Hendry Wants to Get a Deal Done with Lee

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

From Bruce's article in the Daily Herald..

 

Link.

 

“I’ll be speaking to Casey Close, I’m sure, more than once this week,” Hendry said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to do something before Opening Day. I think Derrek knows our intentions. We certainly know his. Nothing’s changed on that front.

 

“I would think we’re going to get down to a little more serious financial negotiations here in the last week. Hopefully, something will be able to get done. We have every intention of trying to secure Mr. Lee for a long time.”

 

 

Apparently, Pierre's camp is not interested in negotiating right now. Furcal's contract seems to have them believing the market for his services will be higher.

 

“I spoke to Juan’s agents awhile back, the SFX group,” Jim Hendry said. “We have a good relationship with them, also. I think it was their intent at the time to maybe wait a little longer. The leadoff-hitter market is a little hard to get your handle on right now.

 

“It changed a lot just with one signing, to a degree, over the winter.”

[Jehrico]

From Bruce's article in the Daily Herald..

 

Link.

 

“I’ll be speaking to Casey Close, I’m sure, more than once this week,” Hendry said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to do something before Opening Day. I think Derrek knows our intentions. We certainly know his. Nothing’s changed on that front.

 

“I would think we’re going to get down to a little more serious financial negotiations here in the last week. Hopefully, something will be able to get done. We have every intention of trying to secure Mr. Lee for a long time.”

 

 

Apparently, Pierre's camp is not interested in negotiating right now. Furcal's contract seems to have them believing the market for his services will be higher.

 

“I spoke to Juan’s agents awhile back, the SFX group,” Jim Hendry said. “We have a good relationship with them, also. I think it was their intent at the time to maybe wait a little longer. The leadoff-hitter market is a little hard to get your handle on right now.

 

“It changed a lot just with one signing, to a degree, over the winter.”

 

I wonder how far apart they are with Lee, and what Lee's asking for?

 

On Pierre, they're mistaken. Colletti is one of the biggest morons in the sport. He bid against himself for Furcal, but he shouldn't be in the market when/if Pierre his FA this winter. I don't think the other GMs are suddenly going to raise their willingness to pay for a leadoff man by 3-5 mil per year because one of them was an idiot the year before.

[Laura]

From Bruce's article in the Daily Herald..

 

Link.

 

“I would think we’re going to get down to a little more serious financial negotiations here in the last week. Hopefully, something will be able to get done. We have every intention of trying to secure Mr. Lee for a long time.”

 

I hope everyone calls him Mr. Lee.

[Jehrico]

From Bruce's article in the Daily Herald..

 

Link.

 

“I would think we’re going to get down to a little more serious financial negotiations here in the last week. Hopefully, something will be able to get done. We have every intention of trying to secure Mr. Lee for a long time.”

 

I hope everyone calls him Mr. Lee.

 

I kind of like Mr. MVP better. I hope everyone calls him that starting next offseason.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

From Bruce's article in the Daily Herald..

 

Link.

 

“I’ll be speaking to Casey Close, I’m sure, more than once this week,” Hendry said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to do something before Opening Day. I think Derrek knows our intentions. We certainly know his. Nothing’s changed on that front.

 

“I would think we’re going to get down to a little more serious financial negotiations here in the last week. Hopefully, something will be able to get done. We have every intention of trying to secure Mr. Lee for a long time.”

 

 

Apparently, Pierre's camp is not interested in negotiating right now. Furcal's contract seems to have them believing the market for his services will be higher.

 

“I spoke to Juan’s agents awhile back, the SFX group,” Jim Hendry said. “We have a good relationship with them, also. I think it was their intent at the time to maybe wait a little longer. The leadoff-hitter market is a little hard to get your handle on right now.

 

“It changed a lot just with one signing, to a degree, over the winter.”

 

I wonder how far apart they are with Lee, and what Lee's asking for?

 

On Pierre, they're mistaken. Colletti is one of the biggest morons in the sport. He bid against himself for Furcal, but he shouldn't be in the market when/if Pierre his FA this winter. I don't think the other GMs are suddenly going to raise their willingness to pay for a leadoff man by 3-5 mil per year because one of them was an idiot the year before.

 

I think it's obvious that Lee wants a 5/60 deal. The hold-up is likely how much increase he gets this season and what savings the Cubs get down the road. Those issues likely aren't insurmountable, but those are probably the factors that are holding things up.

[rawaction]

From Bruce's article in the Daily Herald..

 

Link.

 

“I’ll be speaking to Casey Close, I’m sure, more than once this week,” Hendry said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to do something before Opening Day. I think Derrek knows our intentions. We certainly know his. Nothing’s changed on that front.

 

“I would think we’re going to get down to a little more serious financial negotiations here in the last week. Hopefully, something will be able to get done. We have every intention of trying to secure Mr. Lee for a long time.”

