Slow and Steady... But Is The Player Market Passing The Cubs By?

In the 40 hours or so since the conclusion of the World Series, four trades have sent nine Major Leaguers to new teams. Eight players filed for free agency, and two more were released by their 2009 organizations.

Milton Bradley, however, remains a Cub.

This is not yet a critical failing on the part of Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry. The key word, however, is "yet."

Cubs fans have seen this movie before. In the winter of 2004-05, Hendry dragged his feet and over-thought the necessary dumping of disgraced slugger and clubhouse pariah Sammy Sosa, hemming and hawing into early February before unloading Sosa on the Baltimore Orioles, getting far below market value even for the controversial and aging right fielder, and derailing the Cubs' off-season by putting a number of other needs on hold until it was too late fill them. The 2005 Cubs went 79-83.

Bradley, according to reports by everyone from FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal to the Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan, has generated much higher levels of interest than the average fan might expect. If that's true, Hendry can afford to wait until next week's GM meetings, here in Chicago, before pulling the trigger on the Bradley deal.

But if the saga stretches any further into the winter, Bradley will only get harder to move, and uncertainty over how much of his 2010 salary Hendry's Cubs will have to eat will tie the general manager's hands in an active market.

Given the number of needs the Cubs still need to fill (another arm for the bullpen, a center fielder, a second baseman, and new hitters for the first and fifth spots in the order, plus a right-handed complement to Kosuke Fukudome in right field), the organization cannot afford hesitation.

Good fits like Mark Teahen, J.J. Hardy, and Akinori Iwamura are already off the table. Settling the question of whether he would exercise his 2010 player option, Jon Garland filed for free agency Thursday. Dan Uggla may be the next big name to move at the GM's meetings, and if Hendry has moved Bradley by then, he will know if he has the flexibility to add the slugger and his $7-8 million 2010 salary.

The specific names he can or cannot acquire, however, is less important than the principle: the devil you know is better than the devil you don't. Hendry must be careful to get to know the devil of his 2010 contract obligations to Bradley as soon as possible. if he doesn't, 79-83 is just waiting to victimize the Cubs again in 2010.

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