Jon Lester, entering his age 26 season, is a prime candidate to be named a starting pitcher of the 2010-19 Team of the Decade, which would mean he was named to back-to-back Team of Decades.
Drafted in the second round of the 2002 draft, Lester methodically rose up the minor leagues (Fire Brand archive: Not so Minor: Players on the Rise, 10/10/04) and prospect rankings, going so far as to be included in the A-Rod megatrade that never was prior to the 2004 season. I speak, of course, of Manny Ramirez and Lester heading to Texas for Alex Rodriguez.
With respect to Lester, I think all of us feel we dodged a bullet there.
November 28, 2009
evan brunell
