The Chicago Cubs trading for Derrek Lee prior to the 2004 season turned into one of the best moves the team has made in recent memory. The deal paid immediate dividends, as Lee batted .278 with 32 home runs and 98 RBI in 2004, while bringing above-average defense to first base. Lee was a solid player, but no one could have predicted the incredible season he would have at age 29 one year later.
In many ways, the 2005 season was a forgettable one for the Cubs. A year after their late-season collapse in the National League Wild Card race – and two years after coming within one game of the National League pennant – the team finished 79-83.