Some of Jon Lester's former teammates believe the southpaw will sign with the Cubs this offseason. Lester, of course, has ties to president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer, and the Cubs’ recent waiver claim of Cole Hamels indicates that the team is prepared to spend big money on a top-tier starting pitcher.Rosenthal brings up two other key reasons why the Cubs might be Lester's top option this offseason. First, he brings up his ties to Epstein and Hoyer, whom he dealt with in
Boston.A lineup likely to get stronger with the additions of Kris Bryant and Jorge Soler as well as Javier Baez and Arismendy Alcantara playing their first full seasons, the Cubs could be a surprisingly competitive team in 2015. The rebuild is ahead of schedule.