Giants reportedly have serious interest in Jon Lester

The Giants have all sorts of Pablo dollars burning a hole in their pocket. It's like the time I took Christmas money to the mall to buy Baseball Stars and they didn't have it, so I bought Mega Man 2, which is probably a better game, technically, even if I became more attached to Baseball Stars*. This comes up now because there are reports coming out of Chicago now that the Giants are really, really interested in Jon Lester.

Like, really, really, really interested. First, from David Kaplan of CSN Chicago, we have word that the Cubs are making a substantial offer, but that the Giants are right there with them:

"The other thing that I'm hearing is, the Giants aren't just making cursory interest," Kaplan said. "They are definitely interested."

You can watch the full video here:

Bonus: They spend a healthy amount of time discussing how to fleece the Giants out of prospects in exchange for Luis Valbuena, who recently completed his first above-average season with the bat (and first below-average season with the glove). Mmmmm.

But Lester is the big story, and if the Cubs are going north of $135 million, the Giants would have to make an aggressive offer in that range. It's terrifying. Can't Ty Blach get bitten by a radioactive spider or train using a montage or something? That sure seems like a lot of clams for a pitcher over 30.

If you needed additional confirmation, Jim Bowden has you covered.

Lester meeting with Giants is next week according to #Giants source

— Jim Bowden (@JimBowden_ESPN) November 25, 2014

Giants have meeting scheduled with Jon Lester according to #Giants source

— Jim Bowden (@JimBowden_ESPN) November 25, 2014

The Giants have money. They need pitching, an outfielder, and a third baseman. They can allocate all of that money to a pitcher like Lester, or they can spread it around.

Or maybe they could be bullies and get Lester, Tomas, and Moncada, with a Chase Headley kicker. I'm okay with that, so long as they promise to do it every year.

/signs Edgardo Alfonzo, Ray Durham

/stays out of free agent market for next four years because of Edgardo Alfonzo, Ray Durham

/intentionally gives away first-round pick because of budgetary constraints

Lester makes me mighty nervous. At least he's actually good, though, and not smoke-'n'-mirrors good like Zito was in his last two years with the A's. This is the first offseason in a while in which the Giants have announced their intentions to be aggressive. A Jon Lester rumor fits, then.

_{* My mom made me return Mega Man 2 because she knew it's not what I went to the mall to get, and that I was just being impetuous. She was right to do so, and I eventually got Baseball Stars. Thanks, Mom.}