Besides Estes, Cubs general manager Jim Hendry spent his Sunday atthe winter meetings talking with the Kansas City Royals about tradingfor third baseman Joe Randa and visiting with representatives forfree-agent outfielders John Vander Wal, Troy O'Leary and ToddHollandsworth.
In addition, he explored bringing back left-handed reliever MarkGuthrie after the former Cub went 5-3 with a 2.44 ERA last season forthe New York Mets. But getting a left-handed starter such as Estescould be an important shift in a rotation that has been lacking thatthreat.
But Estes must improve off last season's combined record of 5-12with a 5.10 ERA for the Mets and Cincinnati Reds. But manager DustyBaker had Estes in San Francisco and believes he can help reverse hiscourse and return the lefty to a solid starter.
Estes had been lumped with free-agent left-handed starter BrianAnderson as possible targets, but the Cubs have decided to move Estesahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks' Anderson in their thinking.
"We explored some things today possibly involving a trade and left-handed pitching," Hendry said.
There wasn't any strong movement forward in Hendry's negotiationswith agent Jeff Moorad over acquiring catcher Ivan Rodriguez. Infact, the Cubs are starting to drop hints that maybe Chicago fansmight not want to get too excited about that happening. It might notbe feasible is the kind of couched language coming out of the Cubs'camp.
The Cubs emphasized that they are still willing to discuss thematter with Moorad, but Rodriguez is not being hotly pursued by themas much as he is being pondered. During their meeting Sunday, Mooradpresented Hendry with a series of conceptual ideas on how the Cubsmight be willing to fit Rodriguez into their budget. Hendry still hadto sit down and thoroughly pore over the detailed proposal, eventhough it didn't have financial specifics.
"In fairness to everyone, once I read through Jeff's stuff andmaybe talk to him again, there would be a possibility that it couldwork or it couldn't in the next couple of days," Hendry said.
The problem is simple. Moorad has a client in Rodriguez who oncewas rumored to be someone who might command major money, perhaps asmuch as $13 million to $15 million a year. Instead, Rodriguez will belucky to get a three-year deal for $24 million. Some think he mightfall as low as $6million a year.
That's hard for Rodriguez to accept and Moorad to explain to hisclient. Moorad contends he has clubs interested beyond the BaltimoreOrioles and Cubs. But the fact he won't name them raises questions ofwhether they exist. That same tactic was tried by Moorad in Baker'snegotiations with the Cubs, and that mystery club was a clearfabrication.
The Cubs know Moorad needs time to accept what the market is andfind out what's possible. That's why Hendry is suddenly casting a lowprofile on his discussions regarding Rodriguez.
"There will be something within the next week," Moorad said, "andpossibly the next few days."
Montreal Expos general manager Omar Minaya spoke briefly withHendry on Sunday, but there was no word of any progress in the Cubs'pursuit of pitcher Javier Vazquez and catcher/third baseman MichaelBarrett.
In fact, Barrett now seems an unlikely pickup for the Cubs becauseMinaya is asking too much in return. The Cubs are not expecting toget Barrett, as hoped, unless Minaya drastically drops his price.
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