This from Lester: ""This is the best game I've thrown with it," Lester said. "It felt really good. I was consistent with it. When I missed, it was in the right areas. I was pretty happy with it."

For a man who already has a strong fastball-cutter-curve combo, how will the changeup help him?

"I think it's going to be a pitch like we used today," Lester said. "When guys are cheating in, drop a changeup on them and they're out in front, and swing and miss or maybe hit a loopy foul ball. It makes them honor that fastball in and it makes them not cheat so much to get there, so I can get back to my strengths -- fastball-cutter in. It adds another pitch that they have to think about in the back of their head when they get up to the plate."

I believe that you classify the changeup as a safer pitch. If Lester throws more of these and fewer "bad" pitches, does this drop him out of the high risk category?

Long-term, I think it's great.

Short-term, it doesn't change the fact that he had a monstrous increase (2000+ pitches) vs. 2007 and threw a lot of cutters (which is more wear than a fastball). I'd say he's pretty risky for 2009 but okay for 2010...i'd look to trade him in May/June if he starts off well...

I have stayed away from him, given your initial assessment. He has looked good this spring, but I will leave him in the pile. You are the Man!