[DaveWadding]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2674398

Source: Astros sign Lee to six-year, $100M deal

ESPN.com news services

Carlos Lee is staying in Texas, but not with the Rangers. Carlos Lee Left Field Texas Rangers Profile 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM HR RBI R OBP AVG 161 37 116 102 .355 .300 A source told ESPN's Jayson Stark that the Houston Astros were set to announce Friday afternoon that they have signed the free-agent slugger to a six-year, $100 million deal. The only significant non-monetary clause in the contract is that Lee will have a complete no-trade clause for the first four years of the contract and a limited no-trade for the final two years. The Astros were one of several teams bidding for Lee, joining the Philadelphia Phillies, who failed to land Alfonso Soriano; Baltimore Orioles, who Stark previously reported had made serious overtures to Lee; and San Francisco Giants. "We're in the mix, definitely," Orioles vice president Jim Duquette said Tuesday. Lee batted .300 with 37 homers, 116 RBI and 19 steals with Texas and Milwaukee this year. "He's a nice-looking player, someone who would definitely draw some interest," Phillies GM Pat Gillick said Monday, adding he has spoken to Lee's representatives. Lee earned $8.5 million last season. Soriano's deal with the Chicago Cubs, which averages $17 million per year. The 30-year-old outfielder has averaged 33 homers and 111 RBI over the last four seasons. He's also been durable, having played at least 150 games in six of his eight seasons in the majors. Lee is listed at 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds and there have been questions about him being out of shape, but Gillick said his size isn't a concern. "Lee is a heck of an athlete," Gillick said. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.