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| Derrek Lee cracked his third home of the spring on Friday and drove in three runs in an 8-4 win over the White Sox. |
Our View: Lee is only hitting .267 this spring, but has driven in seven to go along with his three jacks. It appears his sudden power resurgence last season was legit, and if he remains healthy he should be able to pop another 30 this year while playing half his games in hitter Wrigley Field.
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| Derrek Lee was scratched from Friday's lineup due to his bruised foot, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Lee suffered the injury on Wednesday, and is day-to-day. The veteran first baseman is expected to be fine.
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| According to Carrie Muskat on Twitter, Derrek Lee left Wednesday's spring game with a bruised foot. |
Our View: This doesn't sound too serious. Lee fouled a ball off his foot in an at-bat where he drew a walk and limped off the field after ball-four. Expect him to rest it for a day or so and then get back to business. No reason to rush him this early in spring.
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| Derrek Lee hit his second homer of the spring in Tuesday's 5-3 loss to the Brewers. |
Our View: The homer was a solo shot off of Jeff Suppan and Lee's only hit in three at-bats. His unexpected power surge last season has him skyrocketing back near the top of draft boards once again, but don't forget that the sweet swinging first baseman is 34 years old.
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| Derrek Lee would like to retire as a member of the Cubs, according to the Chicago Tribune. He said, "I would like to retire as a Cub, but if it does not happen, I understand that also. It is really not a big issue." |
Our View: Lee is entering the last year of his current contract with Chicago. He is going to focus on posting strong numbers this season, to help his stock when he becomes eligible for free agency in November. His age could lower his value though, as he will turn 35 in September.
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| According to Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman, former Ragners hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo is likely to accept the same position with the Cubs. |
Our View: After hitting just .255 last season despite having one of the league's highest payrolls, they definitely could use him. Stay tuned.
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| The Chicago Tribune speculates that the Cubs may try to hire vaunted Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo when his contract expires at the end of this month. |
Our View: If any team could use a jolt at hitting coach, it's the high-priced Cubs, who hit just .255 (12th in the National League) as a team last season despite having one of the league's top payrolls. Expect the Rangers to do everything they can to retain Jaramillo, but for the Cubs to be one of the more serious bidders for his services should he become a free agent.
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| Derrek Lee will be out of the lineup on Friday due to personal reasons. Jake Fox will replace Lee at first base. |
Our View: Lee was out yesterday as well, and the team is not releasing what the "personal reasons" are. We will keep you updated on his status through the weekend, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he is done for the year.
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| Derrek Lee is not in the Cubs lineup on Thursday for "personal reasons," according to the Chicago Sun-Times. |
Our View: Jake Fox will get the start at first base in his absence.
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| Derrek Lee went 2-for-3 in the second game of a double-header on Wednesday, but the Cubs could muster only two runs, as the Pirates won 8-2 at Wrigley Field. |
Our View: The two hits upped Lee's average to .309, which if it holds, would be his best average since he hit .317 in 2007, and just the third time in his 13-year career that he hit above .300.
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| After fouling a ball off his foot on Tuesday, Derrek Lee will be back in the Cubs lineup for the second game of a double-header with the Pirates on Wednesday, according to MLBlogs.com. |
Our View: Maybe this time they won't get shutout, then. Lee is 1-for-1 in his career against Wednesday night's starter, Jeff Karstens.
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| According to Carrie Muskat on Twitter, Derrek Lee left Tuesday's game after fouling a ball off of his left foot. |
Our View: Lee is considered day-to-day and will be re-evaluated before tomorrow's game. He was just getting over a neck issue and now this. Not a healthy month for the Cubs best hitter.
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| Derrek Lee went 1-for-2 with two walks and a pair of RBI in the Cubs 6-0 win over the Pirates on Tuesday. |
Our View: Lee is having by far his finest season since 2005 and has been an absolute monster in the second half. Since the All Star break he's hitting close to .340 with 18 homers and 54 RBI.
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| Derrek Lee will miss his second-straight game on Saturday as he continues to be bothered by neck spasms, according to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat. |
Our View: Lee will continue to be day-to-day for the time being and should be back before long.
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| Updating an earlier report, Derrek Lee is out of Friday's lineup at San Francisco due to neck spasms, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: The star first baseman was slated to receive treatment during the game and skipper Lou Piniella expects him to return to the lineup on Saturday against Giants' lefty Barry Zito. Micah Hoffpauir will start at first base in his absence tonight.
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| Derrek Lee is once again dealing with neck stiffness, and is considered day-to-day, according to MLBlogs.com. |
Our View: He was forced to leave the team's game in the ninth inning on Thursday after aggravating the injury on a slide. Despite his neck being a persistent problem for him this year, he is having his best season in ages, batting .306 with 35 home runs and 106 RBI in just 137 games.
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| Derrek Lee went 3-for-4 with a homer, two runs scored and a piar of RBI in the Cubs 7-2 win over the Brewers on Tuesday. |
Our View: Lee is killing the ball in the second half this season and has been on fire in September. He's hitting .408 this month with nine homers and 21 RBI and could win player of the months honors.
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| Derrek Lee went 3-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored in Monday's 10-2 win at Milwaukee. He hit a single, double and a two-run homer off Braden Looper. |
Our View: Lee continues to tear up opposing hurlers, as he is batting .388 with eight homers and 19 RBI so far in September. He has 34 homers and 107 RBI for 2009.
