Derrek Lee (right) walks away from Carlos Zambrano after their dugout incident June 25. (Chris Sweda/Tribune)
By Paul Sullivan
Derrek Lee said Friday he holds no grudge against Carlos Zambrano for their dugout incident that led to Zambrano's suspension and subsequent anger management therapy.
In his first interview about the incident, Lee declined to say whether he's spoken to Zambrano since the June 25 outburst, but said he expects Zambrano will be accepted back by all of his teammates when he returns from his minor league rehab stint.
"It's going to be fine," Lee said. "He's going to come back and help us. Now it's in the past. It's over with and we'll all be fine."
The laid-back Lee never has been in a situation like that with a
teammate, but spoke up in the dugout when the tantrum Zambrano staged to
allegedly "pump up" the team got too personal. They engaged in a
shouting match that has been replayed dozens of times since.
"You always want to get along with all your teammates," Lee said. ""It's not a fun situation, but it happens. You deal with it and move on."
The day before the incident, Zambrano and Lee were joking around in the Cubs' clubhouse in Seattle. They never had been at odds before, and Lee even stuck up for Zambrano after Cubs fans booed him off the mound one day in 2007.
"The guy has been my teammate since I've been here in '04," Lee said. "Carlos and I are friends. It's like family. You argue with the family, and you get over it."
Lee has been the subject of trade rumors, but has a no-trade clause that he has not been asked to waive thus far. He denied a FoxSports.com report that said his "friends" believe he would waive the clause for the right team.
"I didn't tell him that," Lee said. "I would bet that not one of my friends knows who (the reporter) is. I'm not trying to be mean, but that's not a true statement."
Lee said no one outside his family knows his feelings about the no-trade clause, which he called a "private matter."
"You always want to get along with all your teammates," Lee said. ""It's not a fun situation, but it happens. You deal with it and move on."
The day before the incident, Zambrano and Lee were joking around in the Cubs' clubhouse in Seattle. They never had been at odds before, and Lee even stuck up for Zambrano after Cubs fans booed him off the mound one day in 2007.
"The guy has been my teammate since I've been here in '04," Lee said. "Carlos and I are friends. It's like family. You argue with the family, and you get over it."
Lee has been the subject of trade rumors, but has a no-trade clause that he has not been asked to waive thus far. He denied a FoxSports.com report that said his "friends" believe he would waive the clause for the right team.
"I didn't tell him that," Lee said. "I would bet that not one of my friends knows who (the reporter) is. I'm not trying to be mean, but that's not a true statement."
Lee said no one outside his family knows his feelings about the no-trade clause, which he called a "private matter."
They sure look like they aren't talking in this picture. Mr.'s Hendry and Piniella should sit both of them down and explain to them that a World Series is on the line for our great city. Start being nice to each other because we need both of you to behave during any celebration that will take place. I can't wait. I'm getting a new fedora for the occasion. Go Cubbies!