12-13-2008, 12:12 PM
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->But Bradley has been the Cubs' top target since at least the early part of the winter meetings. And by the time the team left the meetings in Las Vegas on Thursday night, they knew Ibanez was headed elsewhere, making Bradley a singular priority.
Leaving the Bellagio Hotel on Thursday afternoon, one Cubs official said Bradley was the team's next focus, and one of Bradley's representatives said Friday morning that the Cubs were at the top of Bradley's list.
As for how many years and what kind of contract it would take, Bradley's rep said it was too early to say. But the Ibanez signing, even more than the deal that top-of-the-market hitter Mark Teixeira lands, figures to influence at least the pace of the Cubs-Bradley talks.
The Cubs weren't believed to have made a formal offer to Bradley as the meetings concluded Thursday, and general manager Jim Hendry spent Friday taking care of business involving arbitration-eligible players at the contract-tender deadline.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Link.
Leaving the Bellagio Hotel on Thursday afternoon, one Cubs official said Bradley was the team's next focus, and one of Bradley's representatives said Friday morning that the Cubs were at the top of Bradley's list.
As for how many years and what kind of contract it would take, Bradley's rep said it was too early to say. But the Ibanez signing, even more than the deal that top-of-the-market hitter Mark Teixeira lands, figures to influence at least the pace of the Cubs-Bradley talks.
The Cubs weren't believed to have made a formal offer to Bradley as the meetings concluded Thursday, and general manager Jim Hendry spent Friday taking care of business involving arbitration-eligible players at the contract-tender deadline.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Link.