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Marlins trade 1B Lee to Cubs
Associated Press
The breakup of the Florida Marlins has begun. The World Series champions
traded first baseman Derrek Lee to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday in a
cost-cutting measure, getting Hee Seop Choi and a minor leaguer to be named.
MORE DEALS COULD FOLLOW.
"There were two main reasons for the move. One is, obviously, we need to
achieve our goal of operating within our payroll," Marlins general manager
Larry Beinfest said. "Two, we want to make sure we have the appropriate
allocations to retain our core pitching."
The Marlins insist their offseason changes won't be as drastic as the ones
after they won their first World Series title in 1997. That team wasn't just
broken up, it was blown up, with the best pieces stripped and sold to the
highest bidder like so many spare parts.
But Florida does have to watch its budget. It won the World Series with a
$54 million payroll, and it would cost more than $80 million just to keep
the current squad intact.
Second baseman Luis Castillo, catcher Ivan Rodriguez and closer Ugueth
Urbina are all free agents. Third baseman Mike Lowell, right fielder Juan
Encarnacion and starting pitchers Brad Penny and Mark Redman are among a
long list of players eligible for salary arbitration.
Lee also is eligible for arbitration, and his salary is expected to go from
$4.25 million to at least $6 million. By trading him, the Marlins said they
were able to offer right-hander A.J. Burnett a contract.
"I don't think this situation is anything like '97. We just have so many
guys due for big pay jumps," Lee said. "You knew there was going to be one,
two, maybe three guys that would have to be traded. You didn't necessarily
know who.
"I was hearing all the rumors and my name seemed to be in every one, so I
wasn't shocked to be traded."
In fact, Lee almost went to the Baltimore Orioles. He even went to Camden
Yards this week to talk about a contract extension, but the deal fell
through.
"They're a good organization and they're headed in the right direction," Lee
said. "It didn't feel right for me."
That's when the Cubs came into the picture. With Lee, the Cubs added power,
speed and sure hands to their lineup.
"We think it makes us a lot better," said Cubs general manager Jim Hendry,
who has already talked to Lee's agent about a longterm deal.
"We got a quality performance out of Eric Karros and Randall Simon,
collectively," Hendry said. "But this is, we think, really one of premier
corner players in his 20s in the game."
With good reason. Lee hit .271 with 31 homers, 92 RBIs and 21 steals last
season and had a slugging percentage of .508. He has 20 homers in each of
his last four seasons and 40 steals over the last two years -- the most by
any first baseman in the majors.
He's also a Gold Glove winner, something the Cubs haven't had -- at any
position -- since Mark Grace in 1996.
And Lee's numbers can only improve away from Florida's Pro Player Stadium.
Lee's power traditionally has been to the alleys, which are a very long 385
feet in Miami.
Of Lee's 130 career homers, 89 came on the road.
"I'm trying not to think about that," Lee said, laughing. "But Pro Player is
definitely a pitcher's park. Hopefully I can take advantage of the small
confines at Wrigley."
While Lee said he'll miss the Marlins, he's excited to be coming to Chicago.
He knows just how good the team can be after playing the Cubs in the NL
championship series, and he's always wanted to play for Dusty Baker.
"Chicago, you can't ask for better place to play baseball," Lee said. "It's
a real good situation."
Lee's father, Leon, is also a longtime scout for the Cubs -- and the one
responsible for signing Choi, the first Korean-born position player in the
majors.
On the opening day roster for the first time this year, Choi was hitting
244 with seven homers in 22 RBIs when he had a scary collision with Kerry
Wood on June 7. Choi was on the disabled list for three weeks with a
concussion, and struggled to regain his hitting stroke when he returned.
He was 11-for-67 with one homer after he was activated, and was sent to
Triple-A Iowa on Aug. 17 after the Cubs acquired Simon. He was recalled in
September and hit .218 with eight homers and 28 RBI for the season.
"He's not proven yet, but we think he's going to be an outstanding player,"
Beinfest said. "We think he's going to be an above-average first baseman."
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