Derrek Lee doesn’t deny that his numbers dropped off last year and he doesn’t use his thumb injury as an excuse for the disappointing season. But after undergoing successful offseason surgery to repair a torn UCL ligament in his right thumb, the 35-year-old is ready to return to form. And he wouldn’t mind proving some of his doubters wrong in 2011.
"I have a little chip on my shoulder," Lee said on a conference call with reporters. "People say I'm old and declining so I want to prove them wrong obviously."
Lee signed a one-year, $7.25MM deal with the Orioles this week after hitting .260/.347/.428 with 19 homers for the Cubs and Braves last year. He drew interest from other clubs, including the Padres this offseason, but he decided to join the Orioles instead. Lee says manager Buck Showalter is an attraction and suggests the O's will have an improved lineup in 2011. But early in the winter, before the Orioles acquired Mark Reynolds and J.J. Hardy, Lee did not expect to play for Showalter.
"Honestly, Baltimore wasn't on my radar earlier this offseason," he said.
Lee arrives in the American League after 14 seasons in the senior circuit and he says he's extremely excited to make the transition. He admits he might not recognize every middle reliever in the AL, but expects to adjust relatively quickly.
The Orioles, in Lee's estimation, have lots of confidence and the potential to surprise people in the competitive AL East. At 35, the slugger aims to do the same.
Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.
Ooooh…. pictures.
LOL…I can see Peter Gammons saying that, making me chuckle hysterically.
As you get older as a player you either go one of two routes
(1)I need a chip to prove the “haters” wrong
(2)I’m not what I once was, let me just be a piece of a championship puzzle
I guess Lee is going #1.
I actually like where Baltimore is going but the pitching is still 1-3 years away from helping the team contend. Wasted a year of his career IMO(unless $ is the motivating factor, in which case be my guest. I’m all for getting paid.)
I’m thinking it’s more of a less stressful place to play. He doesn’t have to be the guy, he can just go out and play. Plus if he does do good, he’ll do it against the AL East teams.
Hitting in the AL east isn’t particularly anymore difficult than any other division. I would argue that there are more well rounded divisions for pitching. AL east is known more for having potent offenses.
he probably got sick of carpenter, wainwright, ubaldo, lincecum, cain, kershaw, yovanny, he saw that the brew crew added zack and took one look at the phillies rotation and said…”screw that im gonna go to the Al and take a chance there, hey at least i can Dh every once and while”
Not to mention Johnson, Strasburg, Santana, and Latos.
i didnt mention strasburg because he wont be pitching next season but the others are all the more reason to move to the AL…he also probably realized that by moving to the AL and showing he can hit against AL starters and relievers he could land another AL deal and extend his career by eventually moving to DH if he wanted to
You left out the Barry Bonds route.
Loving the pictures lately!
oh you fancy huh?
Senior circuit that term is almost laughable these days.
I mean, the Senior Circuit did just win the All-Star game…and World Series…
It’s called that because it’s older than the American League. Make the NL, quite literally, more senior.
Damn, I had no idea MLBTR was into pictures.
Way to go Orioles – someone’s got to give the Yanks a run for 4th place in the AL East!
Ooooooo, pretty pictures….
I would of been impressed if he was in a orioles uni
I like the pictures being added.
Only thing he’ll prove is he’s overpaid.
Nearly every big free agent signing this year will prove that.
If i read one more comment about pictures I’m gonna flip out and go postal.
Hey Glebb did you see the picture of Derrek Lee above????????!???!?!?
ZOMGZ PICTURES!!!
It is refreshing to hear a player actually admit a down year and look forward to redeeming themselves. The Brandon Webb quote the other day after signing a 3 mil deal of – I’m not going to rush back- wreaks of entitlement. For three million dollars I would want someone willing to chew off their arm (or someone else’s) to get back in the game.
Makes perfect sense, rush back, don’t build arm strength and sit on the DL for the rest of the year, perfect.
