What Jon Lester thinks set him back in his first year with the Cubs
While he finished his debut season with the Chicago Cubs with a solid line, Jon Lester struggled in the early going with his new team, and he thinks he knows why it happened.
After eight-plus seasons with the Boston Red Sox and a short stint with the Oakland A's in 2014, Lester signed a lucrative six-year, $155-million deal with the Cubs in free agency in December 2014.
Cubs fans were elated at the club's decision to beef up its rotation; however, they were soon dumbfounded at Lester's initial struggles in Chicago.
A month into his Cubs tenure, Lester was 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA and 1.57 WHIP in four starts, an uncharacteristic mark for a starter who had notched a 16-11 record with a 2.46 ERA the prior year.
Now that he's had time to put the past season in perspective, Lester thinks he's discovered why things went awry early on.
"Last year, I felt like I needed to do a little bit more at certain times than I'm used to just because of everything that comes with what was going on last year," he told CSN Chicago. "I wanted to impress people a little bit too early last year and obviously it set me back. That's stuff you learn."
While Lester experienced a rough beginning to the season, he quickly turned it around, posting a 4-1 record with a 1.76 ERA in May. There were a few bumps along the road, but he ultimately finished the season with an 11-13 record, 3.34 ERA, and 1.12 WHIP.
Now that he's established himself in a new city and acclimated to his new club, he's eagerly anticipating an improved performance this coming season.
"Any time you walk into a room and you know who everybody is, you're more relaxed," the 32-year-old lefty said. "I've been here for a year. I understand how everything works. I think people have gotten to know me a little bit.
"I feel like this year, I can just go out and do my normal routine and not have to worry about getting off to a good start in spring training. My concern is getting off to a good start in the season."
