Clay Buchholz sees Jon Lester's contract with the Red Sox as a "base model"

Clay Buchholz sees Jon Lester's contract with the Red Sox as a "base model" for a potential long-term deal.

Lester signed a five-year, $30 million contract with a club option for a sixth year before the 2009 season. "I think that would definitely be a base model for it — numbers-wise, security reasons, I think every player with less than three years of service time, that’s what they strive for," said Buchholz. "I’m not saying I’m as good as Lester or I deserve what he got, but just from the other guys who signed their deal in the past year or so with the same service, I think that’s definitely a good starting point if there ever was one." Buchholz, 26, will be arbitration-eligible for the first time following the 2011 season. The two sides have not yet discussed a long-term contract.