Hendry happy if forecast calls for flurry of trades

Cubs general manager Jim Hendry would love nothing more than a "throwback" winter meetings, full of wheeling and dealing in the trade market.

He may get his wish this year.

With an overall weak crop of free agents and baseball feeling the effects of the recession, clubs may be willing to create some semblance of the old-fashioned swap meet when they begin gathering today in Indianapolis for the winter meetings.

Hendry got a jump on things last week, sending Jake Fox and Aaron Miles to Oakland for reliever Jeff Gray and a pair of prospects.

"I hope so," Hendry said of making more trades. "I always like the trade-market possibilities. I enjoy that part of it a lot. Plus, it gives you a chance, at least incrementally, to make your club better. We certainly have had enough time in the off-season to continue the process of evaluating where we can get a little better and where can eliminate some of the negatives and add to the areas where we can get better.

"From that part of it, I like it, just like the trade (last week), I think that's what a lot of the business is all about. There's no bad scenario for anyone in that trade. That's a good thing - good for players. It's good for the other team, too, good for us. That's what you like to do."

Aside from the fun of it, Hendry would like to explore trade avenues because his team is not in the market for any big-ticket free agents. And he's up against it budget wise.

Of course, the No. 1 topic among most Cubs fans these days is Milton Bradley.

Hendry won't publicly discuss trade talks surrounding the embattled right fielder, but Cubs people remain optimistic that at least two teams - most likely Tampa Bay and Texas - still have a high level of interest in Bradley and that the Cubs won't have to eat all of the $21 million Bradley has coming over the next two years.

It may take more than two teams to get everything done, but a three-way deal doesn't have to happen all at once because the Cubs feel they've done their homework on what they and other teams need.

If the Cubs can trade Bradley, they'd love to move Kosuke Fukudome back to right field from center to bolster their outfield defense. From there, they then can explore obtaining a center fielder, either in a trade or by signing a mid-level free agent such as Mike Cameron or Marlon Byrd, both of whom bat right-handed.

The Cubs also would like a right-handed hitting outfielder who can play right field to complement Fukudome, who had only 9 hits in 55 at-bats against left-handed pitching this year.

Left-handed hitting center fielder Rick Ankiel, a free agent of the Cardinals, is not high on the Cubs' priority list at the moment, but that could change depending on how the market develops. David DeJesus of Kansas City, who bats left-handed, also does not appear to be on the Cubs' list.

Hendry feels his starting pitching is OK, even with lefty Ted Lilly likely to miss much of April after recovering from shoulder surgery.

However, Hendry wouldn't mind adding a veteran right-handed reliever to add to a righty bullpen mix that includes Angel Guzman, Justin Berg, Esmailin Caridad, Jeff Stevens, David Patton and possibly Jeff Samardzija, if he does not crack the rotation.