A sports blog with Richard Justice

Carlos Lee bidding apparently inching toward $100 million


It appears to be down to the Orioles, Phillies and Astros for Carlos Lee, and the bidding has gotten insane. It’s believed the Orioles have offered as much as a six-year contract worth about $80 million to $90 million, according to the Baltimore Sun. If those numbers are even close to accurate, the Astros ought to take a pass and find another way to improve the club.

This is what happens in free agency. Alfonso Soriano signs a ridiculous deal and then Gary Matthews Jr. gets one and now Carlos Lee will get one. One of the things the Oakland A’s have done better than other teams is assign a value to each player. When the bidding goes past what the A’s see as a player’s value, they head for the door.

Carlos Lee is a very nice player if the price is right, say, $48 million over four years. If things get crazy, you maybe could justify spending $75 million over five years. The Astros shouldn’t go beyond that number. He’s simply not worth it. All it means is that Tim Purpura would have to be more creative. He could try to trade for Vernon Wells or Carl Crawford. He could make a run at J.D. Drew.

Even if he signs Carlos Lee, the Astros have work to do with the pitching staff. They can’t pay Lee so much that they’re limited in what they can do with the pitching staff.

Categories: General