Hendry searches for one more pitcher

The Sun-Times talked to Cubs GM Jim Hendry, and still it appears the plan is to pick up one more starter. While Hendry doesn't mention him by name, Jake Peavy is still widely regarded as the best possible addition to the Cubs starting rotation.

After the Cubs' last deal with Peavy fell through, numerous factors (largely economic) changed, some perhaps making the deal more likely, others making the deal tougher.

The biggest payroll obstacle in taking on the $63 million Peavy is guaranteed for the life of his contract remains the Cubs' 2010 projections. None of the payroll-clearing deals of the last week did anything for 2010, and that means the flexibility to add Peavy probably doesn't exist without a nod from the team's new ownership group.

Selection of a winning bid for the club is said to be close -- perhaps by the end of next week -- and that might be just in time for the Cubs' front office to make a deal before spring training.

Also, the Cubs acquired three well-regarded pitching prospects from the Cleveland Indians in the Mark DeRosa trade last week, giving them deeper reserves of young talent to help pull off a trade.

But the biggest impediment to a deal might be the Padres' willingness to trade their ace, considering their own potential sale to Jeff Moorad's group of investors. Under financial pressures related to a divorce, the Padres' owners had ordered payroll cuts that led to aggressive shopping of Peavy. Some have speculated Moorad won't want to trade one of the team's most valuable commodities.

Other options available?

If Hendry can't land Peavy, plenty of free-agent pitchers remain on the market, although Derek Lowe is pricing himself beyond reason. Productive innings-eaters such as Braden Looper and Tim Redding more likely would fit the Cubs' needs.

Is Looper or Redding really that much better than Sean Marshall/Chad Gaudin/Angel Guzman/whomever else?

Peavy deal not close, Cubs free to add payroll, and the obligatory Blagojevich post

Sources say the Peavy deal is not "close" to being done. Whatever, I'll wait. Give me my Peavy and a lefthanded bat by spring training, and color me satisfied.

Hendry also is not a fan of multi-team deals.

Since he became the Cubs' general manager, Hendry has been involved in one deal involving more than one team, and that was when he acquired Nomar Garciaparra at the Trade Deadline in July 2004.

"We've only made one [multi-team deal] in my GM career, and that was a four-way, and to this day, I'm not quite sure how it happened," Hendry said. "It was a two-way all week, and all of a sudden it became a four. I'm much better served one on one. I'm not quite as efficient as Theo [Epstein] or Billy Beane in multi-tasking, so I keep it as simple as I can."

I'm no GM, but you can hire someone to help you multi-task. Now if you can't wrap your brain around the deal... can't help you with that. Just sayin'.

Team Chairman Crane Kenney says the Cubs ownership situation does not handcuff the Cubs from adding payroll (i.e. signing Peavy).

There have been reports that Cubs general manager Jim Hendry's hands are tied and he cannot add salary, such as the money owed to Jake Peavy, whom the Padres are trying to deal. Peavy will make $11 million in 2009 and is owed $63 million over the next four seasons.

But Kenney said the Cubs don't have to wait for a new owner to make a move.

"All of our efforts here are about improving the team," Kenney said. "If it means a longer-term contract that fits within the budget, then that's what it will be. If it means, as Jim has talked about, multi-team deals, we'll do that. [Hendry and staff] have a very good game plan, and they're executing it. My role here is to make sure that we get as much as we can within the parameters of our budget."

Finally, it's amazing to me that Blagojevich would have used his influence in the sale of Wrigley Field as a bargaining chip to get the Tribune Co. to fire members of the editorial board. I knew the guy was delusional with a ginormous ego, but this is ridiculous. Good riddance.