Carlos Lee News

"For almost two hours, Carlos Lee was his jovial self Monday at Methodist Hospital. He joked with the registered nurse, handled the tedious registration process with humility and a smile, and generally tried to ease the tension for his wife, Mary. Then, Dr. Tom Mehlhoff, the Astros’ hand and wrist specialist, walked in to explain the damage on Lee’s left pinky finger. There were six fractures, twice as many as he was originally told, and a severe laceration to the nail bed. There also was a chance he would need as many as three pins to fix the fractures. “Wow,” Lee said as Mary held his left thumb tightly. “Maybe I should just listen to (Roy) Oswalt and have it cut off.” Mehlhoff prepared ..."

"Any dreams the Astros had of making a run to the playoffs in the season’s final two months took a huge blow when slugger Carlos Lee was likely lost for the season with a broken left pinky finger Saturday night. Lee, who leads the National League with 100 RBIs, will undergo surgery Monday in Houston and is expected to be out for six to eight weeks. There are seven weeks remaining in the regular season. “We have to suck it up and tighten our belts and go after it,” Astros manager Cecil Cooper said. Lee was hit by a pitch thrown by Bronson Arroyo in the third inning of the Astros’ 3-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds. He left the game immediately to be taken for X-rays. “I knew right away it was ..."

"The National League Most Valuable Player ballot arrived in the in box last week, and it appears as though Chase Utley is the favorite on this ballot. But it leads to the question who’s the Astros’ Most Valuable Player? At the start of June, Lance Berkman appeared like one of the favorites to win this year’s NL MVP trophy. Since then, Carlos Lee has been the Astros’ top hitter. But Lee, who leads the NL with 100 RBIs, broke his finger after being hit by a pitch during Saturday night’s game against the Reds. The left fielder is expected to miss a significant amount of time. Before the injury, Lee was on track to be the Astros’ Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive year. “He just ..."

"Astros first baseman Lance Berkman barely had finished discussing how pleased he was to be voted as the starting first baseman for the National League for the All-Star Game when he began campaigning for teammate Carlos Lee. "Take nothing away from the two Cubs outfielders, but Carlos deserves to start ahead of either one of those two guys," Berkman said. "I'd like to see him in the game." Berkman and Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada, who was chosen by the players as a reserve, will represent the Astros at the July 15 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, but they could be accompanied by Lee."

"A day after saying he will compete in this year's Home Run Derby on July 14 at Yankee Stadium, Lance Berkman good-naturedly challenged teammate Carlos Lee to do the same. Berkman acknowledged that Lee was approached by Major League Baseball to see if he would consider participating in the Derby if he made the National League All-Star team. Berkman is the leading vote-getter at first base, and Lee is among the league leaders in RBIs. "He said no initially, and I pretty much called him out," Berkman said. "I was like, 'Let's go. I'll challenge you to do it.' He would be great in the Derby and probably would win it.""

"Akinori Iwamura isn't sure if Carlos Lee is the largest man he has ever had bearing down on him at second base, but the Astros DH is the first to attempt to tackle him. Lee's apparent tug at Iwamura's legs after being forced out during a potential inning-ending double play in the eighth inning ? preventing a throw and allowing the go-ahead run to score from third ? drew manager Joe Maddon from the dugout but no sanction from umpire Bob Davidson. It also puzzled the second baseman, who admired the hustle but not the method. "I've gotten spiked before. I've never gotten 'handed' in my baseball career," Iwamura said through an interpreter. "It felt like American football-style ..."

"Maybe it's time for the Astros to shop closer Jose Valverde to a team in contention. Perhaps they should get Carlos Lee, Roy Oswalt and — dare I say it? — even Lance Berkman to approve a trade elsewhere. I would keep Berkman, but I'd listen to trade offers for Lee, Oswalt and Valverde, as long as Lee and Oswalt bypass their no-trade clauses. If I had to trade one of them, it would be Lee. His two years into a six-year, $100 million deal, and that has the makings of a terrible contract in the near future. He's still an RBI machine, so shop him. That's if you can get him to agree to a trade. The bottom line is this club is in need of a serious overhaul, and there's not enough that can be ..."