Levine: Jon Lester More Comfortable In 2nd Season With Cubs
By Bruce Levine--
GLENDALE, Ariz. (CBS) -- Going into his second season as a Chicago Cub, left-hander Jon Lester feels much more at home as a National League performer and a teammate.
The 32-year-old Lester had a stellar spring training with a 2.12 ERA, wrapping up his Cactus League campaign with a 10-strikeout performance Wednesday in an easy win. His last start also included his first home run since high school.
"I feel a lot more comfortable with everything going on," said Lester, who went 11-12 with a 3.34 ERA last season. "Just being in a different league with different surroundings and all of that stuff (in 2015), now I feel like I am ahead of the curve as far as where I was last year just in picking up the bat. It was obviously a cool thing (the home run). That is something you can just put on the mantle. This one didn't matter. Hopefully we can get one through the season. That would mean a lot more."
The addition of right-hander John Lackey has made the spring an especially enjoyable one for Lester, as the two became best friends during their shared Red Sox days from 2010-'14. That extra comfort level has helped the intense Lester loosen up and enjoy the journey that's just beginning.
"We have a little bet going on (total hits)," Lester said of two players who've spent most of their careers not batting in the American League. "That should make this year a little more interesting. A lot of trash talking going on between us. It's good. I mean, it just adds something else to it."
With a loaded team around Lester, the Cubs are the Vegas favorite to win the World Series this season. Lester is embracing the big expectations.
"It feels good," Lester said. "We basically have the same team around here that we had, with a couple off new guys in the starting lineup. It feels good, guys look good. The at-bats and the innings I have seen, everybody looks healthy, looks good. The biggest thing for us is to get to playing games that mean something. A lot of teams are itching to get to something that means something. You know, where you have the lights, the fans and a purpose behind it other than getting work and at-bats."
The mix of veterans and up-and-coming stars seems is the reason for Lester's big belief in the Cubs.
"One thing that you guys have probably seen, we don't lack having fun," Lester said. "There is definitely never a dull moment in our clubhouse and dugout. It's a fun group to be around. It's great to be around these young kids. Just the energy that they bring makes us older fellas feel a little younger."
The easygoing culture is set by manager Joe Maddon and doesn't stray into too-much-levity/not-enough-work territory.
"This just helps make things consistent," Lester said. "We don't have the ups and downs. The season is so long. We are going to have low points. This is just helping minimize those low points. This is also about having guys with good attitudes, not the 'Oh woe is me.' (With us), even the guy who is struggling at the time is still picking up his teammates. We are all going to go through ruts and slumps. To have the energy, the energy we have is consistent. That is what makes David Ross so special. He brings the same (attitude every day). You would never know if he is 0-for-100 or just hit a homer. He makes everybody else appreciate that and want to do that. This just rubs off and the young guys should have energy, they are all 22 years old. This just makes our lives a lot more fun."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
