DLee Signs 1-Year Deal w/ Orioles

[rocket]

I sure hope he has another solid year or two in him, for Orioles' fans sake.

 

They seem happy from what I saw. I'll always like Derek, but it seemed pretty clear to me he was well on his way down.

 

I think this makes it pretty clear that winning is not a priority of D Lee. Along with the rejection of the trades until they basically strong armed him last year, this proves that Lee just likes being in a comfortable situation.

 

He was a good player for the Cubs, but good riddance.

 

Have fun losing 100 games, DLee, I hope you personally greet all 12,000 fans that will see you play most games.

 

what the hell is your problem? what winning team was looking for a first baseman? it's not like lee had a choice between the yankees, red sox, phillies, and orioles.

[Sammy Sofa]

I think this makes it pretty clear that winning is not a priority of D Lee.

 

Saying that winning isn't a "priority" with professional athletes never fails to be hilariously dumb.

[Derwood]

Vitriol against Derrek Lee was not something I expected in this thread

[apete6]

I think this makes it pretty clear that winning is not a priority of D Lee.

 

Saying that winning isn't a "priority" with professional athletes never fails to be hilariously dumb.

 

So why sign with Baltimore? They probably have the worst chance of making the playoffs out of every team in MLB. At least the Pirates and Royals and Cubs are in bad divisions. The O's could be way better next year and still finish 4th or last.

[Backtobanks]

I think this makes it pretty clear that winning is not a priority of D Lee.

 

Saying that winning isn't a "priority" with professional athletes never fails to be hilariously dumb.

 

So why sign with Baltimore? They probably have the worst chance of making the playoffs out of every team in MLB. At least the Pirates and Royals and Cubs are in bad divisions. The O's could be way better next year and still finish 4th or last.

 

I can think of 8 million reasons to sign with Baltimore. As Rocket pointed out, it's not like the top contenders were lined up looking for a 1B.

[apete6]

I think this makes it pretty clear that winning is not a priority of D Lee.

 

Saying that winning isn't a "priority" with professional athletes never fails to be hilariously dumb.

 

So why sign with Baltimore? They probably have the worst chance of making the playoffs out of every team in MLB. At least the Pirates and Royals and Cubs are in bad divisions. The O's could be way better next year and still finish 4th or last.

 

I can think of 8 million reasons to sign with Baltimore. As Rocket pointed out, it's not like the top contenders were lined up looking for a 1B.

 

San Diego allegedly offered him. Why not take that?

 

Better question is why the hell the Orioles would just waste that money. Even if lee puts up a .900 OPS, they'd be better off developing a young guy instead of giving a 35 year old guy 500 at bats.

[abuck1220]

selfish prick should have given the yankees $5 mil to let him be the bat boy.

[Rob]

I don't see how signing a 1 year deal with the Orioles is caring about anything but winning. He'll be on a playoff team come the trade deadline.

[daske17]

Dude has a family he has to support. You can't do that without collecting a paycheck. At this stage of his career, I'm sure that's just as important as winning.

[Backtobanks]

I think this makes it pretty clear that winning is not a priority of D Lee.

 

Saying that winning isn't a "priority" with professional athletes never fails to be hilariously dumb.

 

So why sign with Baltimore? They probably have the worst chance of making the playoffs out of every team in MLB. At least the Pirates and Royals and Cubs are in bad divisions. The O's could be way better next year and still finish 4th or last.

 

I can think of 8 million reasons to sign with Baltimore. As Rocket pointed out, it's not like the top contenders were lined up looking for a 1B.

 

San Diego allegedly offered him. Why not take that?

 

Better question is why the hell the Orioles would just waste that money. Even if lee puts up a .900 OPS, they'd be better off developing a young guy instead of giving a 35 year old guy 500 at bats.

 

SD isn't going to win either and playing in SD certainly won't help his power numbers if he's interested in signing another contract next year. Camden Yards and the AL will help with the HR & RBI stats and possibly get him another contract in 2012.

[dew1679666265]

San Diego allegedly offered him. Why not take that?

 

If that offer was on the table, then that would have been a better option, but San Diego isn't that much closer to being good. They have a better chance to back into the playoffs because of a bad division, but it's not like the difference is a World Series contender and a bottom feeder. It's very realistic both could be bottom feeders this year.

 

Also, you mentioned the Pirates, Royals and Cubs. None of those teams had any reason to be interested. The Cubs were looking for a left handed bat for first and had already signed Pena, the Royals have Butler and the Pirates, if they're that much better of a bet to win, don't have a need at first. I don't know of any likely contenders that do have needs at first.

 

This way, at least, DLee knows there will be a strong likelihood that if he has a big first half of the year he may be dealt to a contender at the deadline.

 

Better question is why the hell the Orioles would just waste that money. Even if lee puts up a .900 OPS, they'd be better off developing a young guy instead of giving a 35 year old guy 500 at bats.

 

It wasn't a good move if it blocks a prospect who's ready for the majors, but if they don't have one (which I don't know either way), then this is a short term move to both satisfy fans that you aren't intentionally tanking and it gives you a guy who could have a big first half and then be dealt for prospects at the deadline.

[questionmarkgrace]

Who knows SD may have only offered limited playing time with Kyle Blanks coming off of surgery. I do know they offered more money. But at the time, his agent thought that a two year deal was possible. Rotoworld documented when Lee came out and said he would accept a 1 year deal and that was only a few weeks ago. Plus that park would kill his already diminishing power numbers. Yeah SD could get into the playoffs, and they have a solid rotation but as others have said he has a much better chance to put up good numbers and parlay this year into a two year deal with a better team next year. Or he could just as easily be traded at the deadline to a contender with an injury.

