Astros’ Lee seeks another 100-RBI season
March 1, 2010
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP)—Roy Oswalt(notes) and Lance Berkman(notes) may be the emotional leadersof the Houston Astros, but Carlos Lee(notes) has been the team’s most consistent andproductive player over the last three seasons.
The left fielder is coming off his fifth straight 100-RBI season and eighthin a row with at least 25 home runs. Lee batted .300 in 2009, his fourthconsecutive year reaching the benchmark.
The Astros raised eyebrows when they signed Lee to a six-year, $100 millioncontract in November 2006. Lee is due $18.5 million over each of the next threeseasons.
But Lee gladly gives up the spotlight to Berkman and Oswalt, two of the lastholdovers from Houston’s only World Series appearance in 2005.
“These guys have been here forever and grew up in the system,” Lee said.“I’m like the baby here. This is the house they grew up in.”
Astros general manager Ed Wade thinks Lee is just as valuable to thefranchise as the mainstays, Berkman and Oswalt.
“Our success is going to be predicated upon the ‘Big 3’ doing what we knowthey’re capable of doing,” Wade said. “I equate what Carlos can do offensivelyto what a guy like Tony Perez did for Cincinnati for all those years. If there’sa guy in scoring position, there aren’t a whole lot of players in our game who Ibelieve are more reliable than Carlos.”
Lee led the Astros in homers (26) and RBIs (102). He ranked seventh in theNL in hits (183) and logged over 600 at-bats for the fourth time in fiveseasons.
The slugger was having an MVP-caliber season in 2008 before a Bronson Arroyo(notes)fastball broke his finger in August. He missed the final 47 games due to theinjury but still ended up with 28 home runs, 100 RBIs and a .314 battingaverage.
“Had it not have been for his fractured finger, we’re probably playing inthe postseason and he’s getting a ton of MVP votes,” Wade said.
Lee bristles at the criticism he’s read about his contract being one of themost bloated in recent baseball history. A recent blog post lumped Lee’scontract in with the likes of Barry Zito’s(notes) seven-year, $126 million agreementwith San Francisco, and Jason Schmidt’s(notes) three-year, $47 million pact with theL.A. Dodgers.
Lee answers by pointing to his statistics and consistency.
“Just compare me with all the other run-producers in the league and findout,” Lee said.
Lee had a calm and rejuvenating offseason, much longer than last year’s offtime, cut short when he played for Panama in the World Baseball Classic.
“I’m definitely more relaxed this year knowing that competition is stillsix or seven weeks away and you got plenty of time to prepare and be ready,”Lee said. “You need a spring training. You need 50-60 at-bats before going intothe season.”
Owner Drayton McLane has said in the past that he’d like Berkman and Oswaltto finish their careers as Astros, the next generation of team icons behind JeffBagwell(notes) and Craig Biggio(notes). Lee wouldn’t mind sticking with the Astros, too.
“I would like to, but who knows?” he said. “It’s a business and thebusiness part of the game is difficult sometimes.”
Fantasy Baseball registration is now open. Join today!