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| Derrek Lee went 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI in tonight's 3-2 loss at St. Louis. |
Our View: Lee has 15 RBI so far this month, and continues to lead the Cubs with 103 for the season. He set a personal season-high with 107 RBI in 2005, and remains on pace to top that mark.
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| Derrek Lee was patient and dominant at the plate in Tuesday's 13-7 win over the Brewers. He went 2-for-2 with three RBI and managed to draw four walks. |
Our View: Lee is having his best season since his monstrous 2005 campaign and is red hot this month. He's hitting well over .400 in September with seven homers and 13 RBI. He's also drawn ten walks.
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| Derrek Lee went 2-for-3 with a single and a solo homer off Jeff Suppan in Monday's 2-0 win over the Brewers at Wrigley Field. |
Our View: Lee extended his hitting streak to seven games, and raised his batting average to .304. He paces the Cubs with 33 homers and 98 RBI.
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| Derrek Lee led the Cubs to a 5-2 victory on Sunday over the Reds with a 3-for-4 performance that included his 32nd home run of the season. |
Our View: Lee's 32 homers this season are the most he's hit since his breakout year in 2005 when he hit 46. Looks like it takes three years to get over a wrist injury.
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| Derrek Lee launched two more homers on Monday as the Cubs beat the Pirates 4-2. Lee was 2-for-3 on the day with two runs scored and three RBI. |
Our View: Lee has 31 homers on the season, and he is getting close to going over 100 RBI. This is a bit of a rebirth season for Lee's power stroke, and he should continue to stroke down the stretch.
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| After missing two games to be with his wife for the birth of their son, Derrek Lee hit two home runs for him on Saturday, helping propel the Cubs to a 5-3 win over the Mets at home. |
Our View: Lee's fantastic season rolls on, as the Cubs' only bright spot is now batting .298 with 29 home runs and 93 RBI.
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| Derrek Lee was back in the Cubs lineup at first base on Saturday after missing two games due to the birth of his second child. |
Our View: In 118 games this season, Lee is batting .294 with 27 home runs and 90 RBI.
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| Derrek Lee is out of the lineup yet again on Friday due to the birth of his second child. Lee will be replaced at first base by Micah Hoffpauir. |
Our View: Lee should be back at some point this weekend, but he is still with his wife at this point. He has been pounding the ball in the second half, and he should give fantasy owners a nice boost when he returns.
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| Derrek Lee is out of the Cubs lineup against the White Sox on Thursday, as he has left the team to be with his wife for the birth of his second child, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. |
Our View: Jake Fox will start in his place at first base. It is not yet known if he will miss any games in the Cubs' weekend series against the Mets.
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| Derrek Lee provided the only offense in a brisk game at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning, as the Cubs beat Houston 2-0. |
Our View: With 27 home runs and 90 RBI, Lee is having his best season since his huge campaign in 2005, where he hit .335 with 46 home runs and 107 RBI.
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| Derrek Lee went 1-for-3 with a solo homer off LaTroy Hawkins in Monday's 5-3 loss to the Astros at Wrigley Field. |
Our View: Lee hit a homer in two of his last five games, and leads the Cubs with 26. He also continues to pace the club with 88 RBI and a .294 batting average.
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| Derrek Lee went 2-for-3 with a double and a home run in the Cubs' 6-3 loss to the Padres on Tuesday. |
Our View: Lee has now homered in back to back games and is hitting over .330 in the month of August. He seems to have regained a bit of his power everyone thought was lost with the wrist injury back in 2006.
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| The Cubs-Pirates game has been postponed due to rain. |
Our View: There was a three hour delay before the game was officially called. Both teams' starters will likely pitch tomorrow.
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| Derrek Lee had his second seven RBI game of the season on Friday, going 3-for-3 in the Cubs 17-2 demoralizing of the Pirates. |
Our View: Which of course means that 14 of Lee's 81 RBI have now come in two games. That's not indicative of anything, just weird.
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| Derrek Lee got on base three times in six plate appearances on Tuesday, but couldn't knock in any runs, as the Cubs lost 4-3 to the Phillies in 12 innings at home. |
Our View: Lee will again have to put the Cubs lineup on his back for the next few days while Aramis Ramirez is out with shoulder soreness. That means he will have to improve a little bit on his .282 average for this month.
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| Derrek Lee hit his 23rd homer of the season, walked twice and scored a pair of runs in the Cubs' 6-5 win over the Rockies on Saturday. |
Our View: Lee has shown a power resurgence this season that everyone thought was lost with his savage wrist injury in 2006. He's already eclipsed his highest total since his breakout year in 2005.
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| Derrek Lee went 4-for-6 with three RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's 9-8 win at Florida. He hit two singles, a double and a solo homer off Leo Nunez. |
Our View: Lee recorded his 21st homer, surpassing his total of 20 from 2008. He continues to lead the Cubs with 69 RBI as well.
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| Derrek Lee sat out on Sunday after aggravating his lingering neck injury again on Saturday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. |
Our View: The injury still isn't overly serious, but will require Lee to sit out from time to time. His production hasn't wavered at all, however, so keep him in your lineup every day unless you know he is going to be out.
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| Derrek Lee was on base four times Wednesday, helping the Cubs snap the Phillies ten game winning streak 10-5 in Philadelphia. |
Our View: Lee's achy neck acted up two weekends ago against the Cardinals, but it appears to have subsided as quickly as it flared up, and shouldn't be an issue going forward.
