Attrition By Addition: Cubs' Foes Continue Adding Mediocre Players

The Cubs might be best served staying put.

Yesterday, a one-year contract was finalized between the Houston Astros and starter Mike Hampton worth $2 million. The Astros re-signed reliever Doug Brocail on Tuesday to a one-year deal that has a club option for 2010.

This morning it has been reported that the St. Louis Cardinals are in the process of moving two relievers to the San Diego Padres for shortstop Khalil Greene. The Cardinals signed reliever Trevor Miller away from Tampa Bay earlier this week.

Thus far this offseason, the players being added in the National League Central are far from names that make a Cubs fan worry about the 2009 season.

Indeed, the biggest deal that has taken place in the NL this winter to date was the Atlanta Braves acquiring pitchers Boone Logan and Javier Vazquez from the White Sox.

In doing so, the Braves would appear to have handicapped themselves in the future; the finalized deal with the White Sox is sending catcher Tyler Flowers, shortstop Brent Lillibridge, third baseman Jon Gilmore and pitcher Santos Rodriguez to the Sox. Flowers and Gilmore were considered "the next generation of Braves," with Gilmore once being labeled as Chipper Jones' replacement at third base.

So what does this all mean to the Cubs?

It would appear the Astros and Cardinals have specific plans in place for their offseasons. While the Hampton signing is of little consequence, it is still $2 million on a middle market team's bottom line they can't spend on someone else in a rough financial climate. And while Miller had a good season in Tampa last year, the left hander is 35 years old and last year was his best.

Greene is an intriguing addition for the Cardinals. As a Cubs fan, I'm happy initially because there had been rumors for the last three years that Jim Hendry wanted to acquire the Spicoli-looking shortstop. I'm also thrilled that an underachieving player with a past filled with injuries is heading to a rival. Greene hit only .213 last year before an injury ended his season at 100 games.

What makes Greene an interesting move for St. Louis is that he has already turned down a four-year deal from the Padres and is scheduled to become a free agent after 2009. The Red Birds haven't had a long-term answer at short since Ozzie Smith left, and might not have one again in Greene. David Eckstein was as close as they've come to a regular shortstop, and he bounced out of the Gateway City for more money. Greene stands to have the same options in 12 months.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee has done nothing but offer CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets arbitration.

The Reds biggest move this offseason has been former Cubs manager Dusty Baker saying he wanted to manage Kerry Wood again, while Adam Dunn leaves town and takes the lion's share of the Reds offense with him.

And the Pirates have...continued to be the Pittsburgh Pirates.

So far, by keeping Ryan Dempster in the mix and adding a relatively inexpensive closer to the mix in Kevin Gregg, the Cubs have certainly not made a major mistake. Allowing Wood to leave may prove to be a substantial loss both in the production of the bullpen as well as in the court of public opinion, but a full season from Gregg, Jeff Samardzija and Carlos Marmol in new roles still has the potential for good things.

Once the Winter Meetings begin on Dec. 8 in Las Vegas everyone will begin to know more about who is getting traded and signed. But so far, the Cubs look to be doing the best by doing the least.