Derrek Lee News: Pro Sports Daily

Expiring contract doesn't faze Cubs' Lee

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March 1

Chicago Tribune

"The last time Derrek Lee was up for a new contract, he signed a five-year extension at the outset of the 2006 season and suffered a season-changing wrist injury a couple of weeks later. Now Lee is in no hurry to get a deal done before he enters his second "walk" year as a member of the Cubs, confident he'll put up the kind of numbers that will make him a coveted free agent in November. Lee wants to end his career as a Cub, and the Cubs want him back. But there will be no negotiations this spring and probably not any during the season. Unlike last time, there's no guarantee Lee will be back. "I'd like to (retire as a Cub), but if it doesn't happen, I understand that also," Lee said. "It's ..."

Lee, Lilly, Ramirez in potential last seasons with Cubs

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February 24

Chicago Sun-Times

"The arrival of the Ricketts family Tuesday at Fitch Park put the official new-era stamp on this Cubs season. Whether the coincidental arrivals the same day of Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee suggest the closing of another Cubs era could be determined by how the Rickettses' inaugural season plays out. Three popular All-Star veterans are in potential final years of their contracts, along with the manager, as the Cubs head into a crossroads season trying to bounce back from 2009's disappointment. And the three look prepared to finish the season without new contracts, including last year's most productive hitter. Lee said he hasn't talked to the team about an extension, and once the season ..."

Derrek Lee: No talks during season

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February 23

ESPN.com

"Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee reported to camp on Tuesday for the first day of full practice, and as he enters the last year of his contract, he said if the Cubs don't approach him about a new deal, he and his agent won't approach them. "It's something you really don't think about," Lee said. "I'm not going to approach them, I just want to go and play." Lee also said he probably won't negotiate any type of extension or new contract during the regular season."

Could Paul Konerko and Derrek Lee be on their way out of Chicago?

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January 24

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"One handed the game ball from the final out of the 2005 World Series to White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. The other played a major role in beating the Cubs in '03 and was about the only hitter who wasn't overpowered in the '07 and '08 playoffs when Lou Piniella's teams extended the agony that had befallen Dusty Baker, among other predecessors. In many ways, Paul Konerko and Derrek Lee have been the glue holding together Chicago's two Major League Baseball teams for a combined 17 seasons. They are consummate pros and reliable run producers whose few fallow months can be traced to the injuries they have endured. Yet neither is signed beyond 2010, and there has not been a clamor from ..."

Could Konerko and Lee be on way out?

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January 24

Chicago Tribune

columnist Phil Rogers

"One handed the game ball from the final out of the 2005 World Series to White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. The other played a major role in beating the Cubs in '03 and was about the only hitter who wasn't overpowered in the '07 and '08 playoffs when Lou Piniella's teams extended the agony that had befallen Dusty Baker, among other predecessors. In many ways, Paul Konerko and Derrek Lee have been the glue holding together Chicago's two Major League Baseball teams for a combined 17 seasons. They are consummate pros and reliable run producers whose few fallow months can be traced to the injuries they have endured. Yet neither is signed beyond 2010, and there has not been a clamor from ..."

Lilly and Lee stand out in miserable Cubs season

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September 8

Chicago Tribune

"The season may be lost, but there are still some things left to savor for Cubs fans. Derrek Lee and Ted Lilly are two prime examples of why it's OK to enjoy watching a baseball game even when your team is out of contention with a month to go. Lee hit a pair of home runs for the second time in three games in Monday's win over Pittsburgh, giving him 31 for the season. Lilly allowed two runs on two hits over six innings, and now has a 1.62 earned-run average in five starts since returning from the disabled list. "There's a lot that anyone can take from (watching) Derrek, and the way he goes about his business," Lilly said. "We all remember that Derrek didn't get off to a torrid start at ..."

