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Phillies Winter Meetings rumors: Waiting on Jon Lester

Baseball's top free agent starting pitcher is reportedly close to making a decision, and why things might be lining up for a Cole Hamels trade this week.

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Yes, Jon Lester. The world is waiting on you. Kindly let us know when it can start revolving again.

In a busy first day of the MLB Winter Meetings in San Diego, reports are that Lester, the top starter on the market, is prepared to make a decision on his future by Tuesday. And, it appears as if he's winnowed down his choices to a select few.

The Phillies are obviously watching the Lester developments with great interest. There have been strong links to the Red Sox, Dodgers and Cubs, and if Lester signs with San Francisco, all three teams would still be in need of an ace starting pitcher.

Yes, Max Scherzer would still be hanging around the free agent market, but I've got that covered already.

Why the Phils haven't hired me to be a part of their front office, I have no idea. I feel they're missing a valuable voice.

But with Scherzer the only ace free agent left, and Jeff Samardzija really the only other number-one starting pitcher available in a trade (NOTE: Samardzija was acquired by the Chicago White Sox late Monday night), the Phils would be set up well if the Giants were the ones to snag the former Red Sox hurler.

And according to one of the Phils' best beat writers, a match-up with the Dodgers might be in the works.

If Boston is still in the running for Hamels, it's believed the Phillies are not looking for every single good prospect Boston has.

According to Edes, the Phils would not need to get back Boston's prized catching prospect, Swihart, but young outfielder Mookie Betts would almost certainly have to be in the conversation. Makes sense.

And the Cubs, if they miss out on Lester, have a ton of prospects from which to deal, although momentum seems to be stalled there as Chicago and general manager Theo Epstein try to land Lester.

If San Francisco gets the former Boston and Oakland All-Star, the Cubs, Red Sox and Dodgers would grow even more desperate for a starter, hopefully driving the bidding war even higher for Cole.

Hopefully, the dominos will start falling soon.

MARLON BYRD TRADE OPENING DOOR FOR JEFF FRANCOUER?

This was tweeted out today. I'm just going to post the tweets, and then you can react on your own. I reacted by punching myself in the face about 10 times.

OK sure, no problem there. Absolutely.

Yeah. Sherman is postulating that, if the Phils deal Byrd, we could be subjected to a full season of watching Jeff Francoeur try to do baseball things.

I think I'll go drink some battery acid now.