Derrek Lee is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major League Baseball (MLB) for 15 seasons. He was born on September 6, 1975, in Sacramento, California, and attended El Camino Fundamental High School in Sacramento. Lee was a standout athlete in high school, excelling in both baseball and basketball. He was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the first round of the 1993 MLB draft but did not sign with the team.
Instead, Lee chose to attend the University of California, Berkeley, where he played college baseball for the California Golden Bears. He was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year in 1995 and was drafted by the Padres again in the first round of the 1996 MLB draft. This time, Lee signed with the team and began his professional baseball career.
Lee made his MLB debut with the Padres in 1997 and played with the team for three seasons before being traded to the Florida Marlins in 1998. He played with the Marlins for five seasons and was a key player on the team that won the World Series in 2003. Lee was named the National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) that year.
After the 2003 season, Lee was traded to the Chicago Cubs, where he played for seven seasons. He had some of the best years of his career with the Cubs, including a career-high 46 home runs in 2005. Lee was named to the National League All-Star team three times while playing for the Cubs.
In 2010, Lee was traded to the Atlanta Braves, where he played for the remainder of the season. He signed with the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent in 2011 but was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates midway through the season. Lee announced his retirement from baseball in November 2011.
Over the course of his career, Lee was known for his excellent defense at first base and his ability to hit for power. He finished his career with a .281 batting average, 331 home runs, and 1,078 runs batted in (RBIs). Lee was also a two-time Gold Glove Award winner for his defensive play at first base.
In addition to his success on the field, Lee was also known for his charitable work off the field. He established the Derrek Lee Foundation in 2006, which provides support to children and families affected by leukemia and other cancers.
Overall, Derrek Lee had a successful career in the MLB, playing for several teams and earning numerous accolades. He was a key player on the Marlins team that won the World Series in 2003 and had some of his best years with the Cubs. Lee was also known for his excellent defense at first base and his charitable work off the field.
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