Winter Meetings Day One...

Here is some notes from day one-

TOP NEWS!!!!!- Ryne Sandberg will be the new manager of the Iowa Cubs in 2010. He will replace Bobby Dickerson who will be a roving minor-league infield coordinator. This is big for Sandberg and the Cubs. With Ryno's moving up through out the minors he looks like the next manager of the Chicago Cubs, at least that is how it is seeming to me.

- The Tigers hope to deal Granderson this week but that is news to Gordon Wittenmyer.

- Crasnick expects the Cubs to tender Mike Fontenot a contract. Maybe purely as trade bait because he does not make sense keeping him on this team.

- Dan Knobler of CBS Sports says two new teams approached the Cubs aside from the Rays and Rangers about a Milton Bradley trade. While Paul Sullivan says the Cubs are going to trade Bradley this week and that the Cubs are allowing the Levinson brothers (who are Bradley's agents) talk to other teams in an attempt to repair Bradleys rep.

- Bruce Levine says the Cubs and Royals met last night and discussed a Bradley for Gil Meche trade. The money matches up but my guess the Cubs will have to include another young player to get the deal done. Of course Gordon Wittenmyer shoots down another Levine report saying the Royals have not discussed Bradley. Is Wittenmyer always negative???

- There was a report today that the Mets would be interested in Pat Burrell/Luis Castillo swap if the Cubs did acquire Burrell for Bradley. That was later squashed by David Lennon who says the Mets have no interest in Bradley or Burrell.

- Joel Sherman said the Cubs remain interested in Mike Cameron but also have interest in Curtis Granderson and Melky Cabrera. Cabrera is a new one, kind of interesting but to be honest I like the other two much better.

- The Cubs will use Mike Fontenot and Micah Hoffpauir as trade chips this season because neither one figures into the 2010 Cubs.

- CBSN has some interesting news. The Cubs have Heath Bell on their radar. Bell converted 42 of 45 saves last season and is being shopped by the Padres. The Padres want a right-handed hitting CF, catcher, or middle infielder for Bell. In the article it says the Cubs would have to probably give up Soto or Theriot. I have really no issue trading Theriot but Soto I am a bit unsure of. It goes on to says the Cubs could then ship Marmol and another player to the Tigers for Granderson because Marmol is one of the players the Tigers like. If the Cubs traded Theriot for Bell then signed Tejeda or Cabrera to play short or sign Hudson or Lopez to play 2nd and Castro play short, I have no issue with the deal. It should also be noted that Jim Hendry laughed off this rumor but I still think it should be noted.

- Peter Gammons said on Baseball Tonight that he thinks the Bradley for Burrell trade will work.

- Phil Rodgers said Juan Pierre could end back with the Cubs. Much like I speculated yesterday.

- The asking price for Granderson is to high and rejected by the Cubs. They wanted Starlin Castro and 2 prospects for Granderson. That is WAY TO HIGH!

- The Cubs are still considering bring back Reed Johnson but he is gaining interest from the Padres.

- Soriano will bat 6th in the Cubs lineup next season unless " a lot changes."

- The Cubs may use a Gary Matthews Jr. for Bradley swap as a "last resort."

- Braden Looper wants to pitch for the Cubs according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports. If he really wants to pitch for the Cubbies he should for about 1-2 million a year.

More to come as it happens.....