Re-sign DLee?

[OldHappyCubFan]

When do you think the Cubs are gonna handle this?

 

If he hits the FA market, he'll have ALOT of teams wanting his services.

 

I believe his contract ends after the 2006 season.

[TripJ]

It seems that Hendry's pattern with guys he wants to keep around has been to prevent them from reaching FA (Wood, DLee, Aramis) altogether.

 

I would expect them to get something done this offseason rather than wait until next year.

[erik316wttn]

I think Derrek would appreciate a fair offer negotiated in good faith. If we do that, I think we'll keep him.

[WindyCity]

There is a bit of risk in giving DLee a big deal after this season. I love having Derrek at 1B and would like him on the Cubs for a few more years, but paying him a premium for 1 breakout year and then have him fall back to career norm production would not be a good idea. Not to mention the Cubs have a couple of league-minimum 1B options in the farm system that could be ready to produce at the ML-level in another year or two.

 

I would not be surprised if Hendry waits to see how he produces to start 2006 before getting serious about an extension.

[AAApittsburgh]

There is a bit of risk in giving DLee a big deal after this season. I love having Derrek at 1B and would like him on the Cubs for a few more years, but paying him a premium for 1 breakout year and then have him fall back to career norm production would not be a good idea. Not to mention the Cubs have a couple of league-minimum 1B options in the farm system that could be ready to produce at the ML-level in another year or two.

 

I would not be surprised if Hendry waits to see how he produces to start 2006 before getting serious about an extension.

I was thinking the same thing. I'd rather wait until after next season to make Lee an offer. If he doesn't accept, let him walk and stick Sing at 1B for 07. Then sign Hafner the following offseason.

[daske17]

I was thinking the same thing. I'd rather wait until after next season to make Lee an offer. If he doesn't accept, let him walk and stick Sing at 1B for 07. Then sign Hafner the following offseason.

 

What about Dopriak? How has his year been? Is he still considered a top prospect in the Cubs system?

[cbbryan]

I was thinking the same thing. I'd rather wait until after next season to make Lee an offer. If he doesn't accept, let him walk and stick Sing at 1B for 07. Then sign Hafner the following offseason.

 

What about Dopriak? How has his year been? Is he still considered a top prospect in the Cubs system?

 

http://minorleaguebaseball.com/app/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Brian%20Dopirak&pos=1B&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&did=milb&pid=460590

[SAMMYWHO]

I just read a piece that said after a bad slump to start the season Dope has been putting together some quality at bats as of late. His coach mentioned something to the effect of he'll be a huge run producer in Wrigley someday. Whatever his coaches had him working on seems to have soaked in. I think I read that on a Cubs Insider article. The one they send to your email. The same email talked about Maddux and when he plans to retire.

[YearofDaCubs]

I think it will all depend on how much he asks. If he is asking for superstar money then it will be wise to let him play through the the year to see if he can match this year's numbers. I personally do not think he can but if he does that we can sign him for a pretty penny. If not, chances are he is not worth superstar money but would still like to sign him to a contract similar to the one he currently has.

[TheDude]

Lee is a bonified 1B. Even at career norms. If the team wants to win, they sign him to a 3-4 year deal starting in 2007. If they want to rebuild, then let him go.

 

But we as fans can't have it both ways. We can't complain about the lack of productivity to get to the playoffs, then also think that any minor leaguer can replace Lees production without a significant drop-off.

[TripJ]

Even at his career norms, I think it would be extremely optimistic thinking that a prospect could just step in and provide similar production (and GG-calibur defense to boot) for a fraction of the money Derrek will earn.

 

I wonder if they couldn't hammer out a deal like Aramis' where there's a smaller base, but if he meets certain levels of production after the second year (2007) he could force the club to tear it up and let him walk as a FA? In my mind that would insure the Cubs against paying too much, and it would provide Derrek with the peace of mind that if he continues to put up these kinds of numbers he could get one more big crack at free-agency at the age of 32.

[thedaymen]

I don't think it makes sense for DLEE to take a modest gurantee and high incentive contract at this point.

 

If Team DLEE thinks he'll be putting up monster numbers for the forseeable future, they know someone will show them the money in a guranteed form in case he ever strains a muscle washing his car and ends up missing a season.

 

If Team DLEE thinks he'll return to around .300 with 30hr's and 90 rbi's, they'll want as high a base salary as possible.

 

Lee is of greater value then Aramis, and everyone knows it at this point.