 

 

Apparently, Pierre's camp is not interested in negotiating right now. Furcal's contract seems to have them believing the market for his services will be higher.

 

“I spoke to Juan’s agents awhile back, the SFX group,” Jim Hendry said. “We have a good relationship with them, also. I think it was their intent at the time to maybe wait a little longer. The leadoff-hitter market is a little hard to get your handle on right now.

 

“It changed a lot just with one signing, to a degree, over the winter.”

 

I wonder how far apart they are with Lee, and what Lee's asking for?

 

On Pierre, they're mistaken. Colletti is one of the biggest morons in the sport. He bid against himself for Furcal, but he shouldn't be in the market when/if Pierre his FA this winter. I don't think the other GMs are suddenly going to raise their willingness to pay for a leadoff man by 3-5 mil per year because one of them was an idiot the year before.

 

I think it's obvious that Lee wants a 5/60 deal. The hold-up is likely how much increase he gets this season and what savings the Cubs get down the road. Those issues likely aren't insurmountable, but those are probably the factors that are holding things up.

 

I'd probably do 5/60 right now. His WBC performance leads me to believe he's a different player now. I would expect a good 2-3 years of mid 900's to low 1000's OPS seasons from Lee.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

5 years? :(

[Soul]

5 years? :(

 

I'm guessing the next 2-3 years would be peak years for Lee, with the final 2 of that contract taking place during his decline.

 

I don't think 5 years is all that outrageous. Lee's defense will be a true asset long after his offensive numbers start to slip. When you factor in what market value will be 4 years from now (i.e., higher), I would probably do it.

 

It's amazing how quickly Derek Lee has become the face of this ballclub.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

5 years? :(

 

I'm guessing the next 2-3 years would be peak years for Lee, with the final 2 of that contract taking place during his decline.

 

I don't think 5 years is all that outrageous. Lee's defense will be a true asset long after his offensive numbers start to slip. When you factor in what market value will be 4 years from now (i.e., higher), I would probably do it.

 

It's amazing how quickly Derek Lee has become the face of this ballclub.

 

I hope we front load the contract.

[frostwyrm]

Gotta love Hendry's quote about "the leadoff-hitter market". It reflects a paleolithic concept that leadoff hitters are a distinct species of ballplayer and not just someone who doesn't make a lot of outs and doesn't clog the basepaths, as us modern folks believe.

[CubinNY]

Gotta love Hendry's quote about "the leadoff-hitter market". It reflects a paleolithic concept that leadoff hitters are a distinct species of ballplayer and not just someone who doesn't make a lot of outs and doesn't clog the basepaths, as us modern folks believe.

 

Exactly. It's as if it is an actual position on the field.

 

"Hey what position do you play?"

 

"Lead off hitter"

 

I guess one could do that in the American League.

[goonys evil twin]

I really don't like that they are talking about "the market for leadoff men". Hendry did this to himself. By overemphasizing a spot in the order, instead of just getting the most productive players at each position in the field, he risks overpaying Pierre, or any other leadoff man. Pay guys based on how productive they are compared to others at their position, and how hard it is to find a comparable hitter at that position.

 

Or, what they said:

 

Gotta love Hendry's quote about "the leadoff-hitter market". It reflects a paleolithic concept that leadoff hitters are a distinct species of ballplayer and not just someone who doesn't make a lot of outs and doesn't clog the basepaths, as us modern folks believe.

 

Exactly. It's as if it is an actual position on the field.

 

"Hey what position do you play?"

 

"Lead off hitter"

 

I guess one could do that in the American League.

[frostwyrm]

“I spoke to Juan’s agents awhile back, the SFX group,” Jim Hendry said. “We have a good relationship with them, also. I think it was their intent at the time to maybe wait a little longer. The leadoff-hitter market is a little hard to get your handle on right now.

 

“It changed a lot just with one signing, to a degree, over the winter.”

 

Kinda ironic to hear Hendry bitching about one signing inflating a market when he himself grossly inflated the relief market with the Eyre contract. It's even more ironic that something as silly as "the leadoff-hitter market" actually exists in the minds of people with check-writing power.

[Danny82]

IMHO, there is a difference between a leadoff hitter who plays SS and a leadoff hitter who plays CF. The former is certainly more valuable to a team.

[goonys evil twin]

IMHO, there is a difference between a leadoff hitter who plays SS and a leadoff hitter who plays CF. The former is certainly more valuable to a team.

 

Why? What if he's a leadoff hitter, but he's not actually productive, but just fits the stereotype?

 

A CF who bats 2nd with a .290/.370/.490 line is going to be more valuable than a SS who leads off with a .300/.325/.395 line. Spot in the order is determined by the manager, not by the player's ability.

[Danny82]

Because I think it is easier to find an offensively productive CF than an offensively productive SS.

[goonys evil twin]

Because I think it is easier to find an offensively productive CF than an offensively productive SS.

 

Fine, that's probably true. But spot in the order doesn't mean a thing.