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| Derrek Lee stayed hot on Thursday night and continued to carry the Cubs offense on his back, going 3-for-4 with a home run and RBI as the Cubbies bounced the Nats 6-2 in Washington. |
Our View: Lee missed some time last weekend after he aggravated a neck injury, but showed no effects of it on Thursday night and looks as if he will stay hot long into the second half of the season. He is well beyond his early season struggles and should be started every day in every format.
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| Derrek Lee returned to the lineup on Sunday night in the second game of a doubleheader. He went 1-for-4 with an RBI. |
Our View: Lee left Saturday's game with neck spasms (a recurring problem this season), but appears to have shaken off the ill effects as witnessed by his appearance in Sunday night's contest.
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| Derrek Lee exited today's battle against the Cardinals after the fifth inning due to neck spasms, according to the Chicago Tribune. |
Our View: This is a concern, as Lee missed several games earlier in the season with the same neck problem. The severity of the ailment is yet to be determined.
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| Derrek Lee went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer off Chris Carpenter in Friday's 8-3 loss to St. Louis at Wrigley Field. |
Our View: Lee already swatted six homers this month, and leads the Cubs with 17. He also paces the club with 56 RBI, and should remain a solid option among fantasy first basemen.
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| Derrek Lee remained hot on Monday, going 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, his 16th shot of the year. |
Our View: Lee now has five home runs in six games this month and appears to have found his power stroke that he appeared to have lost since 2005. Continue to enjoy Lee while he's hot, but don't expect this type of power surge to continue.
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| According to ChicagoBreakingNews.com, the sale of the Chicago Cubs from the Tribune co. to the Ricketts family has been finalized. |
Our View: This sale has long been gestating, taking much longer than expected to get done. It likely won't have too many implications on the Cubs '09 season, but could mean that perhaps they could take on more salary in trades now. Stay tuned.
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| Derrek Lee carried the Cubs offensively in Sunday's 8-2 win against the Brewers at Wrigley Field, as he went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. He hit a single and a two-run homer off Mike Burns. |
Our View: Lee already has four homers and 12 RBI in July over five games. He remains the Cubs' offensive MVP as he leads the club with 15 homers and 51 RBI.
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| Derrek Lee had a monster game on Thursday, driving in seven runs and socking two home runs as the Cubs beat the Brewers 9-5 in an important divisional game. |
Our View: Lee has been doing his best to carry the Cubs recently, and has really turned it around after an awful start. The seven RBIs were a career high for the perennial All-Star.
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| Derrek Lee socked his 12th home run of the season and drove in two runs on Wednesday as the Cubs beat the Pirates in Pittsburgh 4-1. |
Our View: Lee has provided most of the Cubs offense the last month, and is hitting .282 for the season after batting just .205 on May 1.
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| Derrek Lee went 2-for-3 on Tuesday, extending his hitting streak to 20 games, but the Cubs lost to Detroit 6-5. |
Our View: Lee has had a torrid June after a sluggish start, and should officially be in your lineup every day without hesitation.
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| Derrek Lee continued his blazing month of June on Saturday as the Cubs beat the Indians 6-5 in 13 innings. Lee went 2-for-5 with a home run, a run scored, and two RBI. |
Our View: Lee is just destroying everything he sees at the plate, and it is no coincidence that the Cubs are starting to win. He is hitting for average and power, and he is an excellent play in all leagues while he stays hot. Get him in everyday until he begins to cool down.
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| Derrek Lee carried the Cubs in Friday's 8-7 win over the Indians at Wrigley Field, as he went 3-for-5 with two RBI. He had a double and two singles. The game took 10 innings to decide a winner. |
Our View: Lee extended his hitting streak to 16 games, and is batting .373 in June. He has seven multi-hit games over the span.
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| Derrek Lee's three run eighth inning home run helped jump start a Cubs comeback, as the North Siders rallied from a 5-1 deficit to win 6-5 over the White Sox in the ninth on Thursday. |
Our View: Lee continues to be one of the Cubs only reliable hitters, and has now hit in 15 straight games.
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| Derrek Lee hit a game tying solo home run in the ninth inning of the Cubs game against the Astros on Thursday afternoon. The Cubs would go on to lose 2-1 in 13 innings, however. |
Our View: Lee is still having a below average season by his standards, though, and is on pace to post career lows in home runs and RBIs for a full season. He is no longer a premier fantasy first baseman.
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| Derrek Lee was 2-for-3 with two walks and a run scored as the Cubs defeated the Braves 3-2 in 11 innings on Wednesday. |
Our View: Lee was the only cub to reach base more than once tonight, and he managed the feat four times. He has safely reached base in each of his last 14 games. After struggling throughout the start of the season, the first baseman is now hitting .262 with a .345 OBP.
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| According to MLBlogs.com, Derrek Lee is not in Tuesday's lineup due to a lingering bout of the flu. |
Our View: Lee is apparently getting better and is a good candidate to start in Wednesday's game. He likely was still to weak on Tuesday. Micah Hoffpauir will start at first base.
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| The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that Derrek Lee remained out on Monday. He has been suffering from the flu. |
Our View: Lee's absence comes at a bad time for a struggling Cubs offense. He has hit in each of his last seven games but has just four RBI in that stretch.
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| Derrek Lee went 4-for-5 with his fourth home run of the season in Sunday's 6-5 loss to the Astros. He also had a double, two RBI, and a run scored in the loss. |
Our View: Lee has missed time over the past two weeks due to a sore neck, but he has hits in each of his last two games. His average jumped from .198 to .226 after today's effort. If he puts together a hot streak, you may consider shopping him around.
