The Pittsburgh Pirates offered arbitration to first baseman Derrek Lee two weeks ago. He has until Wednesday to decide whether to accept or reject arbitration. If he accepts, the Pirates get him for one year at a raise over his $8.5 M compensation from the 2011 season. If he declines, the Pirates get a first round compensation pick in the 2012 draft, assuming he signs elsewhere. Here are the updates on Lee from today:
–Jon Heyman, who is now with CBS, reports that the Pirates are talking to Lee, but that the first baseman has other suitors.
–Michael Sanserino of the Post-Gazette says that the Pirates hope Lee either accepts arbitration or accepts a negotiated deal.
It sounds like they want him back one way or the other, although it’s significant that we haven’t heard any changes to Lee’s desire to stick around.
