Derrek Lee expressed optimism that he and the Cubs were closing in on a contract extension agreement, possibly as soon as today. "From what I'm hearing, it sounds like we are getting close,'' Lee said Sunday. "They are just trying to sort things through.'' If negotiations between general manager Jim Hendry and Lee's agent, Casey Close, hit a last-minute snag, Lee won't let talks go too long without a resolution. He doesn't want to be distracted during the season. "If there is a gap and things aren't working out, I'm not going to continue to go back-and-forth,'' Lee said. "But if we have to finish it up, it's OK to go a little bit. If it starts dragging, you put it off until after the season.''