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| Derrek Lee is not in the Cubs' lineup for Thursday's game against the Padres. |
Our View: Micah Hoffpauir replaced him at first base. Lee is recovering from neck spasms.
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| Updating a previous report, Cubs' first baseman Derrek Lee is back in the lineup tonight, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Lee missed a week with neck spasms due to a bulging disk, but has been deemed fit to play tonight. Apparently the neck isn't an issue when he swings, so he's good to play. However, if it locks up on him it's apparently very painful and he could be out again. He should be safe to put back in fantasy lineups tonight though.
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| According to the Chicago Sun Times, Derrek Lee may return to the Cubs' lineup on Tuesday for the first game of their series against the Padres. It was thought that Lee would be out for another week, but he is said to be doing significantly better. |
Our View: Lee must have made some pretty heavy progress in the last few days, because it was thought he was headed to the DL just a few days ago. Owners should take a wait and see approach on Lee for now, and hopefully he can return to his past form when the injury is fully healed.
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| Updating an earlier report, Derrek Lee has avoided a trip to the DL, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: His MRI only revealed a bulging disc in his neck, and he could return to the Cubs' lineup in about one week. He has shown improvement with the ailment, and the club does not believe it will be a long-term issue.
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| Skipper Lou Piniella is expected to get Derrek Lee's MRI results at some point this morning, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. |
Our View: He has dealt with lingering stiffness in his neck for the last week, but the Cubs' medical staff does not believe the ailment is more serious than day-to-day. The MRI is precautionary, and the Cubs could backdate a DL move almost a week, making him eligible to return May 21 at St. Louis.
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| Updating a previous report, Derrek Lee is not in Saturday's lineup, according to the Chicago Tribune. He is still dealing with soreness in his neck. |
Our View: Lee will be examined by a team doctor on Monday and hopefully they can do something to remedy his neck issue that has likely been the cause of a very poor start this season.
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| Derrek Lee is expected to return to the Cubs' lineup Saturday after missing the last three games with a sore neck, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Lee is only hitting .209 over 24 games, but managed to notch 15 RBI. The club will be pleased to get him back after losing to Milwaukee 3-2 on Friday night.
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| Derrek Lee is suffering a relapse with a bulging disc in his neck, but is not headed for the 15-day DL, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. |
Our View: Skipper Lou Piniella expects Lee to be ready to return to the diamond this weekend at Milwaukee, assuming he can get through the three-hour flight without any issues.
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| Derrek Lee will miss his second straight game on Thursday due to a stiff neck, according to MLB.com. The first baseman called the injury "no big deal." |
Our View: What is a big deal is Lee's poor hitting this season. He is hitting a mere .209/.282/.363. However, he has managed 15 RBI as a result of hitting in the meat of the Cubs order.
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| Derrek Lee is out of the lineup again on Wednesday for the Cubs due to a bulging disc in his neck, according to the Chicago Tribune. Micah Hoffpauir will get the start in his place. |
Our View: Lee has struggled to start the season as he is hitting only .209. He has hit three home runs, though, so his power is still there. Be patient with him for now, but it looks like a third straight season of declining production for Lee.
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| Derrek Lee only had one hit in four trips on Sunday, but he made it count. The big first baseman launched a home run with the bases juiced against Marlins' starter Ricky Nolasco and the Cubs went on to win 6-4. |
Our View: Le has struggled offensively this season, possibly due to a lingering neck injury that has caused him to miss sporadic games this year. The Cubs' cleanup hitter is batting a meager .209 on the season.
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| Derrek Lee (neck) will be back in the Cubs lineup on Wednesday. He is playing first base and hitting fourth, the Chicago Tribune confirms. He sat out on Monday and Tuesday. |
Our View: That's good news for fantasy owners who took a chance on Lee this week. On the flip side, this means Micah Hoffpauir has returned to his bench role.
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| Derrek Lee does not expect to return to the Cubs' lineup until Wednesday while dealing with back spasms, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. |
Our View: Micah Hoffpauir could replace Lee at first base tonight at Arizona, but the lineup is yet to be set.
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| Derrek Lee is expected to return to the diamond tonight at Arizona after exiting Sunday's game with back spasms, according to the Sports Network. |
Our View: Lee should be safe to employ in fantasy lineups. He is a career .238 hitter against Arizona, but collected 10 homers and 32 RBI over 57 meetings.
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| Updating previous news, first baseman Derrek Lee left Sunday's game against the Cardinals due to neck spasms, the Chicago Tribune confirms. He is presumably day-to-day. Micah Hoffpauir took his place at first. |
Our View: The Cubs may have more information after the game. Fantasy owners shouldn't be too surprised if Lee misses a game or two early in the week ahead.
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| First baseman Derrek Lee was removed from Sunday's Cubs-Cardinals game in the first inning due to an apparent leg injury, the Chicago Tribune reports. Micah Hoffpauir took over at first base. |
Our View: We're waiting for more details, but Hoffpauir's value could jump up if Lee's ailment is at all serious. We'll let you know when we hear more.
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| Derrek Lee went 3-for-4 with a home run and RBi in the Cubs' loss on Wednesday. He raised his average to .219 with his three hits. |
Our View: Lee's start to the season was awful, but he has shown what he can do in the last couple of games. The slow start is nothing to worry about, and the home run today is even more exciting for Lee owners. He is a major RBI threat hitting in the middle of that loaded Cubs lineup.
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| Derrek Lee was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI in Monday's win over the Rockies. One of his hits was a double, only his second of the season. |
Our View: Lee has gotten off to a rough start in 2009, but he had a nice day at the plate on Monday. He still hasn't hit a home run, but look for his numbers to get drastically better as the season wears on.
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| Derrek Lee was 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored Tuesday and is now hitting .314 on the spring season. |
Our View: Lee seems fully healthy now and has returned to first base. He's a serviceable option at first base, but his numbers have slid the last three seasons and he is not longer a stolen base threat. He's not the hitter he once was before that fateful wrist injury in 2006.
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| Derrek Lee went 2-for-5 with a home run and a run scored against the A's on Monday. |
Our View: Lee was not slowed by the sore right quad that forced him to miss the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic, at least not at the plate. The Cubs are playing it pretty cautious with Lee, who was the designated hitter on Monday.
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| Derrek Lee will not return to the Cubs' lineup for at least another two days while dealing with a sore right quad, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. |
Our View: Lee should still be ready for opening day, and should not be downgraded on fantasy cheatsheets.
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| Derrek Lee will not play until Saturday while nursing a sore right quad, according to the Daily Herald. |
Our View: He is still going to take batting practice today and participate in a full workout. It does not look like fantasy owners should be concerned with the ailment.
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| Derrek Lee has a sore right quad and will not play in the semi-finals of the WBC, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Adam Dunn played first base on Wednesday and committed two throwing errors. Kevin Youkilis had been playing first, but a left ankle injury caused him to leave the team. Look for Team USA to try and add a player to their roster for the semis. Mark Teixeira, Ryan Howard, and Lance Berkman figure to be at the top of the list.
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| Sports Illustrated reports that the sale of the Chicago Cubs organization could be completed by Opening Day, with the name of the buyer determined by the end of this month. The list of potential buyers involved in the transaction, which could exceed $1 billion, has been reduced from 10 to 3 since the Tribune Company put the Cubs on the market in 2007. |
Our View: Once the Tribune Company settles on a buyer, that party will have to be approved by the Major League Baseball Ownership Committee before the transaction is voted on by owners around the league.
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| The AP reports that Cubs chairman Craney Kenney hopes that the team is sold by April and that he expects commissioner Bud Selig to help speed the process up. |
Our View: There have been rumors that a new owner may actually increase the Cubs already steep payroll, which may afford them to re-visit the Jake Peavy trade talks. Until the sale is made, though, don't expect such a trade to go down.
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| MLB says that Tribune has set a deadline of December 1st to bid on the Chicago Cubs, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: The Cubs' offseason moves probably won't be impacted by the sale of the team.
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| Derrek Lee went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLDS. |
Our View: The Cubs had high hopes this season, but it ended in another heartbreak as they were swept in the series. Lee hit .545 over the three losses.
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| Derrek Lee will not start on Thursday night against Pedro Martinez and the Mets according to the Daily News. Micah Hoffpauir will start in his place. |
Our View: Lee has reached base 10 straight games. With everything locked up for the Cubs, they could very well sit a number of regulars in the coming days despite facing team's vying for playoff spots.
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| Derrek Lee hit a home run in the Cubs contest on Monday, and manager Lou Piniella says it was the two-day break that re-energized him, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He's probably played more than anyone else we have. And it looks like it has [helped]," said the Cubs manager. |
Our View: Lee has had a so-so year for fantasy owners, with just 19 home runs and 86 RBI. Many were expecting a lot more out of the big first baseman.
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| Derrek Lee went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in Monday's win over the Astros. He is up to 19 home runs and 86 RBI. |
Our View: Lee has been a fairly boring fantasy option since he hit .371-8-23-24 in April. He owns only six homers since May, and the Cubs need him to rediscover his power stroke if they hope to advance in the postseason.
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| Derrek Lee went 1-for-5 on Wednesday night to drop his average to .295 on the year. |
Our View: While the batting average is totally acceptable, Lee has been a virtual black hole of run production of late having hit just one home run in his last 38 games, a simply pathetic total for a middle of the order bat. In addition, he has knocked in just 14 runs over his last 35 games. He hasn't been awful, but after his hot start the results just haven't been there.
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| Derrek Lee, who had not had an RBI in nine straight games, was 4-for-6 on Saturday and tallied three RBI in the process. |
Our View: The Cubs offense had struggled of late but put up 14 runs on Saturday against the Reds.
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| Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee did not start Sunday in the series finale against the Washington Nationals because of spasms on the left side of his neck and back, but said he was available to play, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Lee came out of Saturday's game after an awkward swing aggravated his back. He had a similar problem in May 2007, and was sidelined for one week.
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| Derrek Lee went 2-for-4 and hit his 18th home run of the season, but it was not enough as the Cubs fell to the Washington Nationals by a score of 13-5. |
Our View: Lee had not hit a home run in nearly a month, since July 27, so fantasy owners have to be pleased with the power. Overall it's been a solid but unspectacular season for Lee.
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| Derrek Lee is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Marlins, the Palm Beach Post reports. Daryle Ward will start at first base. Lee has played in 120 of the team's 122 games. |
Our View: Lee is hitting only .227 since the All-Star break, and Ward punched out a game-changing three-run homer on Friday. We figure this move is just a way to get Lee a breather.
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| The game between the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves was rained out, and the teams will play a doubleheader tomorrow, according to Cubs.com. |
Our View: Rich Harden will still get a start, but it will come in the second game of the doubleheader as Jason Marquis will take the ball for Chicago in the first game.