Your right, Why rush him, he has pitched four innings in two years, none since may 09. He should be working out now, and for the past six months building arm strength. People have recovered from dying sooner than this.
lol your reasoning is laughable. He had shoulder surgery not elbow surgery, its far more serious and takes twice as long to recover from..
I suggest before you have such a strong opinion on things that maybe you look up some facts or something. Just a suggestion
Didn’t Webb want to pitch in September? I remember hearing that. He wanted to throw a few innings to help his value. Now he doesn’t want to rush back since he got a contract thats 70% less then what he thought he’d get.
Your correct, he actually pitched a little in the instructional league and wanted on the September roster. I couldn’t figure out if he was ok to pitch last September, why or how can he not be ready for Spring training and the season?
As a Nats fan, I confess — I’d much rather have Lee. I think he has a rebound year and puts up monster numbers. Plus it is only a one year commitment. Adam Laroche will be fine — slightly above average fielding, average 1B hitting, and that’s about it. We paid too much for that but needed a 1B bad.
I’d rather have Lee too. I think he bounces back and has a solid year.
The Nats would have had like 2 left handed bats in their starting lineup if they signed Lee, and one of them is slated to be Nyjer Morgan and I don’t know if he qualifies as a ‘bat’, per se. I am not saying that Laroche is what D. Lee is, but he is more of a sure bet (to put up slightly above avg #’s that is), and he balances the lineup. The value of Laroche is higher to the Nats than the value of D. Lee coming off an injury plagued season.
With that said, I don’t know if I am looking forward to sitting through 170+ Ks in return for 25 HRs.
I like that Lee admitted to going on the website and checking out their lineup, which got him excited enough to sign here. It really is a pretty damn good lineup, and they may not be done (DH on the horizon?) Relatively inexpensively, Andy has re-tooled that entire lineup and completely renovated the infield.
2010 starting infield – Atkins (ugh) Roberts (injured soon after replaced by Lugo) ugh Izturis (ugh) and Wigginton who later moved to first and was replaced by 53K to 3BB Josh Bell (ugh)
Now they have Derrek Lee, Brian Roberts, JJ Hardy, and Mark Reynolds
That is undoubtedly significant improvement. They also added high character club house leaders in Lee and Reynolds, solid moves all around.
they had miguel tejada as well i believe
Oh yeah, forgot about Miggy. Scott is a good LF, so he can shift to the OF to make room for a DH if necessary.
Isn’t Luke Scott going to DH with Pie/Reimold in LF?
I hope Lee has a great year. Hats off to the guy.
despite the naysayers, the orioles moves this often season have been quite good. And ALL of them have been low risk high reward, allowing future commitments in better times to follow.
I agree. I’m cautiously optimistic going into this season. Granted, I am every year. But this year’s going to be different. I think/hope. Ha.
Yes.
??
Lee will do al’ight.
I hope he does have a chip on hi shoulders. The player I saw last May against the Pirates acted like he couldn’t care less if he were on the field. It wasn’t relaxed play. He flat loafed on the base paths and int eh field.
2B Brian Roberts
CF Adam Jones – Pacman had a huge September
RF Nick Markakis
DH Luke Scott
1B Derrek Lee
3B Mark Reynolds
C Matt Wieters
SS J.J. Hardy
LF Nolan Reimold / Felix Pie
On paper, that’s really not too bad, particularly if guys like Pac and Wieters continue to develop.
For an underrated HITTING team like the O’s, It’s gonna be fun to watch Mark Reynolds and Derek Lee face the AL pitchers. Something, they have never done for a full year.
Pacman
No. Just no.
I’m thinking more balance line up like:
2B (S) Roberts
RF (L) Markakis
1B (R) Lee
DH (L) Scott
3B (R) Reynolds
CF (R) Jones
C (S) Wieters
SS (R) Hardy
LF (L) Pie
That also puts all the guys with the ability to get on via walk near the top of the line up.