DLEE IS SIGNED!

[srbin84]

Treeman, what would you have done if Lee insisted on getting the contract he got?

[da bears]

I think it's a good deal. Now keep up the good work DLee!

[rocket]

I just remember how great the Kerry Wood deal seemed in 2003.

[Mizzou]

I wonder how this will impact Sing and Dopirak. With Lee being here for the next 5 years, suddenly they become great trading chips come July. The question is... how highly are they viewed around baseball?

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

I just remember how great the Kerry Wood deal seemed in 2003.

 

That's a classic example why NTCs aren't a good idea.

[Danny82]

Cheaper would've been better, but I still think the Cubs will end up with a bargain in this deal.

 

We all look forward to you finishing your career here in Chicago, Derrek - keep on mashing!!! :D

 

id be shocked if this ended up as a bargain. i think the best case scenario is it's a good deal at the beginning and then not horrible at the end but more than you'd like to pay.

 

They most certainly got him at under what he would have commanded on the free agent market. That qualifies as a "bargain" to me.

[rjchapma]

Thank god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CuseCubFan69]

I think Lee is a solid investment because he stays in shape and will continue to work hard. Now to lock up Ramirez.

[RynoRules]

I just remember how great the Kerry Wood deal seemed in 2003.

 

That's a classic example why NTCs aren't a good idea.

 

Not a bad point, but there is a big difference, IMO, between a power picther and first baseman in terms of durability and injury potential. Lee has never been hurt and is in great shape.

[SouthSideRyan]

I think Lee is a solid investment because he stays in shape and will continue to work hard. Now to lock up Ramirez.

 

Well Ramirez is sort of locked up, it's just a matter of whether he opts out or not after this year.

[Omar]

I think Lee is a solid investment because he stays in shape and will continue to work hard. Now to lock up Ramirez.

 

Well Ramirez is sort of locked up, it's just a matter of whether he opts out or not after this year.

 

I cant think of a better option at 3B. How much does he have left?

 

"I want to be a Cub for the rest of my life."

[Andy]

I think Lee is a solid investment because he stays in shape and will continue to work hard. Now to lock up Ramirez.

 

Well Ramirez is sort of locked up, it's just a matter of whether he opts out or not after this year.

 

I cant think of a better option at 3B. How much does he have left?

 

"I want to be a Cub for the rest of my life."

I think it would take a lot for Ramirez to opt out. Either a season so astronomically good that he knew for sure that he could get a lot more on the FA market, or major shakeups that he didn't like involving the Cubs. I highly doubt he opts out.

[Coach C]

I think Lee is a solid investment because he stays in shape and will continue to work hard. Now to lock up Ramirez.

 

Well Ramirez is sort of locked up, it's just a matter of whether he opts out or not after this year.

 

I cant think of a better option at 3B. How much does he have left?

 

"I want to be a Cub for the rest of my life."

I think it would take a lot for Ramirez to opt out. Either a season so astronomically good that he knew for sure that he could get a lot more on the FA market, or major shakeups that he didn't like involving the Cubs. I highly doubt he opts out.

 

I hope he doesn't opt out either. I can't remember that one statistic, on how many 3rd basemen the Cubs used ever since Santo retired, but it was a high number.

[treebird]

I think Lee is a solid investment because he stays in shape and will continue to work hard. Now to lock up Ramirez.

 

Well Ramirez is sort of locked up, it's just a matter of whether he opts out or not after this year.

 

I cant think of a better option at 3B. How much does he have left?

 

"I want to be a Cub for the rest of my life."

I think it would take a lot for Ramirez to opt out. Either a season so astronomically good that he knew for sure that he could get a lot more on the FA market, or major shakeups that he didn't like involving the Cubs. I highly doubt he opts out.

 

you dont think he could get better than 2/22.5 as a free agent?

[RynoRules]

I think Lee is a solid investment because he stays in shape and will continue to work hard. Now to lock up Ramirez.

 

Well Ramirez is sort of locked up, it's just a matter of whether he opts out or not after this year.

 

I cant think of a better option at 3B. How much does he have left?

 

"I want to be a Cub for the rest of my life."

I think it would take a lot for Ramirez to opt out. Either a season so astronomically good that he knew for sure that he could get a lot more on the FA market, or major shakeups that he didn't like involving the Cubs. I highly doubt he opts out.

 

you dont think he could get better than 2/22.5 as a free agent?

 

Perhaps he values certain things more than an extra few million.

[nilodnayr]

I think Lee is a solid investment because he stays in shape and will continue to work hard. Now to lock up Ramirez.

 

Well Ramirez is sort of locked up, it's just a matter of whether he opts out or not after this year.

 

I cant think of a better option at 3B. How much does he have left?

 

"I want to be a Cub for the rest of my life."

I think it would take a lot for Ramirez to opt out. Either a season so astronomically good that he knew for sure that he could get a lot more on the FA market, or major shakeups that he didn't like involving the Cubs. I highly doubt he opts out.