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| Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee has grounded into 22 double plays this season, the most in baseball, reports Cubs.com. The MLB record is 34, accomplished by Jim Rice. |
Our View: Lee could very well set the record for GIDP, but as long as he keeps hitting home runs and driving them in, fantasy owners won't care. The Cubs play Houston this evening, and Lee is hitting .432 against the Astros this year.
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| Derrek Lee went 0-for-3 on Friday to drop his average down to .290 as he extended his hitless streak to 13 AB the past three games. |
Our View: Lee has only one hits in his last 18 AB (.056) dropping his average to its lowest point since June 30th. Lee also has only two home runs in his last 36 games proving that he is in one major slump.
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| Derrek Lee was 3-for-5 with three RBI against the Brewers on Monday. He has five RBI in his past two games. |
Our View: Lee now has 66 RBI and should continue to produce down the stretch for the Cubs. He is now hitting .299 on the year.
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| The Cubs found more than enough offense to pull the win today, topping the Astros 9-0. First baseman Derrek Lee did his part, going 2-for-5 at the plate with his 27th double of the season to post three RBIs and one run scored on the day. |
Our View: Fantasy owners may have been disappointed with early efforts, but Lee is getting on track with a few of his numbers this month. He's hitting .371 through July, though he has not homered since June 20th.
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| Derrek Lee went 5-for-5 with three RBI for the Cubs. Lee leadoff the ninth inning with a double but was stranded when Bobby Jenks got Aramis Ramirez to groundout to short with the infield in and then retired Jim Edmonds on a grounder to second to end the game. |
Our View: Lee now has 51 RBI on the season and the five-hit game raised his average to .298.
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| Derrek Lee went 2-for-4, drove in three runs and the Chicago Cubs scored their second straight victory over the Toronto Blue Jays winning two of the three-game interleague tilt. |
Our View: Lee continues to have an MVP-like season. The first baseman is hitting .290 and has recorded 44 RBI and 48 runs scored in 69 games.
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| Derrek Lee is serving as the Cubs designated hitter in tonight's interleague game against the Toronto Blue Jays. |
Our View: Micah Hoffpauir is getting the start at first base. This gives the Cubs another left-handed bat in the lineup against hard-throwing A.J. Burnett.
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| Derrek Lee went 1-for-4 on Saturday as his batting average continues to plummet as its now down to .283. |
Our View: Lee is 2-for-14 over the past four games, and just 3-for-24 since June began. As troubling is that he has just one home run in 11 games.
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| Derrek Lee hit his 12th home run on Monday to support Ryan Dempster as the Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 on Monday afternoon. |
Our View: Lee, who began April with a bang rewarding his fantasy faithful, is hitting .300 on the season with 41 runs, 36 RBI and three stolen bases.
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| Derrek Lee, who entered play today in a 4-for-28 slump, homered off reliever Juan Cruz to give the Cubs a comfortable 3-1 lead in the eighth inning of Friday's win over the Diamondbacks. |
Our View: Lee, absent his recent skid, has been MVP-good. Lee is hitting .322 with 30 runs scored, 25 RBI, two stolen bases and nine home runs.
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| Derrek Lee has hit 12 homers over his career at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Lee got off to a strong start this season as he hit eight homers over 31 games, with 23 RBI and a .339 average, but he has not hit a homer over his last five games. Look for him to break out of his power skid, and add at least one long ball to his total during the three-game set against the Reds.
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| Derrek Lee continues to surge in the early going as he finished April off by producing two hits and two runs while knocking in his 23rd RBI on Wednesday night. |
Our View: Lee is simply lashing balls all over the yard as he is hitting .364 with an amazing 18 extra base hits in 27 games played.
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| Derrek Lee pushed his average to .378 with four hits on Wednesday night. |
Our View: Lee continues to be a huge source of production in the middle of the Cubs lineup as he aims to put last season's somewhat disappointing outing behind him.
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| Derrek Lee continues to hit the cover off the ball. The Cubs first baseman registered another two hits on Sunday, two RBI, two runs scored and raised his average to .364. |
Our View: The only thing missing is having Lee be more aggressive on the base paths. But, the 12-6 Cubs have not had a lot of reason to run as of late.
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| Derrek Lee hit his seventh home run of the season on Saturday though he was removed in the sixth inning due to a sore neck, this according to the AP. |
Our View: Lee said the issue was minor and that he expects to play on Sunday. Let's hope he does play cause he has been hotter than a skillet on the stove thus far.
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| Chicago 1B Derrek Lee wasted no time getting busy against the Pirates today, hitting his seventh home run of the year off Tom Gorzelanny in the bottom of the first inning to put the Cubs up 0-2 on the Pirates. |
Our View: SS Ryan Theriot had singled just before Lee went deep, giving Lee his 14th and 15th RBIs on the season.
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| Derrek Lee hit his sixth HR of the early season for the Cubs as he went 3-for-4 with two runs scored on the night. |
Our View: Lee backers hoped the power would return this season, and it certainly has in the early going. We remain slightly concerned that he hasn't attempted a steal so far, but that's quibbling with a guy who is hitting .393.
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| Chicago 1B Derrek Lee put up some quality numbers in the Cubs' 5-9 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Lee went 3-for-5 at the plate, hitting his fifth home run of the season. |
Our View: Lee gathered three RBIs on the day and has five total RBIs over his last two games.
