The Milwaukee Brewers exercised their club option on All-Star slugger Carlos Lee for next season Thursday. Lee, who will make $8.5 million, hit .265 last season with career highs of 32 home runs and 114 RBI. "This was not a difficult decision for us to make," general manager Doug Melvin said. "Carlos filled our greatest need last year by excelling in production from the middle of our order." The Brewers acquired Lee from the Chicago White Sox in 2004 for outfielder Scott Podsednik, pitcher Luis Vizcaino and a minor league player.