Make Way for Micah

The departure of Derrek Lee in Wednesday's trade with Atlanta that brings three pitching prospects - right-handers Robinson Lopez and Tyrelle Harris, and left-hander Jeffrey Lorick - was bittersweet news.

Lee's poor performance this season - he hit just .251 as a Cub - is a primary reason that the Cubs are 21 games under .500. Lee, who has battled a chronic back problem is hitting just .251.

I did not understand the malice directed toward the 34-year-old Lee for his rejection of a trade to the Los Angeles Angels last month. The reasons Lee decided to reject the trade did not matter. As a "five-and-10" man, he had the right and in such a case, it was perfectly acceptable for him to put his interests ahead of the Cubs'. And it wasn't like Lee was preventing the Cubs from playing a hot prospect at first base.

The 30-year-old Micah Hoffpauir who was called up and apparently will be platooned at first for the time being with Xavier Nady. No matter how well he has been hitting lately at Triple-A Iowa, Hoffpauir is not an upgrade from Lee at first base.

Despite his subpar performance in 2010, history will identify the soft-spoken and classy Lee as one of the greatest first basemen in Cubs history. In seven seasons with the North Siders, Lee hit .298 with an OPS of .903. Until a chronic back problem began to limit his mobility, Lee was a fine gloveman. He demonstrated terrific agility with his 6-foot-5 frame and has two Gold Gloves to show for his efforts.

His 2005 season when he won the NL batting title with a .335 average, had an OPS of 1.080, had 199 hits, hit 41 homers, and drove in 107 is among the best individual seasons in club history.

But Lee has never been the same player since breaking his wrist in a collision with Rafael Furcal in Los Angeles on April 19, 2006. An ill-advised throw by pitcher Scott Eyre after fielding a Furcal bunt put Lee into a compromising position - and my wife, Denise, has since referred to the horrific play as the time "Scott Eyre broke D-Lee."

The deal that brought him to the Cubs from the Florida Marlins in exchange for Hee Seop Choi prior to the 2004 season is perhaps Jim Hendry's best trade.

It's difficult to judge the merits of any trade in the present, but especially when it involves minor leaguers, but according to the Trib's Phil Rogers, Hendry got value in return for Lee.

The most heartening detail of the trade was that the Cubs were willing to pick up the remaining $3 million on Lee's contract in order to upgrade the package of prospects from Atlanta. It wasn't simply a salary dump.

I'm fairly certain that Hoffpauir will not be the starting first baseman next season. I'd like to see Tyler Colvin get a chance to play at first while the Cubs play out the string. Colvin was a first baseman at Clemson.

If Colvin proves better suited for the outfield, I have some ideas about how the Cubs should proceed at first base but that is another topic for another day.