Lee + New Contract = Soon?

[Shilzzz]

not sure if this had been posted elsewhere, if so i apologize.

 

from rotoworld:

 

Derrek Lee-

Cubs GM Jim Hendry made contact with Derrek Lee's agent, Casey Close, on Saturday night, and both sides agreed to begin contrat talks during spring training.

Lee, who will earn $8 million in the final year of his current deal, could require $15 million per season to forgo free agency. Feb. 20 - 1:27 pm et

Source: Chicago Tribune

 

get it taken care of jim.[/url]

[rawaction]

not sure if this had been posted elsewhere, if so i apologize.

 

from rotoworld:

 

Derrek Lee-

Cubs GM Jim Hendry made contact with Derrek Lee's agent, Casey Close, on Saturday night, and both sides agreed to begin contrat talks during spring training.

Lee, who will earn $8 million in the final year of his current deal, could require $15 million per season to forgo free agency. Feb. 20 - 1:27 pm et

Source: Chicago Tribune

 

get it taken care of jim.[/url]

 

$15M/year? Uh, I would wait until he shows he can do it again in 06. I'm sorry, but no way is Lee worth that right now.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

$15M/year? Uh, I would wait until he shows he can do it again in 06. I'm sorry, but no way is Lee worth that right now.

 

That was my initial reaction. That sounds a bit high, unless he can duplicate '05. Then, it's a bargain.

[CoolHandLuke]

Trade him now while his value is highest. We could get a load of young talent for him.

[bhogg]

up til last season he was a .270 / 30 / 90 kind of player.

 

10-12 million sounds a little more fair than 15 million.

[Neuby]

no way is he worth 15, I was thinking 4 years 45 .

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

I'm sorry guys, but Adrian Beltre should be the foremost example on Hendry's mind come DLee contract talks. One great year doesn't mean he's suddenly elevated his game to an all new level and is there to stay. I love Lee, but he's not worth $15M if he reverts to his average year form.

 

It's like Hendry wants me to be mad at him. One stupid move after another. I can't wait to see how many years Lee gets.

[SouthSideRyan]

no way is he worth 15, I was thinking 4 years 45 .

 

4/45 sounds low. 4/51 or so sounds about right.

[ManCrushOnNomar]

He's worth 15 per.

 

If Furcal is worth 13 per, and Damon is worth 14 per, Lee is easily worth 15.

[YearofDaCubs]

He's worth 15 per.

 

If Furcal is worth 13 per, and Damon is worth 14 per, Lee is easily worth 15.

The DLee of last year..sure..but it's very possible he was a 1hit wonder.

[Neuby]

I keep forgetting that Furcal got 13 and Damon got 14. I really hope Hendry can get a discount.[/i]

[ManCrushOnNomar]

He's worth 15 per.

 

If Furcal is worth 13 per, and Damon is worth 14 per, Lee is easily worth 15.

The DLee of last year..sure..but it's very possible he was a 1hit wonder.

Until he shows signs of failure I have no reason to believe he won't continue to be a major threat.

 

He had a hole in his swing, he closed the hole. He hasn't shown any weakness since changing his stance and swing, so why would you think it was a fluke season?

 

If we wait until he puts up the same numbers as last year he'll be demanding much more than 15 per.

[CoolHandLuke]

He's worth 15 per.

 

If Furcal is worth 13 per, and Damon is worth 14 per, Lee is easily worth 15.

 

He is worth whatever someone would be willing to pay, but just as I would not want to be the one paying Furcal 13 million or Damon 14 million I do not want to be the one paying Lee 15 million.

[USSoccer]

I would not give him an extension just yet. He certainly doesn't deserve more money that Ramirez, who's had much more sustained success and is younger.

 

I'd wait until mid season to see how it's going. I'd even wait and go the Konerko route into the winter if necessary.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Uness he's willing to sign at a discout, there's no reason to negotiate now. Sure, inquire about what it will take. If it can be done reasonably, do it. If not, just be one of the bidders this offseason and offer arbitration as well.

[Andy]

I'd offer something to the effect of 4/55 with a 16M fifth year option and see if he bit, then give him 4/60 if that's what he wants. DLee will get much more than that, and not from us, if he goes on the market.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

I'd offer something to the effect of 4/55 with a 16M fifth year option and see if he bit, then give him 4/60 if that's what he wants. DLee will get much more than that, and not from us, if he goes on the market.

 

No doubt he'd get the money from someone else, but it would be their bad contract and not ours (unless DLee has really stepped it up to another level).

[USSoccer]

I'd offer something to the effect of 4/55 with a 16M fifth year option and see if he bit, then give him 4/60 if that's what he wants. DLee will get much more than that, and not from us, if he goes on the market.

 

are you kidding me? he's had one great season, and he's 30, right? He's not worth that much until he proves his 2005 wasn't just an extreme fluke. Giving him more money than Aramis for a lesser body of work isn't fiscally sound, as Lee isn't likely to repeat 2005's success, and will probably result in ARam opting out looking for $15m+ after this season.

[Soul]

I'd offer something to the effect of 4/55 with a 16M fifth year option and see if he bit, then give him 4/60 if that's what he wants. DLee will get much more than that, and not from us, if he goes on the market.

 

are you kidding me? he's had one great season, and he's 30, right? He's not worth that much until he proves his 2005 wasn't just an extreme fluke. Giving him more money than Aramis for a lesser body of work isn't fiscally sound, as Lee isn't likely to repeat 2005's success, and will probably result in ARam opting out looking for $15m+ after this season.

 

Probably a bit excessive, true. I just wonder if we aren't going to be sucked in though. Just have to wait and see. He keeps himself in great shape. Hopefully if we hand the big money to him he can buck the overall trend for over 30 players.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

The only reason you sign Lee now if you're the Cubs is if he'll give you a reasonable contract demand to get it done. If he's asking for the moon, then there's no incentive on the Cubs part to do anything now. He's signed for 2006, let him put up similar numbers again and THEN offer him the big money next winter.

 

Because if duplicates his 2005 performance (unlikely), he'll get the $15MM/year anyway (not more). If he's back to his more similar career year of maybe .280/.380/.525 with 30/90, then he's worth $10MM/year, no more.

 

Onus is on Lee here, not the Cubs. I'll extend him now if he wants no more than $12MM/year, anything more than that and he'll need to wait.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

He's worth 15 per.

 

If Furcal is worth 13 per, and Damon is worth 14 per, Lee is easily worth 15.

None of them are worth that much. They were both overpaid and Lee would certainly be overpaid at 15 a year.

[CuseCubFan69]

IMO this will be Lee's last big contract and I don't see him going for less than 12.5 a year for 4 years.

[frostwyrm]

GM's have gotten into the habit of giving out huge $$ based on one good year. Lee is going to command at least as much as Furcal.

[CardsFanInChiTown]

Here's the actual trib article rotoworld refers to.

 

At the very least he figures to surpass the five-year, $60 million deal Konerko received last winter. The New York Yankees and Boston are two big-spending teams that may be in need of a first baseman in 2007, and few expect Nomar Garciaparra to be the Los Angeles Dodgers' long-term solution at first.

Edited February 20, 2006 by CardsFanInChiTown

[ManCrushOnNomar]

He's worth 15 per.

 

If Furcal is worth 13 per, and Damon is worth 14 per, Lee is easily worth 15.

None of them are worth that much. They were both overpaid and Lee would certainly be overpaid at 15 a year.

That's the market now.

 

Do you refuse to pay big money to big stars because the market's inflated? I'm not saying we should be the Yankees, but we also shouldn't be Kansas City.