending champion Tiger
Woods for the first time this year. Woods, who only a day earlier looked to be
on the verge of shooting himself out of the tournament, delivered the low round
of the week and his best round of a short season. He made eight birdies for a 66
and was only three shots behind. "Thats fine. Ive seen Tiger a lot on the
driving range. Never had the opportunity to play with him and I still havent
been able to play with him," Reed said. "Whenever hes close to the lead, hes a
guy you have to watch out for. But at the same time, I have to go and just play
my own game." He did that beautifully on a sunny afternoon with not nearly as
much wind on the new Blue Monster. Reed rolled in a 40-foot eagle putt on No. 8,
and started the back nine with consecutive birdies. He drove the green on the
par-4 16th for a two-putt birdie that gave him the outright lead and finished
with a two-shot lead over PGA champion Jason Dufner (68) and Hunter Mahan, who
bogeyed his last hole for a 71. Reed was at 4-under 212, the highest 54-hole
score to lead at Doral since a three-way tie at 212 in 1985. The 23-year-old
Texan will be going for his third win in his last 14 tournaments, dating to the
Wyndham Championship in August. He was tied for the 54-hole lead that week and
won in a playoff. Reed also went wire-to-wire to win the Humana Challenge in
January. He will be in the final group with Dufner, the most recent major
champion. Right ahead will be Woods and Mahan. Its right where Reed wants to be.
"If you have a 54-hole lead, that means youre playing the best golf of the group
through three rounds," he said. "Tomorrow is Sunday, but at the same time, its
another round of golf. ... Weve won twice since August. Weve played great. And
if I continue doing what Im supposed to be doing, come Sunday afternoon,
hopefully were holding the trophy." Woods made three birdie putts of about 15
feet or longer on the back nine, including a 35-footer down the slope on the
par-3 15th. His goal was to get back to even par for the tournament and hoope to
be within five shots of the leader.
D.J. Humphries Cardinals Jersey. It turned
out much better. Woods was one of five players who were under par, and he goes
into Sunday only three shots behind as he tries to win at Doral for the fifth
time. Jamie Donaldson of Wales escaped from the palm trees right of the 18th and
made par for a 71 to share fourth place with Woods. "It was nice to get back in
the tournament again," Woods said. The lack of big wind certainly helped with
scoring and attitudes on Saturday. The average scores was 72.6, compared with
76.0 in the second round, allowing for plenty of movement on the leaderboard on
a sunny afternoon in Miami. A dozen players were within five shots of the lead.
"Now its playing more like a normal course," Woods said. Dustin Johnson failed
to birdie three of the par 5s and chopped up the 14th hole, which featured one
shot he hit left-handed. He birdied the last hole for a 73 that put him at
even-par 216, along with Miguel Angel Jimenez (69) and Zach Johnson (71). Jimmy
Walker, already a three-time winner this season who is starting to feel like
contending is a habit, had a 67 and was in the group five shots behind with
Bubba Watson, Graeme McDowell and Matt Kuchar. "The tournament will not be over
until the last putt drops on 18," Mahan said. "That always happens, but it seems
like you just cant coast in here. You cant have a big enough lead going into 18
this week. So I dont think anyone is going to be too bothered if someone gets
out to a three- or four-shot lead, because theres so much golf out there. And
theres so much that can happen -- good and bad." And it did on Saturday. Woods
made his move early and late, pouring in four birdies in eight holes to go out
in 33 and getting under par for the first time all week with a bunker shot that
narrowly cleared the lip and settled a few feet away for birdie on the 16th. "I
held it together yesterday -- a long day, tough day -- and that gave me a chance
today," said Woods, who scratched out a 73 in the second round. "I figured, Hey,
Im only six back. Thats definitely doable, especially with the conditions and
how difficult this golf course is playing. If I just get back to even par for
the tournament, Ill be right there. And I did one better." Rory McIlroy did not.
The two-time major champion was only one shot out of the lead when he played his
next four holes in 5-over, including a pair of double bogeys on the par 5s with
shots into the water. McIlroy chipped in for birdie on the 18th for a 75 and was
seven shots behind.
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