Roberts Cubs' top target

Spring training opens in less than four weeks, but the Cubs insist they're still trying to add players.

Even after a flurry of misinformation last week when a deal was supposedly done, second baseman Brian Roberts of the Baltimore Orioles remains general manager Jim Hendry's top target. However, the ponderous Orioles front office still hasn't decided whether to move Roberts.

Insiders say Orioles baseball chief Andy MacPhail (the former Cubs president) is looking first to move left-handed pitcher Erik Bedard before turning his attention to Roberts. The Cubs aren't a player in the Bedard derby, and they'll have competition when and if MacPhail and Orioles owner Peter Angelos decide to move Roberts.

"I don't get into other teams' players," Hendry said Wednesday. "We're going to try to be real aggressive the next three to four weeks before camp and come up with somebody else who can help us before we get there."

The switch-hitting Roberts is a high on-base player. If the Cubs were to obtain him, they could move the versatile Mark DeRosa around to play second base, first base, third base, the outfield and possibly a little shortstop.

"Jim's still trying to do a thing or two more," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella. "We'll see what happens on that front. If we don't, I like our baseball team, and we're going to play quite well."

Piniella reiterated the organization's stance that the pursuit of Roberts in no way reflects negatively on DeRosa, who had a nice .371 OBP and 10 homers last year.

"I'm perfectly content, and I said that to Jim about Mark," Piniella said. "He played very well for us last year. He hit .290, had a good on-base percentage, hit 10 home runs with 70-some RBIs. I was very happy.

"When we signed him (last winter), we talked about moving him around a little bit. But let me tell you this: If we went to camp just the way we are with Mark at second base, that's fine with me."

Theriot makes changes: Shortstop Ryan Theriot looked to be in strong physical shape Wednesday when he arrived for the Cubs' caravan.

Theriot won the starting job early last season but faded down the stretch, hitting .202 in September. He wound up with a .266 average and an OBP of .326. The Cubs say Theriot is their man this year, but he may move from second to eighth in the order.

"I've made some changes in my play this off-season, and hopefully I can continue that same pace that I had early," he said. "Honestly, I think a lot of it is two or three inches one way or another and we're not even talking about this right now. I felt great all year.

"But I did do a few things different this off-season, just swinging the bat more."

Catch this: Geovany Soto also looks to be in good shape. The Cubs have penciled Soto in as their starting catcher for this year after he tore it up for Class AAA Iowa last year and won a spot on the Cubs' postseason roster.

"It feels good," Soto said. "I'm just going in with the same mentality that's been working for me the last couple of years, just going to spring training and fighting for your position. That's a big thing."

Soto belted 26 homers and drove in a league-leading 109 runs for Iowa last year before hitting 3 homers at batting .389 in 18 games for the Cubs.

"I put in an incredible season at Triple-A," he said. "I came up and helped the club, I think. I went to the playoffs and did a pretty good job. I can't relax on that. I've got to keep improving my game and proving that I'm the guy.

"I wanted to get into a little bit better shape. I can't really rush it, and by Opening Day, I'll be where I want to be."