[Cubzfan64]

DLee is indeed worth more imho than ARam - especially when you consider what our infield defense would be without him.

 

That said, I have to believe if I'm Lee and I'm looking out for myself from a "business" sense, there's NO WAY in heck that I DON'T test the free ageny market after 2006 unless the Cubs offer me a long term high dollar contract that I can't turn down (and I don't think they should).

 

If Lee even drops to his career norm in 2006, mark my word that there WILL be teams out there that WILL outbid the Cubs for his services unless he's willing to take some kind of "home town" discount. The Red Sox will be just about done with Manny's huge contract and that frees up a ton of cash for them (Theo has salivated after D Lee for at least 3 years now). The Yankees will also likely be looking to fill a void at 1B.

 

If Lee wants to make as much money as he can, I'm guessing he'll have a better shot at doing that somewhere else and again, from a business standpoint it would be silly not to test the market and go with the highest bidder.

 

That's the main reason why I condone looking to make a trade this offseason with either Lee or Ramirez (and if I had my preference I would move Ramirez). Unless the Cubs are willing to jack up the payroll, I just don't see us being able to upgrade our OF and starting pitching with proven quality guys while paying Lee, ARam and Prior the money they could get on the free agent market - I just don't see it happening.

[KatJ]

If Lee wants to make as much money as he can, I'm guessing he'll have a better shot at doing that somewhere else and again, from a business standpoint it would be silly not to test the market and go with the highest bidder.

 

That's the main reason why I condone looking to make a trade this offseason with either Lee or Ramirez (and if I had my preference I would move Ramirez). Unless the Cubs are willing to jack up the payroll, I just don't see us being able to upgrade our OF and starting pitching with proven quality guys while paying Lee, ARam and Prior the money they could get on the free agent market - I just don't see it happening.

 

Your offseason moves are a MUST for Hendry if (1) he wants to keep DLee past 2006, and (2) he wants to keep his JOB. Lee wants to play for a contender that has a legitimate shot at the playoffs and WS, and whose players want it as much as Lee does and have the talent and determination to keep after it. If Hendry doesn't get the support in the offseason, I'll be the first to wish DLee well in Boston.

[HoopsCubs]

When do you think the Cubs are gonna handle this?

 

If he hits the FA market, he'll have ALOT of teams wanting his services.

 

I believe his contract ends after the 2006 season.

 

Partly due to his great season, but partly also because he plays hard and does the fundamentals right and is so accessible, I think Derrek has just about become the new face of the franchise. Therefore, I think Hendry will sign him to a fair extension before the 2006 regular season gets underway - just a guess.

 

And, by the way, he's so well liked by other players around the league, if Hendry signs him to an extension early in the offseason, it could have some impact on the decision making for a free agent guy like Brian Giles. By the way, I've said it before, I'll say it again - the last place I want to see Giles is with St. Louis or Houston. Both teams have the corner outfielder need and the cash flow to sign him. Hendry should take any reasonable steps he can to increase his probability of getting Giles.

 

 

 

Hoops

[Transmogrified Tiger]

There is a bit of risk in giving DLee a big deal after this season. I love having Derrek at 1B and would like him on the Cubs for a few more years, but paying him a premium for 1 breakout year and then have him fall back to career norm production would not be a good idea. Not to mention the Cubs have a couple of league-minimum 1B options in the farm system that could be ready to produce at the ML-level in another year or two.

 

I would not be surprised if Hendry waits to see how he produces to start 2006 before getting serious about an extension.

I was thinking the same thing. I'd rather wait until after next season to make Lee an offer. If he doesn't accept, let him walk and stick Sing at 1B for 07. Then sign Hafner the following offseason.

 

Hafner is under team control through 2008.

[Mark_R]

DLee is indeed worth more imho than ARam - especially when you consider what our infield defense would be without him.

 

That said, I have to believe if I'm Lee and I'm looking out for myself from a "business" sense, there's NO WAY in heck that I DON'T test the free ageny market after 2006 unless the Cubs offer me a long term high dollar contract that I can't turn down (and I don't think they should).

 

If Lee even drops to his career norm in 2006, mark my word that there WILL be teams out there that WILL outbid the Cubs for his services unless he's willing to take some kind of "home town" discount. The Red Sox will be just about done with Manny's huge contract and that frees up a ton of cash for them (Theo has salivated after D Lee for at least 3 years now). The Yankees will also likely be looking to fill a void at 1B.

 

If Lee wants to make as much money as he can, I'm guessing he'll have a better shot at doing that somewhere else and again, from a business standpoint it would be silly not to test the market and go with the highest bidder.

