Brewer fan here.
my 2 cents-->Sox missed out on an opportunity to grab some top prospects. I can't see Cespedes fitting into the Sox' long-term strategy and giving up a top ace like Lester has to translate into a major haul of assets. Of course what the Sox really should have done is just sign Lester for 4/80 or 5/100 deal and make the effort to bounce back next year. now, they're going to wish they had a pitcher of his caliber when they fall short the next several years.
i am not sure which prospects you are referring to here. the O's, dodgers, and cards already publicly stated that their top prospects would NOT be available for a 2 month rental of lester. and the A's just demonstrated the same thing.
if such a deal for a large basket of great prospects had been on the table, i believe cherington would have taken it. that he traded for cepedes means that was the best deal he saw available.
cepedes should fit very well into left field at fenway. his range is not good enough to be great in RF, but in LF, his arm will play well at keeping runners from stretching wall doubles to just singles. i believe he and JBJ lead the league in outfield assists this season.
his hitting? not the obp we all love and adore, but the power is much needed by the sox. by the way, i believe cepedes' ops right now, a slightly down year, would place in fourth on the sox. not shabby.
plus, they got the comp draft pick from oakland. if they had not traded lester and not resigned him - very possible - a comp pick would have been their only return. so not a bad return on this point either.
all in all, it is hard to negotiate for too much when you are only offering two months of service from a pitcher, or, roughly 12 starts. how many more wins would those 12 starts by lester provide a team over their current starter? some for sure, but enough to give away the farm? most teams did not think so.
good trade, better than i thought the sox would get.