Bradley trade is hot topic for Cubs

INDIANAPOLIS - Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said he met with five or six clubs Monday at the winter meetings.

Of course, the topic everyone wants to inquire about is right fielder Milton Bradley, whom Hendry will trade one way or another this off-season, whether it's this week or later.

"I think we feel good," Hendry said without getting specific. "We feel like avenues are continuing to get more, I wouldn't call it intense, but more active. We did have some options today that we discussed with some teams that we hadn't before. You don't want to predict deals or no deals, but I think we feel comfortable there are ways we can make our ballclub better, as we've discussed all winter.

"Progress is hard to judge. I did feel there was sustained interest from the clubs we talked about (last week), or the same level of interest. Nobody seemed to be going in different directions. We made some inquiries to teams we hadn't talked to before today, too, about some long-range possibilities."

Trading Bradley remains the top priority, and the Cubs had to shoot down one rumor that surfaced early Monday that a deal was done. There also had been talk that the New York Mets might be interested in trading for Bradley and not merely acting as a conduit in a three-way deal with Tampa Bay, but that seems a long shot.

Tampa Bay and Texas remain the two most likely landing spots for Bradley, who has $21 million coming over the next two years.

After that, the Cubs can concentrate on signing a free-agent center fielder such as Mike Cameron, Marlon Byrd or Rick Ankiel.

While that's going on, Hendry will continue to look for an experienced right-handed reliever. One name that appears out of the picture in that scenario is San Diego's Heath Bell, who figures to be in line for a large payday after saving 42 games for the Padres.

The Cubs reiterated they'll stick with Carlos Marmol as their closer.

As far as Bradley goes, field manager Lou Piniella said he has not spoken with Bradley since the Cubs suspended him for the season in September for conduct detrimental to the team. However, Piniella chose his words carefully, so as not to further diminish Bradley's trade value or the Cubs' bargaining position.

"Look, that's not my department," Piniella said. "But I'll tell you this: Milton played 125 - I don't remember the exact amount, but he played in quite a few games for us.

"I actually reached out to about five of our players, mostly about their families than anything else. But no, I haven't talked to him."

The Cubs would prefer another left-handed hitting outfielder if all things were equal. Cameron bats right-handed, and Piniella managed him in Seattle.

"Well, as a player and a person I have the utmost respect for him," Piniella said. "I had him in Seattle and got along with him very well. He can play. He likes to play."

On his own situation, Piniella joked that he was going to get a 15-year contract extension. The Cubs made the playoffs in Piniella's first two years as manager, but they fell short this season even though they posted a winning record.

"I think it's challenging anywhere," he said. "People don't realize, it's hard to win, period. It's not easy. We've had three winning seasons since I've been there in Chicago, two divisional titles. But we haven't had success in the postseason. That probably has been my biggest disappointment.

"Last year, look, if somebody told any of us that we were going to have your top people out for 30 days or more, as many as we had, you'd say, 'ouch.' I think you take away top people from any team, there's going to be a drop-off. If we stay healthy this year, we do a few things over the winter, we'll get it done in Chicago again this summer."

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