 

That's the main reason why I condone looking to make a trade this offseason with either Lee or Ramirez (and if I had my preference I would move Ramirez). Unless the Cubs are willing to jack up the payroll, I just don't see us being able to upgrade our OF and starting pitching with proven quality guys while paying Lee, ARam and Prior the money they could get on the free agent market - I just don't see it happening.

 

If I were Lee and Lee's agent, I'd try and get big money from the Cubs after his best season (and what will likely be his best season) before he likely regresses. Perhaps not to his career norms, but still in regression.

[Guest]

As a general rule, it's a bad idea to sign a player to a long-term extension immediately after he's had a career year. If anything, it makes more sense to try and trade Lee this offseason rather than try and lock him up for several more years. (I'm not advocating trading him, just pointing out that the Cubs would probably get better value for their dollar by dealing Lee than paying him at a rate justified by hsi 2005 performance.)

[Chocolate Milk]

For a team struggling to find productive and consistant players to man most positions, I think it would be a blunder of epic proportions not to resign Lee.

[OldHappyCubFan]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ agreed

[goonys evil twin]

For a team struggling to find productive and consistant players to man most positions, I think it would be a blunder of epic proportions not to resign Lee.

 

If he goes out and repeats his 2005 season, then I think it would be a major blunder to not resign him. But if he reverts to his pre-2005 numbers, it wouldn't be that bad. Lee was nothing but a 2nd tier 1b before this season (offensively). Personally I'd like to see them agree on a deal similar to what Ram got as an extension - ripping up his 2006 salary as an incentive to sign earlier. But if Lee is looking for elite 1B numbers ($17m) after just one great season, then I couldn't fault Jim for waiting.

[Brian]

But if he reverts to his pre-2005 numbers, it wouldn't be that bad. Lee was nothing but a 2nd tier 1b before this season (offensively).

 

I think i'd take his 2004 numbers, 30HR - 99RBI is nothing to sneeze at with gold glove defense.

[goonys evil twin]

But if he reverts to his pre-2005 numbers, it wouldn't be that bad. Lee was nothing but a 2nd tier 1b before this season (offensively).

 

I think i'd take his 2004 numbers, 30HR - 99RBI is nothing to sneeze at with gold glove defense.

 

HR/RBI totals don't tell you much. First off, if you are in the middle of an order and not getting 100+ RBI in this day and age, you don't belong there. But I'm much more concerned with his longterm steady sub 900 OPS, which is not impressive for a first baseman and not close to worth top dollar. If they signed him to a 4/50 extension, and he went back to a sub 900 OPS type of production, they would regret it. I'm hoping though that he'll find a happy medium between his career average and career year, hopefully no less than 950-1000 OPS.

[Chocolate Milk]

What I'm concerned about is filling this roster with, durable, productive, solid major league players. Locking him down (assuming his demands are reasonable) is a no brainer. We have holes all over this team. Next year we have questionmarks @ 6 out of the 9 offensive positions (5 ?'s at the least). Even if Derek settles (which I think he will to around 900OPS) he would still be well worth paying decent money for. His glove, durability, and bat are worth taking the risk that he somehow takes a nosedive in future years.

 

It would be a huge mistake if we let Lee go and hope some prespect can fill his shoes. Sure the prospect may be cheaper in terms of his cost to production, but I'd be pretty surprised if his production, defense, and duribility ever reaches Lee's career norms. Trying to save money is great, but lets face it, we aren't the Devil Rays. We shouldn't let our best players go because we might have to pay for them.

 

I absolutely understand the need for caution. I still think as long as Derek's demands aren't completely unreasonable we should do everythign we can to lock him down.

[KatJ]

And, by the way, Lee's so well liked by other players around the league, if Hendry signs him to an extension early in the offseason, it could have some impact on the decision making for a free agent guy like Brian Giles. By the way, I've said it before, I'll say it again - the last place I want to see Giles is with St. Louis or Houston. Both teams have the corner outfielder need and the cash flow to sign him. Hendry should take any reasonable steps he can to increase his probability of getting Giles.

 

Slightly off-topic, but a package that included Giles and (I can dream) Mark Loretta is about the only way I'd consider dealing Maddux. It could be a win-win situation: we get the offense (including baserunners with BRAINS) and good D, and Greg gets his numbers down and wins up a little in pitcher-friendly Petco, which is also in the same time zone as home. The SoCal house could become Maddux family HQ during the baseball season.