Today's most interesting Cub-related news comes from a report filed by Bruce Levine, which says that Derrek Lee isn't interested in negotiating a contract extension during the season.

That line of discussion raises a question: should the Cubs be interested in negotiating a contract extension for Lee at all?

Sure, there are enough reasons to support investigating what it would take to bring Derrek back. He's a fantastic hitter, an annual Gold Glove candidate, and perhaps most importantly, the closest thing this team has had over the past decade to a bona fide clubhouse leader. Lee is soft-spoken, mature, and as far as I can tell an all-around upstanding guy.

He was also an absolute beast in 2009. He truly carried the team, with a .306/.393/.579 slash line that somehow understates his contributions over the course of an extremely tough season (I mean, when Aramis was injured, did he ever have any sort of protection in the lineup?).

However...

Like it or not, there are other factors that might suggest the Cubs might be better off going a different route at first base.

Perhaps the most obvious is Lee's age. At 35, Derrek's best days as a hitter are likely behind him. Lee defied logic last year, turning in one of his best offensive seasons ever, just a year after posting one of the lowest slugging percentages of his career. Even in this deflated market, a hitter of Lee's stature will likely demand at least a two-year deal worth a total of $20 million or more; we'll see what sort of preview his 2010 campaign provides for his likely future production. And oh, don't forget the trouble Lee's neck has given him lately -- it's so bad that a celebratory helmet slap kept him out of at least one game last year.

Then there's the team's status, both long-term and short-term.

Short-term: the team continues to lack a left-handed RBI producer. First base is probably the easiest place to hide a big bat with lackluster defense. If the team continues to be interested in adding a lefty bat to the lineup (admittedly, maybe they're not), 1B might be the easiest place to do that.

Long-term: this team's finances are, in a word, crippling. Soriano, Zambrano, Ramirez, Dempster, and Fukudome are all owed plenty of money. Does it make sense to guarantee another eight-figure sum of money to an older player? If the team underwhelms again in 2010, do we consider the window on this group of players to be closed, and try to build around younger players like Soto, Castro, et al?

It's a tough spot, and probably one of the most important story lines going into next season. Cub fans know: with Lee, it's not just about OPS and wins above replacement. Lee's a leader. If you believe at all in intangible value in baseball, then you better believe that Lee meant more to last year's team than 35 home runs and a .306 batting average.

How the Cubs handle Lee's contract situation will say a lot about how this team plans on approaching the next few years.