[Sammy Sofa]

I think this makes it pretty clear that winning is not a priority of D Lee.

 

Saying that winning isn't a "priority" with professional athletes never fails to be hilariously dumb.

 

So why sign with Baltimore?

 

Because they offered him a lot of money. You talk like going to San Diego would have been a better move, but why? Ending up in the NL West isn't a very good idea for aging sluggers, plus San Diego isn't much more of a better bet to not suck than Baltimore.

[treebird]

i learned all i needed to know about derrek lee the moment i saw him enjoy playing for the cubs

 

those guys are born losers, he should have demanded a trade the moment he got there

[Soul]

I don't understand why people insist on tagging a guy as non-competitive based on his demeanor.

 

Same thing happens with ARam sometimes.

 

These guys hop around the country all year long, never see their families -- they work their butts off constantly, going in and out of slumps, putting in countless hours at the ballpark and training.

 

If Derek Lee didn't have a priority on winning, he would have retired. It's silly to suggest he doesn't want to win. You can't coast through a 162-game schedule plus all the offseason training. All of these guys are driven to succeed. That's why they became MLB players in the first place.

 

Come on, let's put this silly idea to bed for good.

[Sammy Sofa]

Even if somebody thinks a player is "just about the money" it requires them to ignore the idea that being on a winning team (and being a big part of a winning team) is far more likely to net a player more of that delicious money that they so greedily and lazily crave.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Sometimes it isnt even about the money. Sometimes they just arent ready to hang up their cleats and they want to keep playing. Granted, they want to win, but not everyone can sign with the Yankees, Red Sox, or Phillies.

 

At Lees age, it isnt about building your market value. At Lees age, he knows he'll never be seeing another 3-4 year deal, or even a 2 and will be lucky to get a few more 1 year deals after this one.

 

As for Baltimore, a team with an awful pitching staff and virtually now chance to compete, the aquisitions of Lee, JJ Hardy, and Mary Reynolds are eye poppingly strange, but more power to them.

[Backtobanks]

Sometimes it isnt even about the money. Sometimes they just arent ready to hang up their cleats and they want to keep playing. Granted, they want to win, but not everyone can sign with the Yankees, Red Sox, or Phillies.

 

At Lees age, it isnt about building your market value. At Lees age, he knows he'll never be seeing another 3-4 year deal, or even a 2 and will be lucky to get a few more 1 year deals after this one.

 

As for Baltimore, a team with an awful pitching staff and virtually now chance to compete, the aquisitions of Lee, JJ Hardy, and Mary Reynolds are eye poppingly strange, but more power to them.

 

I'm not saying Lee will get another multi-year contract, but his down year last year was a result of a bad thumb. Now that he's healthy combined with playing in the AL and at Camden Yards, he could surprise a lot of people.

[questionmarkgrace]

Sometimes it isnt even about the money. Sometimes they just arent ready to hang up their cleats and they want to keep playing. Granted, they want to win, but not everyone can sign with the Yankees, Red Sox, or Phillies.

 

At Lees age, it isnt about building your market value. At Lees age, he knows he'll never be seeing another 3-4 year deal, or even a 2 and will be lucky to get a few more 1 year deals after this one.

 

As for Baltimore, a team with an awful pitching staff and virtually now chance to compete, the aquisitions of Lee, JJ Hardy, and Mary Reynolds are eye poppingly strange, but more power to them.

 

I'm not saying Lee will get another multi-year contract, but his down year last year was a result of a bad thumb. Now that he's healthy combined with playing in the AL and at Camden Yards, he could surprise a lot of people.

 

Camden yards may help him but the AL East pitchers are much tougher than NL Central pitchers.

[Pushfrog98]

The AL-East version of the Cubs is now complete.

Mark Bellhorn better be waiting by his phone!

[inari]

Sometimes it isnt even about the money. Sometimes they just arent ready to hang up their cleats and they want to keep playing. Granted, they want to win, but not everyone can sign with the Yankees, Red Sox, or Phillies.

 

At Lees age, it isnt about building your market value. At Lees age, he knows he'll never be seeing another 3-4 year deal, or even a 2 and will be lucky to get a few more 1 year deals after this one.

 

As for Baltimore, a team with an awful pitching staff and virtually now chance to compete, the aquisitions of Lee, JJ Hardy, and Mary Reynolds are eye poppingly strange, but more power to them.

 

I'm not saying Lee will get another multi-year contract, but his down year last year was a result of a bad thumb. Now that he's healthy combined with playing in the AL and at Camden Yards, he could surprise a lot of people.

 

Camden yards may help him but the AL East pitchers are much tougher than NL Central pitchers.

 

Are they?

[Cubs Fan Dan]

Sometimes it isnt even about the money. Sometimes they just arent ready to hang up their cleats and they want to keep playing. Granted, they want to win, but not everyone can sign with the Yankees, Red Sox, or Phillies.

 

At Lees age, it isnt about building your market value. At Lees age, he knows he'll never be seeing another 3-4 year deal, or even a 2 and will be lucky to get a few more 1 year deals after this one.

 

As for Baltimore, a team with an awful pitching staff and virtually now chance to compete, the aquisitions of Lee, JJ Hardy, and Mary Reynolds are eye poppingly strange, but more power to them.

 

I'm not saying Lee will get another multi-year contract, but his down year last year was a result of a bad thumb. Now that he's healthy combined with playing in the AL and at Camden Yards, he could surprise a lot of people.

 

Camden yards may help him but the AL East pitchers are much tougher than NL Central pitchers.

 

Are they?

 

Yes I have heard they never cry and walk barefoot over hot coals.