Lee homers twice as Chicago Cubs win 4-2

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September 8

Chicago Tribune

"If 40 is the new 30 and black is the new white, it stands to reason that the Pirates are the new Cubs. While the Cubs have set the standard for futility with 101 consecutive years -- and counting -- without a championship, their 4-2 victory over Pittsburgh on Monday ensured the Pirates of a record-setting 17th consecutive losing season. No professional team in North America -- whether it's baseball, the NFL, NHL or NBA -- has endured a stretch like the Pirates. The last team to go 16 straight years without a .500 or better team was the Phillies from 1933 to 1948. But don't expect any sympathy from Chicagoans. "Cubs fans haven't won in a hundred [years]," manager Lou Piniella said, ..."

What could've been

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September 6

Chicago Sun-Times

"Consider them just two more causes for vertigo in this upside-down Cubs season. Knowing before the season that Rich Harden's shoulder would hold up for nearly 30 starts without a pang and that Derrek Lee's power would return in a big way, how many playoff games would the Cubs have been assured of hosting this fall? At least a few more than none. Yet, here we are nearly a week into September, and Harden's biggest concern is whether he is striking out too many batters to pitch deep into games while Lee is starting to hit upper-deck homers in pairs. Even on an afternoon when the two converged for a 5-3 victory against the New York Mets, most of the conversation around this team continues to ..."

Lee homers twice in Chicago Cubs' 5-3 victory

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September 6

Chicago Tribune

"Derrek Lee is finishing up strong in his best season since 2005, but it likely will be for naught unless the Cubs come back from the dead to make the postseason. After hitting a pair of second-deck home runs Saturday to lead the Cubs to a 5-3 victory over the Mets at Citi Field, Lee said he still will feel empty in October if the Cubs don't make the playoffs, no matter what his numbers are. "I take pride in that I was able to stay healthy and play as hard as I can," he said. "But the best year of my career ('05) we didn't make the playoffs, and it didn't do anything for me. "The last two years have been great. The postseason is where it's at. That's why you grind through 162 games. It's ..."

Cubs resting Alfonso Soriano's knee; Derrek Lee out vs. Mets

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September 4

Chicago Tribune

"Lou Piniella and the Cubs are shutting down outfielder Alfonso Soriano until his gimpy knee show signs of improvement. "The crux of it is his knee is not strong," Piniella said. "He's having trouble playing on it. In fairness to him, we're going to have him continue to do his exercises with the trainer and re-visit it down the road. "There's no timetable. ... This is not a rest." Could Soriano be shut down the rest of the year? "I'm not going to go that far," Piniella said. Piniella said Soriano was agreeable with the decision."

Wrist watch at an end as Lee's power surges

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September 3

Chicago Sun-Times

"After two years of dismissing physical issues as the cause of his power decline the last two seasons, Derrek Lee and the Cubs acknowledged the aftereffects of that broken wrist in 2006 might have hampered him. ''Looking back, I would have to say, yes, it had an effect on him, especially power-wise,'' manager Lou Piniella said after Lee hit his 27th homer in Wednesday's win over Houston. ''The hands, the wrist area, are vital to hitting a baseball.'' Said Lee, whose homer and RBI (90) totals are his best since '06: ''Who knows? I had two down years. But you just keep going.'' That's as close to admitting a physical cause as he has come in 2Â½ seasons. ''People point to my power, but we made ..."

Extra effort ends in 'W'

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September 3

Chicago Sun-Times

"Here's the catch when you're talking about whether the Cubs are quitting on the season with a month to go -- actually, the two catches: First, shortstop Andres Blanco lays out for Jeff Keppinger's line drive headed for left-center with a runner at first and makes the diving catch to end the third inning. Then leading off the sixth, second baseman Mike Fontenot races toward the right-field line -- checking the ball, then his path, then ball, path, ball, path -- and slides into the Houston bullpen for a catch near the wall of Kaz Matsui's foul pop. ''Nobody's laying down here,'' manager Lou Piniella said yet again after the Cubs held on Wednesday, behind sharp fielding and the sharper ..."

Lee expected back in Cubs' lineup Monday

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July 27

Chicago Sun-Times

"Derrek Lee's recurring neck injury will keep him out of today's game against the Reds, but manager Lou Piniella expects him back in the lineup Monday night against the Houston Astros. Lee exited Saturday's game in the seventh inning with neck spasms after a hard slide into second base to break up a double play. "I've never seen that, where a player gets stiffness in the neck from sliding," said Piniella before Sunday's game. "He's going to have to be careful with that the rest of the year." Lee was pulled from a game July 11 with neck spasms. He was pulled from a game April 26 with the same injury, and missed the following two games. He also missed five games in May. An MRI revealed he ..."

