"[2] In the summer of 2002, Lambert pitched for the Concord Quarry Dogs of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, going 3–2 with a 1.55 ERA in nine appearances.

[6] The Cardinals assigned Lambert to the Single-A Peoria Chiefs in the Midwest League and began playing immediately, posting a 1–1 record with an ERA of 2.38 in nine starts.

Lambert made a single appearance at the end of the season with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, but was tagged for a loss, giving up three runs in four innings.

After stints in spring training and minor league camp to open the 2007 season, Lambert was back in Springfield again.

He made one start at the tail end of the 2007 season; a six-inning performance in which he allowed just one hit while striking out ten.

The Tigers invited Lambert to 2008 spring training, but he did not make the major league cut and returned to Toledo, where he went 5–3 with an ERA of 3.37 in his first 12 starts.

He struck out the first batter he faced, Indians outfielder Grady Sizemore, but would end up going 2-1, with an ERA of 5.66 to finish out the year.