Orioles sign Derrek Lee to a one-year contract

The Orioles today announced that they have signed free agent first baseman Derrek Lee to a one-year contract. Lee, 35, hit .260 (142-547) with 19 home runs and 80 RBI in 148 games with the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves in 2010. In 2009, he set a career-high with 111 RBI and led the Cubs with a .306 average, finishing 9th in National League MVP voting. In his 14-year career, Lee is a .282 hitter with 312 home runs, 1,019 RBI and an .865 OPS in 1,829 games. A two-time National League All-Star (2005 and 2007), and three-time Gold Glove Award winner at first base (2003, 2005, 2007), Lee has hit at least 20 home runs in nine of his last 11 seasons and played at least 140 games in 10 of those 11 seasons. In 2005, Lee finished 3rd in NL MVP voting, winning the NL batting title (.335) and Silver Slugger Award and setting a career-high with 46 home runs. In 170 career games against the American League, Lee has batted .311 (191-615) with 27 home runs, 103 RBI and a .530 slugging percentage. Since the start of the 2000 season, Lee played more games (1,596) than any other player in the National League despite appearing in only 50 games in 2006 due to a broken right wrist. He boasts a .994 career fielding percentage in 1,788 games at first base. With the addition of Lee, the Orioles now have 38 players on their 40-man roster.