Lee not concerned with neck spasms

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July 12

MLB.com

"Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee had to leave Saturday's 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals after the fifth inning because of neck spasms, but he said he expects to be available for the team's day-night doubleheader on Sunday against the Cards. Lee doubled in the fifth, slid hard into second base and aggravated his neck on the slide. He stayed in the game and eventually scored on a single by Alfonso Soriano but was lifted defensively in the sixth. The Cubs close the first half of the season with the twin bill and can start either Micah Hoffpauir or Jake Fox at first if Lee can't go. "I'm good," Lee said. "I'll be in the lineup tomorrow." "Let's hope that when he comes [Sunday], he can ..."

Chicago Cubs' Derrek Lee says neck spasms won't sideline him Sunday

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July 12

Chicago Tribune

"When Derrek Lee suffered neck spasms in May, he missed five straight games. So when he left Saturday's game after five innings, the red flags went up for a team plagued by injuries. "I'm good, I'll be in the lineup [Sunday]," Lee insisted after the 5-2 victory over the Cardinals. "It was just a tweak ... not even close to last time. "That's why I came out, just to keep it from getting bad." Lee's latest run-in with the problem came when he slid awkwardly into second base with a fifth-inning double. He also missed two games in April and then five in May when an MRI revealed a bulging disc. Manager Lou Piniella seconded Lee's feeling: "This one is not as severe and we caught it right ..."

Yet another pain in the neck for the Chicago Cubs

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July 12

Chicago Tribune

"Derrek Lee left Saturday's game after five innings because of neck spasms. It's probably nothing that fusion surgery and two months of traction won't fix. You can't blame a guy for assuming the worst, not with the Cubs having lost a pitcher to a broken toe caused by a fall from a short fence he had tried to leap in celebration after a victory. Nor can you blame a person for seeing the cup as three-fourths empty after their starting catcher hurt his oblique muscle in batting practice. "I'm good," Lee said. "I'll be in the lineup [Sunday]." Until we see him swinging a bat without his neck locking up like a bank vault, we'll figure that it's not good. As has been well documented, everything ..."

Career night for D-Lee as Cubs blitz Brewers 9-5

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July 3

Chicago Sun-Times

"Benched leadoff hitter Alfonso Soriano had the best seat in the house for Derrek Lee's monster game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night as Lee drove in a career-high seven runs with a grand slam and three-run homer in the Cubs' 9-5 victory at Wrigley Field. Lee's night was a career first. And so was Soriano's. Since playing his first full season in the big leagues in 2001, Soriano never before had missed two consecutive games when healthy. But this is like no other time in Soriano's All-Star career. ''If I'm healthy? No,'' Soriano said of the rare benching. ''I get one, but not two. It's a little strange. It never happened before, but it's because I'm struggling at home ..."

7 RBIs for Derrek Lee in 9-5 Chicago Cubs victory over Milwaukee Brewers

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July 3

Chicago Tribune

"After Derrek Lee hit .189 with one home run in April, some Cubs fans cried for his benching. But Lee has been on fire since, and he hit two home runs with a career-high seven RBIs Thursday night in a 9-5 victory over the Brewers in the opener of a four-game showdown. "Keep going," Lee said. "Just about trying to help the team win. Tonight's a great night, but we're right back here [Friday afternoon] and it's another big game." The Cubs moved back to .500 at 38-38 and are now within 2 1/2 games of the Brewers and Cardinals, the division co-leaders after Thursday's action. The 11-game homestand against Milwaukee, Atlanta and St. Louis could be a pivotal point of the season, so it was crucial ..."

