CHICAGO - Jon Lester insisted theres no reason the Chicago Cubs cant contend next year and even capture their first World Series title since 1908, around the time the Model T was rolling off the assembly line. Cheap Vancouver Canucks Jerseys .Im going in with the intention of winning in 2015, he said.The Cubs are, too.This signing really marks the start of a transition for the Cubs, the start of a period where we are clearly very serious about winning the World Series, President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein said Monday, when the team and Lester finalized a $155 million, six-year contract. The deal, agreed to during the winter meetings last week, set baseball records for largest signing bonus and biggest upfront payment.Chicago hired one of the games top managers in Joe Maddon, then added Lester, a three-time All-Star who won two World Series with Boston.Were not hiding the ball, Epstein said. The fact that we havent won in so long helps define who we are. ... I think it attracts players who arent afraid of that challenge and want to be here for the right reasons. It definitely attracted Jon Lester.Lester receives a record $30 million signing bonus, of which $15 million is due by April 1, $2.5 million each by Dec. 31 in 2018 and 2019, and a final $10 million installment by Sept. 15, 2020.He gets salaries of $15 million next year, $20 million each in 2016 and 2017, $22.5 apiece in 2018 and 2019 and $15 million in 2020. There is a $25 million mutual option for 2021 with a $10 million buyout, and the option would become guaranteed if Lester pitches 200 or more innings in 2020 or 400 or more in 2020-21 combined.Lesters deal includes a hotel suite on the road, a provision that he cant be traded without his consent and the right to 25 hours of private-plane use for him and his family annually.His wife and two young children joined him at Restaurant Spiaggia along with other family members and agents Sam and Seth Levinson. His 4-year-old son Hudson took a seat on his lap during the news conference.The no-trade clause is a break from the norm for Epstein. He said the Cubs initially resisted but conceded because it would have been difficult to land Lester without one, particularly after he was dealt from Boston to Oakland last July.Epstein also acknowledged the deal carries a risk for the Cubs, considering Lester turns 31 next month.I know exactly what shoulder program hes been on since he was 18, Epstein said. I know how well hes executed that shoulder program. How diligent hes been. I know what his MRIs look like. I already signed him to a contract extension in the past; that comes with MRIs. His work ethic didnt change one bit. His passion didnt change one bit after signing that first contract.The fact that hes a lefty is another plus to Epstein, and he thinks Lester can pitch well deep into his 30s like former Yankee Andy Pettitte.Left-handed pitchers in this bucket tend to perform throughout their contracts better than right-handed pitchers, Epstein said. Hes got the right amount of pitch mix that will allow him to age gracefully because he doesnt get hitters out just one way.A total of 1,686 players have appeared for the Cubs since Orval Overall retired Detroits Boss Schmidt for the final out of the 1908 World Series, according to STATS, and all have failed to bring another title to the North Side.Lester hopes he and a promising core of young players can end the slide along with Maddon, who left Tampa Bay for a $25 million, five-year contract with the Cubs.When you make a statement like bringing in Joe Maddon, that adds to the decision-making, makes it that much more interesting, he said.Lester went 16-11 with a career-best 2.46 ERA and 220 strikeouts last season and is 116-67 with a 3.58 ERA in nine big league seasons. He also had been sought by the Red Sox, World Series champion San Francisco and the Los Angeles Dodgers.Lester is headed to a team that hasnt made the playoffs since 2008, but he knows Epstein, general manager Jed Hoyer and senior vice-president of player development and amateur scouting Jason McLeod from their time together in Boston. He had a chance to talk to pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel about the Cubs after they got traded to Oakland. He also spoke with Ryan Dempster, his teammate in Boston and now a member of Chicagos front office.Lester will be joining a rotation that includes Hammel, who agreed to a $20 million, two-year contract last week. The Cubs also acquired two-time All-Star catcher Miguel Montero from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the winter meetings and have a pending $4.5 million, one-year agreement with reliever Jason Motte.Lester has worn No. 31 for most of his career, but the Cubs retired that number in honour of Greg Maddux and Fergie Jenkins. Hell wear Kerry Woods old No. 34 in Chicago — with Woods blessing, according to Epstein.Its always been one of my favourite numbers other than No. 31, said Lester, who pointed out that Nolan Ryan and Chicago Bears great Walter Payton also wore 34. I just feel like it was a good fit. Cheap Canucks Jerseys China . The whole deflation of New England Patriots footballs is like a murder mystery without the violence or significance. On one side, this is a ridiculous issue. Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys . The Senators return from a lengthy layoff caused by Wednesdays attack on Parliament Hill to host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night. http://www.cheapcanucksjerseys.com/ . It was just time for him to make a big play. Nicolas Batum had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Wesley Matthews scored 18 points, and the Trail Blazers overcame poor-shooting nights by two of their best players in a 94-90 victory over the New York Knicks on Wednesday.NEW YORK -- Its been 20 months since Masahiro Tanaka lost a regular-season game -- in any country. Garrett Richards and the Los Angeles Angels had a chance to end that streak until Mark Teixeira found his power stroke from the left side of the plate. Teixeira hit a tying homer and Jacoby Ellsbury scored the go-ahead run thanks to a passed ball and wild pitch in the eighth inning, sending the New York Yankees to a 3-2 victory Sunday night. Tanaka struck out a season-high 11, including Mike Trout twice, and overcame an early bout of wildness in a tight pitchers duel with Richards. Neither starter received a decision, leaving both undefeated this year. "Tanaka had it going," Yankees catcher Brian McCann said. "It was a good team win." David Robertson struck out pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez with a runner on second to end it, and New York has won 10 of 14 after taking two of three in the series. David Freese homered for the Angels, who went 4-5 on a tough road trip to Detroit, Washington and New York. Tanaka walked four in 6 1-3 innings against the Angels, who began the day leading the majors in homers. The $155 million rookie was on the hook for his first regular-season loss since August 2012 in Japan until Teixeira homered leading off the seventh. "Obviously, I was really happy that the score was tied," Tanaka said through a translator. "I was hoping that our offence could come back and put us back in the game." New York broke the tie without a hit in the eighth, a rough inning for Angels catcher Chris Iannetta. With the score 2-all, Michael Kohn (1-1) walked Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran. Nick Maronde relieved, and both runners advanced on Iannettas passed ball. "It was a fastball right there and I just missed it," Iannetta said. "One of the dumbest plays Ive made in my career -- or not made." McCann barely stayed alive with a couple of foul tips, and Maronde bounced a breaking ball in front of the plate. The ball ricocheted off Iannetta and far enough away for Ellsbury to score easily. Adam Warren (1-1) fanned two in 1 2-3 scoreless innings. Robertson worked the ninth for his fourth save and second in two days, whiffing Ibanez seconds before security workers tackled a fan who ran into the outfield. New York managed only three hits, winning a game with three or fewer for the first time since July 7, 2006, at Tampa Bay. Tanaka had the most strikeouts by a Yankees rookie since Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez whiffed 13 Texas Rangers on Aug. Cheap Adidas Canucks Jerseys. 13, 1998. The team said his 46 strikeouts this season are the third-most since 1900 for a major league pitcher in his first five career starts, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Herb Score (50) and Stephen Strasburg (48) were the only ones with more. Tanaka is 31-0 combined in Japan and the United States over his last 39 regular-season starts. He did lose Game 6 of the Japan Series last year -- before earning a save in Game 7. "First and foremost, I want to win the ballgame. But it wouldve been nice to give him his first loss," Richards said. Richards took a two-hitter and a 2-1 lead into the seventh, when Teixeira launched a 2-2 pitch into the second deck in right field for his second home run since returning from the disabled list last Sunday. It was Teixeiras first homer while batting left-handed since June 6, 2013. His season ended nine days later due to a right wrist injury that required surgery. "Thats my swing when Im healthy. Thats the swing that I want," Teixeira said. "Its a good sign that I start seeing results." Freese sent Tanakas first pitch of the sixth to right-centre for his second home run with the Angels since they acquired him from St. Louis in a November trade. Tanaka had an amazing ratio of 35 strikeouts to two walks in his first four starts, which covered 29 1-3 innings. But he struggled with his command early on this 54-degree night, walking a batter in each of the first four innings. Albert Pujols even stared out at the mound after Tanaka backed him off the plate with two straight pitches in the third. The walks caught up with Tanaka in the fourth, when Erick Aybar led off with a double and scored on an RBI groundout by J.B. Shuck with the bases loaded. New York tied it in the fifth. A leadoff walk to Teixeira and Brian Roberts one-out double set up Ichiro Suzukis run-scoring groundout against Richards. "Garrett was terrific. He had explosive stuff," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I think both pitchers went toe to toe. We just couldnt get it done late." NOTES: The Angels have led in 10 of their 13 losses. ... A test on INF Yangervis Solartes sore right shoulder showed no damage, New York manager Joe Girardi said. ... The Yankees are off Monday before Robinson Cano returns to New York with the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '