Late last week, Fox Sports reported that Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee – a free agent at the end of this year, and speculated trade candidate – would waive his n0-trade clause if he were traded to the Los Angeles Angels.
This weekend, he said the report, which cited “friends” of Lee’s, was bunk.
“I didn’t tell (the reporter) that,” Lee said. “I would bet that not one of my friends knows who (the reporter) is. I’m not trying to be mean, but that’s not a true statement.”
Lee said no one outside his family knows his feelings about the no-trade clause, which he called a “private matter.” Chicago Breaking Sports.
I still suspect that if Lee were given the opportunity to head to a team in his home state, a team in a pennant race, he would take the opportunity, particularly if the Cubs suggest they won’t be trying to re-sign him after the season. But would the Cubs say that? It’s not as though they’ve got a first baseman waiting in the wings to replace Lee.