 

I hope he doesn't opt out either. I can't remember that one statistic, on how many 3rd basemen the Cubs used ever since Santo retired, but it was a high number.

 

Before he gets the chance to opt out his contract is going to be reworked, upped, and extended. All it was, was basically a bargaining chip in the middle of his deal.

[Jehrico]

I'm happy they made this deal, but I'm surprised Hendry went 5 years. He's been reluctant to go that far before, but now he's set the precedent. Will Aramis walk if he doesn't get 5 as well? Will Hendry refuse to go that long considering he's been more injury prone?

[Andy]

I'm happy they made this deal, but I'm surprised Hendry went 5 years. He's been reluctant to go that far before, but now he's set the precedent. Will Aramis walk if he doesn't get 5 as well? Will Hendry refuse to go that long considering he's been more injury prone?

I'd expect Ramirez to get something on the order of 4/58 assuming his contract is reworked before he can walk.

[RynoRules]

I'm happy they made this deal, but I'm surprised Hendry went 5 years. He's been reluctant to go that far before, but now he's set the precedent. Will Aramis walk if he doesn't get 5 as well? Will Hendry refuse to go that long considering he's been more injury prone?

 

That's a good point; just have to wait and see.

[treebird]

I think Lee is a solid investment because he stays in shape and will continue to work hard. Now to lock up Ramirez.

 

Well Ramirez is sort of locked up, it's just a matter of whether he opts out or not after this year.

 

I cant think of a better option at 3B. How much does he have left?

 

"I want to be a Cub for the rest of my life."

I think it would take a lot for Ramirez to opt out. Either a season so astronomically good that he knew for sure that he could get a lot more on the FA market, or major shakeups that he didn't like involving the Cubs. I highly doubt he opts out.

 

you dont think he could get better than 2/22.5 as a free agent?

 

Perhaps he values certain things more than an extra few million.

 

Perhaps he realizes that if he becomes a free agent he can just re-sign with the cubs for more money/years than he's current under contract for.

[srbin84]

I think Lee is a solid investment because he stays in shape and will continue to work hard. Now to lock up Ramirez.

 

Well Ramirez is sort of locked up, it's just a matter of whether he opts out or not after this year.

 

I cant think of a better option at 3B. How much does he have left?

 

"I want to be a Cub for the rest of my life."

I think it would take a lot for Ramirez to opt out. Either a season so astronomically good that he knew for sure that he could get a lot more on the FA market, or major shakeups that he didn't like involving the Cubs. I highly doubt he opts out.

 

you dont think he could get better than 2/22.5 as a free agent?

 

Perhaps he values certain things more than an extra few million.

 

Perhaps he realizes that if he becomes a free agent he can just re-sign with the cubs for more money/years than he's current under contract for.

 

So you think about 14 mil/year is too much to be spending on Lee, but Ramirez should be getting paid more than 11.25?

[treebird]

I think Lee is a solid investment because he stays in shape and will continue to work hard. Now to lock up Ramirez.

 

Well Ramirez is sort of locked up, it's just a matter of whether he opts out or not after this year.

 

I cant think of a better option at 3B. How much does he have left?

 

"I want to be a Cub for the rest of my life."

I think it would take a lot for Ramirez to opt out. Either a season so astronomically good that he knew for sure that he could get a lot more on the FA market, or major shakeups that he didn't like involving the Cubs. I highly doubt he opts out.

 

you dont think he could get better than 2/22.5 as a free agent?

 

Perhaps he values certain things more than an extra few million.

 

Perhaps he realizes that if he becomes a free agent he can just re-sign with the cubs for more money/years than he's current under contract for.

 

So you think about 14 mil/year is too much to be spending on Lee, but Ramirez should be getting paid more than 11.25?

 

where did i come anywhere close to saying that?

 

i just said that if ramirez files for free agency he can make more money and more years and the cubs will have to pay him. at the very least aramis will start talking about it and the cubs will have to rework his deal.

[ltb]

i honestly can't see ramirez not opting out at the end of this season. the cubs will probably give him a 4 year deal if he does so, so opting out is just going to give him even more security than he already has.

[USSoccer]

I think this is too much for Lee. I'm glad he's locked up, but I think we've overpaid. Tree's prediction is probably dead on.

 

Regarding Ramirez, I'm probably the biggest Aramis backer here, and I think that if he sees Lee getting this deal after just one, albeit sensational season, he's going to opt out because he could get far, FAR more than 2/22.5m on the open market. Do we have the budget to sign them both to these kinds of deals, PLUS locking up Pierre and Z?

 

I'll say this-if paying Lee means we have a shot at losing Aramis, it's a terrible deal. I think Aramis has more value than Derrek does. If signing Lee means we just overpaid for Lee, then fine. We're in our contending window, so it's not such a big deal. I just don't want to see us losing a great, younger slugger because we overreached on Lee AND splurged on the Jones/Perez/Rusch contracts long term.

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

Regarding Aramis getting a long term deal, I remember reading in the offseason that Hendry said the only person they'd give five years to was Lee. I think it's when they were going after Furcal.