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With Heyward signing, Chicago Cubs show they're not standing pat

Good organizations don't stand pat or rest on their laurels, even after enjoying success.

That's my main take-away from the Chicago Cubs' 2015-16 off-season, an off-season that may include even more big moves.

After their recent signings of pitcher John Lackey and infielder Ben Zobrist and the trade of infielder Starlin Castro to the Yankees, the Cubs lowered the boom Friday by agreeing on a free-agent contract with outfielder Jason Heyward, who played the 2015 season with their Gateway Arch rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals.

Baseball sources confirmed the agreement, which is contingent on Heyward passing a physical exam. For that reason, Cubs officials cannot comment on the deal.

Heyward is a right fielder by trade but he has played center field, and he may do so again with the Cubs. He still could end up in right if the Cubs trade current right fielder Jorge Soler for pitching as the Cubs are not done seeking help in that area.

In getting the 26-year-old Heyward, the Cubs beat out the Cardinals and the Washington Nationals and may not have had the highest bid. That may be a testament to team president Theo Epstein, general manager Jed Hoyer and field manager Joe Maddon in selling Heyward (and other players) on the Cubs, Wrigley Field and Chicago.

Reports have the Heyward deal at eight years and $184 million. Initial speculation had Heyward commanding upward of $200 over 10 years. Other reports say Heyward has multiple opt-out possibilities in the deal, including one after his first three years with the Cubs. It also appears the Cubs' business-operations department stepped up big time in finding money to afford this winter's spending spree when it looked like the baseball-side budget originally might not have provided such freedom.

The Cubs were a 97-win team last season, and they beat the Pirates in the wild-card game and the Cardinals in the division series before falling in four straight to the New York Mets in the National League championship series.

The future looked bright enough with that team, but instead of coming back with that bunch entirely intact, the Cubs did more than tweak. They made significant changes while keeping their core of young players.

Lackey adds depth to a starting rotation that was perilously thin after ace Jake Arrieta and lefty Jon Lester, last year's big free-agent signing.

While it might have been a little painful to trade longtime Cub Castro, they obtained pitching depth in Adam Warren, and the trade enabled them to sign versatile veteran Zobrist, who may be the opening-day leadoff man if Heyward doesn't bat first and play center field.

In Heyward, the Cubs are getting a player who put up a batting line of .293/.359/.439 with 13 home runs and 60 RBI in 2015, his first and only season in St. Louis after being traded from the Atlanta Braves.

For his six-year career, Heyward has a line of .268/.353/.431 with 97 home runs and 352 RBI.

The Cubs got an eyeful of Heyward in his major-league debut, on April 5, 2010. After the Cubs had taken a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a home run by Marlon Byrd, Heyward highlighted a 6-run bottom of the first by homering in his first big-league at-bat, which came against Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano.

Heyward had his biggest season in 2012, when he hit 27 homers and drove in 82 for the Braves.

With Heyward facing free agency after this season and the Braves heading toward a rebuilding program, Atlanta traded him to the Cardinals.

Interestingly, had the Braves waited until the middle of April in 2010 for Heyward to make his debut - as the Cubs did this year with rookie third baseman Bryant - they could have gotten an extra year before he attained free-agent status.

The Cubs have dealt a double body-blow to the Cardinals this winter, signing away two of their most valuable players in Lackey and Heyward. The Cardinals won the NL Central this season with 100 victories before falling in four games in the division series, with Lackey beating Lester in Game 1 at St. Louis.

• Follow Bruce's baseball reports on Twitter @BruceMiles2112.

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