Schuster: Cubs And Sox Are Quiet So Far
By David Schuster-
DALLAS (CBS) A lot of talk on day one at the Winter Meetings down here in Dallas but no action for either the Cubs or Sox... yet.
Theo Epstein admitted that he spoke with the agent for Albert Pujols but was also quick to point out the agent also represents Rodrigo Lopez who Epstein says he wants back for next season.
Epstein said the Cubs continue to do their due diligence and get a lay of the land.
"I think every day that goes by down here you get a better feel for the landscape, what's possible and what's not," he said. "You can't decide what you want to do until you know what you can do and that's the stage we're in right now."
In other words he'll ask the agents for Pujols and Prince Fielder for their asking prices and then likely decide to go in another direction. That direction has to be pitching and Epstein has spoken with the agent for C.J. Wilson but Wilson is asking for a six- year contract and that should end any conversations right there. More realistic is a signing of Mark Buehrle who is looking for a three-year deal but there is a ton of competition for the left-handed pitcher.
Speaking of Buehrle, Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is here at the meetings and Buehrle won't sign with anybody else until he goes back to Reinsdorf for one more chat.
Reinsdorf might be waiting to see what other moves Kenny Williams makes before deciding to see if it's smart to sign Buehrle to one more contract. Williams was not scheduled to arrive until Monday night but has been working the phones remotely.
The Sox G.M. has dangled just about everybody on his roster and the expectations are that he will make a deal or two before the meetings end on Thursday.
And then there is new Sox Manager Robin Ventura who curiously has not spoken to hardly any of his players yet. You would think that would have been his first chore on the job. But, maybe he is under orders not to reach out to those players because his G.M. said they might not be here after a few more days.
