<table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td width=5> </td><td align=center><img id="story-photo" width="478" src=https://2cic.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c/stories/19/baseball/lester_mound_patrick_gorski.jpg><br><font size=2></font></td></tr></table><table width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td><a target=_blank href=/story/Cubs-News-and-Notes-Countdown-is-on-Lesters-contract-Third-base-watch-Hot-Stove-more-16233 class="newstitle"><font style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Helv, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #D12325; text-decoration: none">Cubs News and Notes: Countdown is on, Lester's contract, Third base watch, Hot Stove, more</font></a><br><br><font class=newsbody>Unlike last winter, this offseason seems to be cruising by, but it never seems to go by fast enough – especially since the Cubs didn’t even make the postseason.<br></font> <a target=_blank href=/story/Cubs-News-and-Notes-Countdown-is-on-Lesters-contract-Third-base-watch-Hot-Stove-more-16233><font class=fullstory><b>Full Story »</b></font></a></td></tr></table>