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| Derrek Lee had another productive day on Sunday, going 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI against the Phillies. The first baseman has eight extra-base hits and eight RBI over the last eight games. |
Our View: Lee is in the midst of a streak that makes one believe he can get back to his 2005, MVP-like level. It's too early to make such claims, but fantasy owners have to love the start.
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| Derrek Lee went 2-for-4 with a home run, his fourth of the year, on Friday night for the Cubs. Lee scored a run and knocked in one as he continues to display the power bat that he lost a bit last year with four doubles and four home runs through 10 games. |
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| Derrek Lee, who went 4-for-4 on Saturday against Roy Oswalt, had another big hit for the Chicago Cubs on Sunday smashing his third home run of the season over the left center-field dormant-ivy to give the Cubs their second straight win. Lee is hitting .400 on the young season and is off to an MVP type start.
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| Derrek Lee hasn't lost a step, going a perfect 4-for-4 against Roy Oswalt and the Houston Astros in today's 9-7 win for the Cubs. Lee picked up his second double and his second homer on the season, both against Oswalt, and gathered two RBIs and three runs scored along the way. He now touts a seasonal batting average of .364 and continues to work as the offensive catalyst for the Cubbies. |
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| Derrek Lee hit his first home run of the season on Wednesday as he went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Lee has a lot to prove his year after a merely solid 2007 (.317-22-82) that was a far cry from his .335-46-107 numbers in the 2005 season. Lee will be a valuable piece this season, but he really needs to return to his running ways to offer the value many drafted him for (he has only 14 SB the past two seasons). |
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| Derrek Lee hit his first homer of the spring on Wednesday against Oakland. He needed it, as he was only hitting .154 heading into today's game. Hopefully he can get hot and end spring training on a high note. |
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| Derrek Lee is expected to be back in the lineup Friday after missing Thursday's game with a bruised knee. "I should be OK [today], Lee said in the Chicago Sun-Times. "There was pain, but I just couldn't move around. It was really just a bad spot." |
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| Derrek Lee was scratched from the starting lineup Thursday because of a bruised right knee, the AP reports. Lee fouled a pitch off his knee in the fifth inning of Wednesday's 3-2 victory over the Astros. |
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| Derrek Lee returned to the lineup Tuesday after serving a five-game suspension for his role in a June 16 brawl with the Padres. Lee dropped his appeal in part because of a sore left ankle that's been nagging him. He went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI Tuesday. |
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| Derrek Lee served the final game of his five-game suspension on Sunday, according to the AP. He should return to the Cubs lineup on Tuesday. |
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| Derrek Lee dropped his suspension appeal Wednesday and sat out the first of his five games. Lee in part made this decision so he could rest a sore ankle. He's eligible to return to action Tuesday. |
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| Derrek Lee won't have his appeal of a five-game suspension heard until after the All-Star break, according to the Daily Southtown. "It's been postponed," manager Lou Piniella said Friday. "It will happen sometime after the break." That means he'll keep playing and can remain in your lineups at least through the break. |
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| Derrek Lee was suspended five games on Monday for his role in a brawl with the Padres over the weekend, according to the AP. It's unclear as to whether or not he plans to appeal the suspension. |
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| Derrek Lee was ejected from Saturday's game in the fourth inning for his role in a benches-clearing melee with the Padres. Lee took exception to being hit by a Chris Young pitch, charged the mound, and took swings at the San Diego pitcher. Look for some suspension time to possibly come of this. |
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| It looks like Derrek Lee will be a game-time call on Sunday, though he hopes to be ready, according to the Chicago Tribune. "The only thing that would stop me from playing is if I wake up and it feels worse from all the activity today," he said. Lee has been out with neck spasms, though he was able pinch-hit Saturday and came through with a grand slam. Considering what he did yesterday, you might want to role the dice on him Sunday. |
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| Will Derrek Lee return to action on Saturday? Manager Lou Piniella said Friday evening that he thought it was "improbable," according to the Daily Southtown. What does Lee think? "I may not play the whole series. I don't know," Lee said. "It's day-to-day." Lee's missed five straight games now due to neck spasms. He likely will be a game-time call today, making him a risky fantasy play.