San Francisco Giants need hitter for wild-card push

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June 14

Chicago Tribune

"Keep an eye on the Giants. They're a long shot to catch the Dodgers in the NL West but could have staying power in the wild-card race, especially if GM Brian Sabean gets them a hitter. Matt Cain, who lives in the shadow of pitching teammates Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito and Randy Johnson, is having a great season (8-1, 2.55). His 3.61 career ERA suggests he could pitch his way into Cy Young consideration. ... Could Derrek Lee be the hitter the Giants need? Sabean at least ought to kick the tires to see if Jim Hendry would consider approaching Lee about waiving his no-trade clause, as the Cubs have first-base options available to them in Micah Hoffpauir and Jake Fox."

Return to old approach has Lee's bat heating up

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June 11

Chicago Sun-Times

"If there was something wrong with Derrek Lee at the plate early this season, maybe it's because he started to believe there was something wrong when he finished last season. But since scrapping a new approach he took in the spring, Lee has been one of the Cubs' hottest hitters. Lee, who turns 34 in September, hit just .266 with five home runs after the All-Star break in 2008 after a strong first half, then opened this season with what he calls his longest, worst season-opening slump of a career that has included several slow starts. Two flareups of a bulging disc in his neck and a bout with the flu may have played a role. ''No excuses,'' he said. ''I was terrible at the plate. But I knew ..."

Derrek Lee believes Sammy Sosa belongs in Hall of Fame

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June 5

Chicago Tribune

"Former Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa said he officially will announce his retirement soon and await his induction into the Hall of Fame. Whether or not the call from the Hall comes won't be known for four more years, and suspicions about performance-enhancing drugs may have sealed Sosa's fate with the Baseball Writers Association of America. But first baseman Derrek Lee believes the Cubs organization should pay tribute to Sosa with a day in his honor after the retirement becomes official, as it did with Greg Maddux. "I think he carried this franchise a long time," Lee said. "I think it would be fitting. Obviously he has had the [steroid] allegations against him, but nothing has been proven. I ..."

Derrek Lee better, might return vs. Jake Peavy

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May 12

Chicago Sun-Times

"The Cubs appear on the verge of getting Derrek Lee back in the lineup as they open their three-game series tonight against the San Diego Padres. They just hope his return doesn't coincide with Milton Bradley being forced to sit out one or two games in the series. Lee, who has missed the last five games after aggravating the bulging disc in his neck, has ''significantly improved,'' according to the team, and new MRI exam results revealed no additional damage and nothing to suggest long-term injury. An anti-inflammatory injection was not deemed necessary, and Lee may return for tonight's series opener against Jake Peavy. Lee also missed time about two weeks ago because of the neck pain -- ..."

No career-threatening injury for Cubs' Lee

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May 11

Chicago Tribune

"An MRI on Derrek Lee's neck on Sunday confirmed the bulging disc but ruled out any danger of a long-term injury that would affect his playing career. Lee was examined by team physician Stephen Gryzlo, after incurring back spasms last Tuesday at Wrigley Field while going back to a fly ball down the right field line. He's been out of the lineup since, and was sent home on Sunday from Milwaukee."

Lee will not require stint on disabled list

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May 11

MLB.com

"Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee, bothered by a bulging disc in his neck, will not have to go on the disabled list and could be back in the lineup this week. Lee was examined by team orthopedic specialist Dr. Stephen Gryzlo on Monday, and has shown improvement since he was sidelined May 6 with the stiff neck. An MRI confirmed the bulging disc, and the medical team decided Lee did not need an injection. The Cubs also have ruled out any danger of long-term problems. Barring any setback, Lee could be back in the lineup Tuesday or Wednesday when the team plays host to the San Diego Padres. Lee was batting .209 with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 24 games, and was hitting .294 in five games this ..."

MRI result expected today on Cubs' Derrek Lee

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May 11

Chicago Sun-Times

"The Cubs sent first baseman Derrek Lee home to Chicago to have an MRI exam Sunday on that bulging disc in his neck that kept him out of the lineup all five games of the road trip. Manager Lou Piniella said he expected to have results this morning. While the medical staff didn't seem to anticipate anything more serious than the day-to-day, nagging stiffness Lee has dealt with for the last week, the length of this relapse -- and how quickly it followed his last episode two weeks earlier -- prompted the MRI. ''It's more precautionary than anything else,'' Piniella said. ''We'll see.'' If Lee still isn't better by Tuesday, the Cubs could backdate a disabled list move almost a week, making him ..."

