LESS ACTIVE BUT STILL ON LOOKOUT
Cubs plan to be quieter at winter meetings than they were last year, when they combined two offseasons’ worth of acquisitions into one because of the stronger free- agent market and their competitive position
Things to keep an eye on
1. Trade market for starting pitching: This is where the Cubs are focusing their efforts. They would like to acquire a starting pitcher with multiple years of club control for a rotation that might face major upheaval after 2017, when Jake Arrieta and John Lackey become eligible for free agency. But don’t bother looking at the White Sox as a potential trade partner, the Cubs say. Could they pluck a young starter, such as Chris Archer, from manager Joe Maddon’s former Rays team? Could they end up relying on their fallback position of left- hander Mike Montgomery, whom they acquired from the Mariners in July?
2. Free- agent market for relievers: In an ideal world, the Cubs would re- sign Aroldis Chapman at a bargain rate or steal away Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen for a good deal. More likely, the Dodgers, Yankees, Giants and possibly the Nationals will spend big to win a musical- chairs game for those free- agent closers or Mark Melancon. But don’t count out the Cubs from making a significant move beyond their $ 2 million deal Friday with left- hander Brian Duensing in a market that already netted lefty Brett Cecil a four- year, $ 30.5 million deal from the Cardinals.
3. Young hitters/ trade chips: No, this doesn’t include Kyle Schwarber or Javy Baez. But look for underperforming outfielder Jorge Soler to be shopped ( again) for pitching, along with 2015 first- round pick Ian Happ, a promising switch hitter who has yet to prove he has the defensive tools to handle an every- day big- league position.