Lester pitching in the moment
Game 5 starter has learned to benefit from his ‘ butterflies’
LOS ANGELES — The Cubs are back. But you knew that already.
After stomping the yard at Dodger Stadium with 10 runs in Wednesday’s Game 4 victory, the Cubs merely are tied at two wins apiece in the NLCS. Yet doesn’t it kind of feel as if they’re ahead in the series? Perhaps even nearly in control of things?
It’s partly because the bats finally exploded, but also because of the man set to take the mound in Thursday’s crucial Game 5. If Jon Lester is his seasonlong self — if he’s the same guy who has allowed one measly run in 14 innings this postseason — then the Cubs likely will head home to Wrigley Field with a commanding three-games- totwo lead.
“[ Thursday] would be a very good day to come out on top,” manager Joe Maddon said.
It would mean two cracks on the North Side to party like it’s 1945. How huge would that be?
“Man, it’s good to have [ Lester] on your side,” manager Joe Maddon said. “When he takes the mound, you feel really good about it because you know he’s in a moment. He’s not intimidated by the surroundings. You know actually how physically good he is.”
Maddon also cited Lester’s “calm demeanor and approach,” which is kind of funny considering Lester himself expects to be a nervous wreck. But don’t take that the wrong way.
“I’m always nervous,” he said. “If it’s a June start or if it’s a World Series start, whatever, I always get the butterflies. I’ve kind of always had the belief that if those butterflies leave, then it’s time for me to go on home.”
The first start of Lester’s postseason career really was kind of a big deal. It happened in the 2007 World Series — with Lester’s Boston Red Sox set to win the whole thing if their freshfaced 23- year- old came through.
Lester did indeed come through that night in Colorado, pitching scoreless baseball into the sixth and getting the Game 4 victory as the Red Sox completed a sweep of the Rockies. He has added six victories to his postseason stat line since then, two in World Series starts and one with the Cubs in San Francisco in the divisional round.
The Cubs don’t know much about World Series life — yet — but they know a big moment when they see one. Has the organization faced a more important game than Thursday’s since 2003? Probably not. Their ace pitcher definitely will be flipping out on the inside.
Lester believes he has learned to channel the nervous tension to his benefit. His velocity has dropped a bit as he has aged, but he senses a connection between those butterflies and the adrenaline he feels early in games that adds “a few ticks on my fastball.”
Yet Lester doesn’t want to feel old or think old in his biggest start as a Cub. As much as possible, what he’d really like to do is recapture his 23- year- old’s approach to this moment and opportunity. Wouldn’t we all like to be 23 again? Lester’s reasons are different than the rest of ours.
“Sometimes it’s good to be naïve and stupid and have no idea what that moment is like,” he said. “And just go out there and, I’ve said it before, pitch dumb, play dumb — have no idea what this moment means. Just go out and play.
“And sometimes that helps. Sometimes we can be overloaded with information to where we’re thinking about the wrong things instead of just enjoying the moment and playing.”
Sounds like a plan. It might just be stupid enough to work.
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