March 21--MESA, Ariz. -- Jon Lester arrived at the Chicago Cubs' clubhouse Saturday morning with his backpack and nothing that would indicate he is suffering from a "dead" left arm.
"I don't think it's anything to be concerned about," Lester said after being scratched from his start against the Seattle Mariners and Felix Hernandez. "There's no pain, no worry, not anything on anybody's part. We all know how to go about this, and I don't think there's any worry on any end from the training staff to the coaching staff to my side of it. I really wouldn't be too concerned about it."
Lester, 31, plans to throw a bullpen session Monday and make his next spring start Thursday in preparation for the Cubs' regular season opener on April 5 against defending National League Central champion St. Louis.
Lester allowed six runs in 3 1/3 innings on Monday but didn't say he felt any discomfort during that outing.
"It's nothing that really surfaced," Lester said. "It's something we all go through. Usually mine is earlier or later (in spring training)."
Lester said every pitcher copes with this ailment at some point during spring training and that it's part of the process of preparing for the regular season.
"It's nothing to be alarmed about," Lester said. "We just had the option and the time to go ahead and take that right now.''
Lester had no explanation as to why he has stayed relatively healthy. His only stint on the 15-day disabled list since 2007 occurred in 2011 because of a left latissimus strain, but he still managed to make 31 starts with the Red Sox.
"Luck? I don't know," Lester said of his fortune. "We all have things we deal with through the season that come up, and I've been fortunate enough to minimize those things where I'm still able to pitch.
"If I had an answer, I'd give it to guys that struggle with being healthy. But I don't, and I just try to pitch as many starts as I can. That's all I worry about."
Meanwhile, manager Joe Maddon understands the concern over his $155 million pitcher by his fan base.
"Absolutely, I totally understand that, whether it's an organization or a fan base," Maddon said. "I get all of that. No question. We're just trying to make our best guess to keep it at a minimum and keep him ready for opening day.
"Of course, we can't deny that. There will be a lot of consternation and concern, whatever you want to call it, we're just trying to nip it in the bud and be OK."
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