Cubs' Derrek Lee gets MRI on neck

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May 11

Chicago Tribune

"Derrek Lee left the team on Sunday to get an MRI on the bulging disc in his neck. The Cubs had no plans to use Lee this weekend, despite Lee and manager Lou Piniella having said he was almost ready to return. "I tried to use him [Saturday] as a decoy, but it didn't help," Piniella said. "So at least we got this thing done this afternoon so we'll have a report [Monday]." Lee can be backdated on the disabled list if the injury is more serious than believed. Fox watch: Chad Fox may have thrown his last pitch in the majors. He said it felt like his right elbow was "hit by a hammer" on Saturday when he injured it throwing a wild pitch. Fox was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday and will ..."

Derrek Lee says DL move 'impossible'

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May 7

Chicago Sun-Times

"For the second time in less than two weeks, Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee was sidelined because of recurring problems with a bulging disc in his neck. Lee, who missed all but a half-inning of three games on the previous road trip because of the neck pain and stiffness, never has had the problem flare up enough to force him out of the lineup twice in such a short period. With a roster move necessary by Friday to make room for pitcher Randy Wells, who will start in place of injured Carlos Zambrano, manager Lou Piniella suggested a disabled-list move with Lee could be an option. ''I promise you, that's impossible,'' Lee said, calling it no big deal. Said Piniella, who had Lee in his original ..."

Derrek Lee's neck is Chicago Cubs' pain

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May 7

Chicago Tribune

"Derrek Lee's stiff neck is becoming a pain for the Cubs. But he does not foresee a scenario where it could land him on the disabled list. "Oh, no," Lee said Wednesday night after the 6-3 victory over Houston. "I promise you that's impossible." Lee was scratched from Wednesday's lineup with a recurrence of the condition that limited him to one at-bat in the weekend series at St. Louis on April 26-28. His status for the remainder of this five-game trip, which ends in Milwaukee, is uncertain. Lee has been hitting the ball well lately, going 5-for-17 with two homers in his last five games, and was listed as the No. 3 hitter in manager Lou Piniella's original lineup Wednesday. "It sort of ..."

Bradley returns with Lee not far behind

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April 29

MLB.com

"The healing process has begun for key injuries which, according to manager Lou Piniella, have bumped the Cubs to the dirt road of the early National League Central race. Milton Bradley was back in right field, and in the No. 5 spot in the batting order, for Tuesday night's meeting with the D-backs. But the Cubs' walking wounded have yet to turn the "corners" in their recuperation. Although first baseman Derrek Lee (neck spasms) declared himself well and was eager to also return to the lineup, Piniella chose to rest the first baseman one more day. The prognosis was worse for third baseman Aramis Ramirez (calf), who may have a stint on the disabled list in his near future. So, with ..."

Derrek Lee disputes that his age is cause for concern

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April 8

Chicago Tribune

"Derrek Lee is well aware of the whispers. He finished with only three home runs and 23 RBIs in August and September last year, after hitting eight homers with 23 RBIs in April. Is old age slowing him down? "I've heard it," he said with a laugh. "I'm 33. Whoa—that's scary if I'm old. But I had some injuries in the second half last year, so people say [it's old] age. You know, things happen in this game, and I don't think it had anything to do with age." So how to explain the drop-off? "The game," he said. "Sometimes you don't play well, and it's the game. But my legs feel good. My body feels good." Lee is one of the players manager Lou Piniella is referring to when he insists he will rest ..."

Cubs' Lee offended by Team USA's overtures

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March 23

Chicago Sun-Times

"World Baseball Classic officials managed to offend one of the WBC's bigger supporters in the Cubs' clubhouse when they called in recent days to pressure first baseman Derrek Lee to join Team USA for the final round as an injury replacement. ''I thought it was disrespectful,'' said Lee, who played Sunday for the first time in a week because of a tight quadriceps. ''They know I wasn't playing here. How do they expect me to get off the trainer's table and go play there? ''At the same time, they're trying to win, and I was the guy on the [provisional] roster. I guess they figured they'd give it a shot.'' The U.S. team lost four players to injury in early rounds, including Boston first baseman ..."

