When Ryan Dempster signed his four-year $52 million contract yesterday, Cubs GM Jim Hendry might as well have held up a giant sign towards San Diego which said, "Thanks, but no thanks."
With Dempster locked up, it is not surprising that trade talks between San Diego and Atlanta have heated up once again, as trading for former Cy Young winner Jake Peavy becomes an unlikely move for the North Siders.
Dempster, if he can come close to repeating last season's surprising success in his return to the rotation, gives the Cubs four solid starters. With the possible addition of Cub-killer Randy Johnson, whose agent contacted the Cubs earlier this week, Sean Marshall, Jason Marquis and Rich Hill all battling for the fifth spot in the rotation, the Baby Bears are in a position most teams would envy—an over abundance of starting pitching.
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With the rotation rounding into form, the highest priority becomes finding a left-handed outfield bat to take over for the disappointing Kosuke Fukudome.
Reports following the Coco Crisp trade to Kansas City are that the Royals are close to sending either David DeJesus or Mark Teahan to the North Side. The deal would likely include one of the Cubs starters, with Marshall being the most probable as the Cubs have been shopping him heavily this offseason.
Either of the Royals would be a solid addition, as it would allow the Cubs to move Mark DeRosa into the second base slot full-time.
If the trade with the Royals becomes a reality, expect the Cubs to be relatively inactive during free agency as Hendry and manager Lou Pinella seem intent on building the bullpen from inside the organization.
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