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| Derrek Lee remained out of the lineup on Friday due to a sore neck. However, he is improving and is available to pinch-hit, according to MLB.com. Lee could start on Saturday. |
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| The Cubs still don’t know if Derrek Lee will be available on Friday. Lee suffered neck spasms on Sunday and hasn’t played since that time. He did not make the recent trip to Philadelphia. "I haven't heard anything," manager Lou Piniella said to the Chicago Tribune after Thursday’s game. Mark DeRosa and Daryle Ward have been filling in at first base. |
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| Derrek Lee remained in Chicago Wednesday, missing his third straight game due to neck spasms, the AP reports. Lou Piniella said Lee would rejoin the club at Wrigley Field on Friday, and the skipper says Lee's chances of playing then are "better than 50-50." |
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| Derrek Lee remained in Chicago with neck spasms Tuesday, missing his second consecutive game, the AP reports. Lou Piniella says it's 50-50 whether Lee will join the team in New York for Wednesday's game. "He hasn't gotten any worse but he hasn't gotten any better. It might be a few days," Piniella said. "If he doesn't come (Wednesday), we'll just wait until Friday against the White Sox." |
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| Derrek Lee missed Monday's game against the Mets due to neck spasms, an ailment that forced him from Sunday's contest, according to the AP. He went back to Chicago to undergo tests. However, manager Lou Piniella isn't too considered with the injury. "Nothing serious, and we think he'll be here tomorrow," Piniella said. "He's day to day. We'll see how he is when he gets here." |
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| Derrek Lee is questionable for Monday due to sore neck. "I just have a kink in my neck," he told MLB.com. "I slid into second [Saturday] and got this weird feeling like it went through my whole body. It's a little tough to turn my head. But I don't think I need any days off." Lee played only two innings on Sunday. |
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| Derrek Lee left Monday's contest in the second inning with neck spasms, according to the AP. It's unclear if he'll be forced to miss any time with the injury. Lee grounded into a double play in his only at-bat. Daryle Ward replaced him at first base. |
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| Derrek Lee had four hits in Wednesday's win over Milwaukee, including his first homer of the year. It took Lee 21 games to connect on his first round-tripper, far and away the longest drought he's ever had to start a season. |
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| Derrek Lee, who had been away from the Cubs to tend to his ill daughter, rejoined the team on Friday, according to the Daily Southtown. It's not clear if he will take part in games Saturday or Sunday. "If he wants to play, he can play," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "It's up to him." |
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| Derrek Lee is expected to miss the rest of the season because of his three-year-old daughter's illness. "My daughter's lost some vision in one eye and we'll find out more at a later time - we have to go through some more tests," Lee said in a statement. |
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| Dealing with soreness in his hand, Derrek Lee was given Sunday off, according to the Daily Southtown. He wasn't even available as a pinch-hitter. "He should be OK (today)," manager Dusty Baker said. "But it's between him and the trainers. He needed some rest bad." |
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| As expected, the Cubs activated Derrek Lee from the DL Monday. Lee has been limited to 34 games this season because of wrist problems. To make room on the roster for Lee, the team optioned Buck Coats to Triple-A Iowa. |
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| The Cubs are expected to activate Derrek Lee from the disabled list on Monday, according to the Chicago Tribune. He said his broken wrist has improved a lot during his second stint on the DL. "If I was feeling pain still, I wasn't [going to return]," he said Sunday. "I feel like I'm not jeopardizing anything by playing." |
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| Derrek Lee could be activated from the DL during next week's series against the Pirates, which starts Monday, according to the AP. "He doesn't feel any pain and his pop is big-time," manager Dusty Baker said. "He's been hitting on the field a lot at home and he's been hitting balls on the moon." Lee has been out since July 23 because of wrist problems. |
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| Derrek Lee took batting practice before Wednesday night's game for a third straight day, according to the AP He said was feeling a dramatic improvement from a month ago. "It is night and day," Lee said. "It's strong again. I can drive the ball and take my normal swing without bracing for pain. This extra time has wonders." Lee feels he is close to a return but is not interested in any minor league rehab games. |
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| Derrek Lee is scheduled to take batting practice today for the first time since heading back to the disabled list due to his troublesome wrist, according to the Daily Southtown. He has no timetable set for a return to action, though he hopes it will be within a few weeks. |
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| Derrek Lee has been progressing well from his right wrist problems and says he thinks he could be ready to play in a week, according to the Chicago Tribune. "Hopefully next week I'll get back playing," he said. "If that happens, I think I'd have [another] 100 at-bats. I'd really like to get some at-bats." However, the Cubs still may not take the risk of playing him again in '06. Lee has gotten only 119 at-bats this year. |
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| There is no timetable yet for the return of Derrek Lee from his sore right wrist, but his rehab is expected to progress Monday when he begins soft tossing, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Lee had encouraging results from tests Thursday. "Things look good and we'll start progressing on Monday with simple things like soft toss," trainer Mark O'Neal said. "Our goal is to get him back and playing and make sure by the end of the year we have it right. I don't want to be rushed." |
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| Derrek Lee said yesterday that he hopes to return to action this season, adding that he may have come back too quickly from his fractured wrist in June, so he wants to play it safe this time, according to the Daily Southtown. "I think I'm going to play again this year, but I can't exactly say when," Lee said. "When I come back, we want to make sure I'm definitely 100 percent. I'm on board with that this time." He'll have the joint examined Thursday and hopes to find out when he can begin hitting and playing catch again. |
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| Derrek Lee, on the DL for the second time this year with a right wrist injury, is still at least a few weeks away from returning, according to the Daily Southtown. "He's improving, but we're not going to do anything baseball-wise until he's 100 percent," trainer Mark O'Neal said. "We're not shutting him down. But we want to make sure he's over this. He's working out but not doing anything baseball-wise." Lee would likely need a minor league rehab assignment before returning.
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| There's at the least the possibility that Derrek Lee, who is on the DL with a wrist injury, will not return this season, according to the Daily Southtown When manager Dusty Baker was asked if Lee could miss the rest of the season, he said, "I don't know. Honestly, I don't know."
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| Derrek Lee, who was forced to go back on the DL last week with wrist problems, wants to play again this season even though the Cubs are clearly out of playoff contention, according to the Chicago Tribune. "I just want to play," Lee said. "If I can play and help the team … there's still over two months to go. I'm not thinking of [sitting out] the season." Lee won't swing a bat for another two weeks while undergoing physical therapy. |
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| Derrek Lee has again landed on the disabled list with problems with his wrist, according to ESPN.com. Lee, who missed more than two months with a broken wrist earlier in the year, has hit just .226 since returning in late June. |
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| Derrek Lee was out of the lineup Thursday for the third time in five games, according to the AP. The Cubs have been occasionally resting Lee, who missed 59 games earlier this season with a broken wrist. Phil Nevin started at first in Lee's place. |
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