Roody
07-28-2006, 01:20 PM
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers acquired All-Star outfielder Carlos Lee from the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday for reliever Francisco Cordero and outfielders Kevin Mench and Laynce Nix.
Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said the deal also includes the exchange of minor leaguers, outfielder Nelson Cruz to Texas and left-hander Julian Cordero -- no relation to Francisco -- to Milwaukee.
Lee, who can become a free agent after this season, is hitting .286 with 28 home runs and 81 RBI. It is his fifth straight season with at least 25 homers, and he is a .284 career hitter over eight seasons with the Chicago White Sox (1999-2004) and Milwaukee (2005-06).
The Rangers (51-51) would still like to add another starting pitcher, but couldn't pass up the chance to add Lee as they strive for their first playoff appearance since 1999. Texas went into Friday's game against Kansas City in third place in the AL West, but only two games behind division-leading Oakland.
It was the first major deal completed in the days leading up to Monday's non-waiver trading deadline.
Cordero was the Rangers' closer until he set a major league record with five blown saves in April, and was replaced in that role by Akinori Otsuka. In his last appearance for Texas, the right-hander allowed four runs in the eighth inning against the New York Yankees on Wednesday night. The right-hander was 7-4 with six saves and a 4.81 ERA in 49 appearances.
Mench is hitting .284 with 12 home runs and 50 RBI, and was 16-for-36 (.444) in his last 10 games for the Rangers. Earlier this season, Mench set a club record with home runs in seven straight games, one short of the major league record but the most by a right-handed hitter.
Nix has been in the minor leagues since batting .094 (3-for-32) in nine games in April.
Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin didn't immediately respond to a message left on his cell phone by The Associated Press, but the Brewers scheduled an afternoon news conference.
Melvin said in recent weeks that the team was leaning toward keeping Lee and trying to sign him as a free agent -- something they theoretically could still do in the offseason -- but would listen if the right offer came along.
The Brewers got it from Texas.
Mench and Nix were both drafted by the Rangers when Melvin was their GM from October 1994 through the 2001 season, a stretch when Texas made its only three playoff appearances.
Melvin also acquired Cordero for Texas in a nine-player deal that sent two-time AL MVP Juan Gonzalez to Detroit after the 1999 season.
Trading Lee also made sense for the budget-conscious Brewers because they have several highly regarded young outfield prospects -- although Cruz was considered the most promising.
The Brewers lost the last two games of a three-game home series against Pittsburgh earlier this week and entered play Friday six games out of the National League wild card. They were tied with Houston in the wild card standings with five teams ahead of them.
Cruz was the Brewers' minor league player of the year last season. He has spent this season at Triple-A Nashville, where he hit .302 with 22 doubles, 20 home runs, 73 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 104 games.
Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said the deal also includes the exchange of minor leaguers, outfielder Nelson Cruz to Texas and left-hander Julian Cordero -- no relation to Francisco -- to Milwaukee.
Lee, who can become a free agent after this season, is hitting .286 with 28 home runs and 81 RBI. It is his fifth straight season with at least 25 homers, and he is a .284 career hitter over eight seasons with the Chicago White Sox (1999-2004) and Milwaukee (2005-06).
The Rangers (51-51) would still like to add another starting pitcher, but couldn't pass up the chance to add Lee as they strive for their first playoff appearance since 1999. Texas went into Friday's game against Kansas City in third place in the AL West, but only two games behind division-leading Oakland.
It was the first major deal completed in the days leading up to Monday's non-waiver trading deadline.
Cordero was the Rangers' closer until he set a major league record with five blown saves in April, and was replaced in that role by Akinori Otsuka. In his last appearance for Texas, the right-hander allowed four runs in the eighth inning against the New York Yankees on Wednesday night. The right-hander was 7-4 with six saves and a 4.81 ERA in 49 appearances.
Mench is hitting .284 with 12 home runs and 50 RBI, and was 16-for-36 (.444) in his last 10 games for the Rangers. Earlier this season, Mench set a club record with home runs in seven straight games, one short of the major league record but the most by a right-handed hitter.
Nix has been in the minor leagues since batting .094 (3-for-32) in nine games in April.
Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin didn't immediately respond to a message left on his cell phone by The Associated Press, but the Brewers scheduled an afternoon news conference.
Melvin said in recent weeks that the team was leaning toward keeping Lee and trying to sign him as a free agent -- something they theoretically could still do in the offseason -- but would listen if the right offer came along.
The Brewers got it from Texas.
Mench and Nix were both drafted by the Rangers when Melvin was their GM from October 1994 through the 2001 season, a stretch when Texas made its only three playoff appearances.
Melvin also acquired Cordero for Texas in a nine-player deal that sent two-time AL MVP Juan Gonzalez to Detroit after the 1999 season.
Trading Lee also made sense for the budget-conscious Brewers because they have several highly regarded young outfield prospects -- although Cruz was considered the most promising.
The Brewers lost the last two games of a three-game home series against Pittsburgh earlier this week and entered play Friday six games out of the National League wild card. They were tied with Houston in the wild card standings with five teams ahead of them.
Cruz was the Brewers' minor league player of the year last season. He has spent this season at Triple-A Nashville, where he hit .302 with 22 doubles, 20 home runs, 73 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 104 games.