Derrek Lee criticizes MLB for pressure to play in WBC

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March 23

Chicago Tribune

"Derrek Lee said Major League Baseball officials were "disrespectful" for pressuring him to replace Kevin Youkilis on Team USA's roster for the World Baseball Classic. After saying last week that he wouldn't be able to play in the WBC, Lee said: "They started calling me. They needed a first baseman. But I couldn't go, not being 100 percent." Lee returned Sunday after missing the last five games because of his injured right quadriceps. "I thought it was disrespectful, to be truthful," he said. "They knew I wasn't playing here [in camp]. How do they expect me to get off the trainer's table and start playing there? "At the same time, you understand they're trying to win, and I was the guy ..."

Derrek Lee tries to recover power stroke

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February 19

Chicago Tribune

"With only five home runs after the All-Star Game last year, Derrek Lee enters the new season with a renewed focus. "He needs to get the ball in the air a little more to hit more home runs," manager Lou Piniella said. "He hits a lot of balls hard and on the line, so to hit more home runs he needs to elevate the ball more. "He certainly has the power and the bat speed to do it, but I don't have an answer on why (his homers decreased from 46 in 2005 to 20 last season). I would think the wrist injury he had (in 2006) hasn't helped the situation." The game plan Lee worked on Wednesday with hitting coach Gerald Perry had nothing to do with adding to his power numbers. "We're not worried about ..."

Cubs' Lee keeping mind off long ball

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February 18

MLB.com

"Homers are a bad word for Derrek Lee. "Gerald [Perry] said I'm not allowed to mention the words 'home runs,'" Lee said Wednesday. "I'm just going to go hit and see what happens." Perry, the Cubs' hitting coach, has to figure out a way to get Lee to hit more without him thinking about doing it. The first baseman, who belted 46 in 2005, hit 20 last season, and only five were after the All-Star break. "I'm not worried about home runs at all," Lee said. "I'm going to try to have good at-bats. Home runs are a byproduct of taking a good swing. Last year, I don't think I took good swings in the second half so, therefore, no home runs. I think when you start worrying about home runs, that's when ..."

Rested Lee hot after break

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September 16

Chicago Tribune

"Before the Hurricane Ike hiatus began on Friday, manager Lou Piniella said Derrek Lee would probably benefit from the layoff more than any other Cubs player. Piniella's prognostication appears to be on the mark, as Lee hit his first home run since Aug. 22 on Monday and drove in four runs in the series. "The reason I said that is he's probably played more than anybody else we have," Piniella said. "And it looks like it has [helped]. He drove the ball to left-center today [on the sixth-inning homer] and drove the ball to right-center [on Sunday's second-inning double]. "We need Derrek to hit to win, period. No undue pressure, but boy, when the middle part of our lineup hits, and Derrek ..."

Rest may be best for Lee

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September 13

Chicago Sun-Times

"The Cubs don't like the prospects of what this weekend's postponements will do to their pitching plans the final two weeks of the season, but at least a few hitters look like they could use a hurricane-force blow right about now. And struggling No. 3 hitter Derrek Lee is the poster boy for the sickly look of the lineup this month. The Cubs have gone close to two weeks mired in a singles-hitting, rally-bleeding slump, and none more than Lee -- who has just three extra-base hits and five RBI in his last 14 games. ''Oh, gosh, he's been struggling. He really has,'' manager Lou Piniella said. ''He's probably trying to do too much. He's probably pressing a little bit. And he's had opportunities. ..."

Lee out for a day but says he's OK

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August 25

Chicago Sun-Times

"Despite being held out of the lineup Sunday because of back spasms near his left shoulder, Derrek Lee insists his health is not a concern. ''I'm fine,'' Lee said before the Cubs' 6-1 victory over the Washington Nationals. ''Today is more a precautionary day. I just got some spasms [Saturday], and that's all it is. I'm fine. It's no big deal.'' He is expected back in the lineup tonight in Pittsburgh. However, Lee did admit that the spasms are related to the neck and shoulder spasms that bothered him through much of last season. ''Every once in a while I get a spasm in there, and [Saturday] I took a very awkward swing and it gave me a little scare,'' he said. ''I guess it's something that ..."

