Nationals: Jon Lester deserves heroes welcome in return to Wrigley
When Jon Lester steps foot in the Friendly Confines wearing a visitor’s uniform for the first time since leaving town, the stadium nickname will have new meaning. When Lester walks on the field for batting practice in a jersey emblazoned with the name Washington Nationals, he should do so to a video montage of his time with the Chicago Cubs.. When Lester toes the rubber in the first inning, he should get a standing ovation from Cubs fans. When Lester enters the dugout after the first inning, he should get a curtain call from Cubs fans. All this while wearing the opposing team’s colors.
108 years in between World Series titles. I do believe the Cubs owe Jon Lester a heroes welcome when he returns to Wrigley Field.
Jon Lester will enter Wrigley Field for the first time in a Nationals uniform. He should do so to a standing ovation.
In six years pitching for the Cubs, Lester was an All-Star twice. He won 19 games the year he finished second in the Cy Young balloting, and he won 18 games to lead the league two years later. His numbers during the regular season were solid if not stellar in four of the six years he pitched in the Windy City.
All that pales in comparison to the three postseason wins he secured, the thirteen innings he pitched against the Los Angeles Dodgers to earn the NLCS MVP Award, and the World Series he helped deliver to the fans of the Lovable Losers.
Jon Lester was a quality pitcher and a fan favorite and deserves to be showered with applause and accolades every waking moment he is in Chicago.
As for his time in Washington, he got off to a late start to the season after recovering from thyroid gland removal surgery in the offseason. In three starts for the Nationals, Lester has provided exactly what his was signed to deliver. Qualietly starts. Lester has kept the Nationals in the game in each of his first three starts, though the team has a record of 1-2 to show for it.
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He may be wearing the colors of the bad guys when he faces off against the hometown team in Chicago, however, Jon Lester deserves a heroes welcome for his time with the Cubbies prior to donning those colors.