Indeed the Cubs trade rumors are bouncing all over the place. The latest has the Cubs talking to the Los Angeles Angels about first baseman Derrek Lee.
Excellent baseball sources are telling us the Angels and the Cubs may be involved in trade talks that could send Derrek Lee to L.A. The Angels lost their starting first baseman, Kendry Morales, last weekend when he broke his leg in a celebration after he hit a walk-off grand slam. Lee was a late scratch from Wednesday’s lineup because of tightness in his right hamstring. Chicago Tribune.
Derrek Lee is in the final year of his contract, which pays him $13 million. You’ll also note that Lee has full no-trade protection, so any trade the Cubs negotiate will have to include Lee’s approval. Lee is a West Coast guy, though, so it’s possible that a move to Los Angeles would be welcome.
If the Cubs deal Lee, they’ll likely move Xavier Nady to first base on a relatively full-time basis. That is, until Nady himself lands on the trading block.
The Cubs do not have a great replacement waiting in the system (Micah Hoffpauir?), so a move of Lee would definitely be a signal that the Cubs consider themselves sellers at this point – not to mention the fact that Lee is considered the heart of the Chicago Cubs on the positional side.