Rare day off for Lee draws extra attention

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August 25

Chicago Tribune

"Derrek Lee was surrounded by a small army of reporters in the dugout before Sunday's game, causing him to do a double take. Lee was out of the lineup with upper-back spasms, and Cubs manager Lou Piniella was unavailable to address the situation, leaving the first baseman to explain the injury himself. "Are you alive?" Lee was facetiously asked. "I'm going to make it," he said with a laugh. "Today is just a precautionary day [off]. It comes from the bulging disc I had last year, and I had some spasms [Saturday]. I'm feeling pretty good. It's no big deal." Of course, it's always a big deal when Lee is taking a day off, because he refuses to come out of the lineup for almost any reason. He ..."

As long as Cubs win, Lee doesn't care about stats

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August 23

Chicago Tribune

"Derrek Lee hit his first home run since July 27 on Friday against Washington. He still has only five home runs since June 1 after hitting 13 in April and May. "You know, it's not my concern," he said. "We're playing so good, who really cares about your stats?" Lee has a good point, but the Cubs should have some concerns over his diminishing power numbers. He came into Friday's game with a .317 slugging percentage in August and a .234 batting average and .331 slugging percentage since the All-Star break. Asked before the game about Lee's lack of power, manager Lou Piniella said to ask hitting coach Gerald Perry. Zambrano watch Carlos Zambrano was scheduled to see a dentist Friday to get ..."

Lee, Cubs come up big

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July 29

Chicago Sun-Times

"If this is the way the whole series is going to go, the Cubs might be here for a while. And who knows how much either team will have left for the 53-game sprint to the finish that follows, the way they were trading blows Monday night in what looked like the heavyweight match of the year. And that's just the CC Sabathia part of what happened in the Cubs' scene-stealing 6-4 victory over Milwaukee's star newcomer and his Brewer pals at Miller Park. ''It's fun playing in this kind of environment,'' said the Cubs' Ted Lilly, the ''other'' guy in the pitching matchup before the biggest crowd of the season in Milwaukee. ''Especially in July -- that's the amazing thing.'' A run-scoring double by ..."

Kings of New York: Cubs rule All-Star roost

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July 14

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Jay Mariotti

"One by one, they stood on the field clutching their National League All-Star jerseys, validating this brave new world of mighty Cubdom. Time was when the cause was represented by just one player, such as Sammy Sosa or Ernie Banks, because no one else belonged. Today, a mind-blowing eight players will join manager Lou Piniella for the festivities in New York, the most All-Stars from a NL team since the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates. It's like the Revenge of the Nerds, baseball version. Who knew the Cubbies would commandeer the Midsummer Classic? Who knew they would own the best record in the majors at 57-38, the highest run differential in the majors at plus-106 and the gathering passions of a ..."

Inconsistency puzzles Lee

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July 6

Chicago Tribune

"Derrek Lee went 3-for-5 Saturday to raise his average above .300 again and is hitting .405 in the first nine games of the 10-game trip. This has been an unusual first half for Lee, who has been inconsistent from week to week, going from prolonged slumps to long hot streaks. "It's kind of schizophrenic," Lee said. "I don't know why. I look at my numbers and they don't look that bad, but it doesn't feel great. I go through three games a week and do nothing, and then do something for a couple of games. It has been kind of hit or miss this year. I'd rather it be a little more even. I'd rather be more consistent.""

Day of rest looms for Cubs' slumping Lee

May 20

Chicago Tribune

"Derrek Lee has tailed off considerably after a hot start in April, forcing manager Lou Piniella to consider giving him a rare day off. After hitting .371 in April with eight home runs and 23 RBIs, Lee is hitting .187 in May with two home runs and seven RBIs. "Wednesday would be a wonderful time to give him a day off," Piniella said before Lee went 2-for-5 Monday night. "He'll have from Tuesday night until Friday night in Pittsburgh. Let's see how he swings the bat. ... Let's hope he gets hot. We need his bat.""