OAKLAND – In their first press conference appearance since the monster trade that sent Cespedes to the Red Sox, Jon Lester and Jonny Gomes took to the mic to address the trade and the future of the team. Listen below:

Jon Lester:

On trade: “Excited. After leaving Boston after being there for so long I’m excited to be here. I’ve got a few faces here that I recognize that should make the transition easier.”

On rotation: “It looks great. I’ve got to see a few of these guys on the other side and see them do really well. Hopefully I can do my job and fill my spot and get some innings and get these guys some opportunity to swing the bat and get some runs.”

Impression of the A’s: “They play the game the right way. Full of energy. The youth and the energy will always be there and I’m excited to see it.”

On pressure to compete: “I wouldn’t say pressure. These guys have been in the playoffs before. It’ not going to be anything new to a lot of these guys here. Hopefully with adding us hopefully we can add more experience. I wouldn’t consider it pressure, I’d say these guys expect to go to the playoffs each year.”

Jonny Gomes:

On coming home to Oakland: “Being an A’s fan, I always thought it was unique coming here. I went from A’s pajamas to an A’s uniform in about 22 years. I put a lot of work into it. I’m proud to see these guys take off. Seeing six A’s in the All-Star game this year was amazing.”

On leaving the A’s last time: “When I left here, it was one of the most unique things on a baseball field. To finish the season with a loss and get a standing ovation from the crowd and even get your opponents to tip their hat, it really showed what we accomplished.”

On getting his world series ring: “I thought I was hungry but now I’m starving for it.”

On being a clubhouse leader and the trade being a baseball decision not just a leader decision: “I’m a firm believer in team chemistry. Winning from the inside out. This is a results driven industry. 25 best friends aren’t going to win the World Series. It’s not about your relationships. The chemistry really comes about in the lows of the season.”