D. Lee sent to Braves for 3 pitching prospects

According to Derrek Lee, the time was right. The team was right. The trade was right.

So he said yes.

After vetoing a recent trade proposal that would have sent him to the Los Angeles Angels, Lee agreed Monday morning to be traded to the Atlanta Braves.

By Wednesday afternoon, the two teams agreed to a deal that sent the soon-to-be 35-year-old first baseman to the Braves for pitching prospects Robinson Lopez, Tyrelle Harris and Jeffrey Lorick.

The Cubs and Braves will split the approximately $3.4 million left on Lee's deal this season, paying about $1.7 million each.

The trade continues a major roster purge by general manager Jim Hendry, who has traded Lee, Ted Lilly, Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot.

Lee, a world champion with the Florida Marlins in 2003, goes to a Braves team that entered Wednesday atop the National League East by 21/2 games over the Phillies.

"Well, it just felt right," Lee said. "I think the main thing was we've got six weeks to go, and Atlanta's in first place, and they're playing great baseball. I understand what Jim's trying to do. It just felt a right, a chance to go to postseason. It's hard to pass up.

"The timing just didn't seem right then (with L.A.). The Angels were close (in the standings) but not right there. Moving your family for that period of time, this time it seemed like it would work."

Lee will stay in Chicago the next couple of days because the Braves come to Wrigley Field Friday.

"That'll be weird; that'll be really weird," Lee said. "I'm excited. I'm looking forward to it."

The Cubs are in a fire-sale situation because their record is 50-71 after Wednesday's 5-1 loss to the San Diego Padres. Hendry is seeking to move as much payroll off the team as he can to save a few million dollars for next year as the Cubs again seek to rebuild.

Hendry has insisted the Cubs are not in a major rebuilding program even though they have 10 rookies on their roster now. The Braves scouted Lee over the weekend in St. Louis in the wake of them losing infielder Chipper Jones to injury.

Lee had veto power over any trade because he has at least 10 years in the major leagues and five with one club. Hendry approached him about the deal Sunday night. Lee said yes Monday afternoon.

"He's had a tremendous career here," said Hendry, who got Lee in a trade with the Marlins in November 2003. "Except for the year with his wrist injury (2006), he's performed like an all-star player and an all-star teammate and an all-star to deal with from the front-office side.

"Certainly, it's unfortunate we've gotten ourselves in a spot we're in now, and obviously (we are) looking forward to the off-season and working toward next year. - He and I talked about it last month when the other trade possibility arose that none of us thought this (a poor season) was going happen this year. We really didn't. We thought we left camp in a situation to be able to contend, maybe tinker here or there like you have to do during the year.

"Our lack of success, I think, caught everyone by surprise, and I think Derrek certainly didn't want to leave in the past."

Lee, who had an outstanding season last year, struggled this season with a .251 batting average, 16 home runs, 56 RBI and .416 slugging percentage.

He has been bothered by a bulging disc in his lower back, for which he took an injection Monday. As far as his Chicago experience, he described it as positive. The Cubs made the playoffs in 2007 and 2008, but were swept in the first round each year.

"I had a great time here," he said. "I grew as a player. I grew as a person. We didn't achieve the ultimate goal, coming here. It just seemed like we were going to get a championship, so that part's disappointing. But the rest of my experience was nothing but positive. My family enjoyed it here. Wrigley Field, playing in front of these fans, was great on a daily basis. Just a great experience."

The Cubs are on pace to lose 95 games with a rookie-laden roster. Hendry was asked what he'd say to the fans who have to watch this product the rest of the way.

"I think a lot of the fan base understands that you've got to find more about the people that we have before you move forward," Hendry said. "We have a history of having a bad year and fixing it rather quickly and rebounding. We're going to be in the middle in the next couple months of having a new manager come in after Lou (Piniella) has retired. We've got a lot of work to do. I think most people realized a few weeks back or a month back that we weren't going to be a postseason club this year. I think, for the most part, people should be excited the way we're going to be moving forward."