Nov. 11--PHOENIX -- The Cubs are taking center stage here at the general managers meetings amid speculation they will be heavy players in the market.
But the Mets began the meetings Monday with a two-year deal for former Rockies outfielder Michael Cuddyer.
Will the Cubs make a quick move in Phoenix, or just lay some groundwork?
"They kicked off the signings," general manager Jed Hoyer said. "I don't know. You never know. I think it's fun to be here to start the conversations. You never know if it's going to be quick or not. Obviously, the fact that the Mets already made a signing, sometimes it takes one to break the ice."
Hoyer acknowledged the Cubs will be "attached to everyone" who is available this winter.
"Which obviously isn't true," Hoyer said. "But it is nice we're talked about. I think the last two or three winters really it was very quiet and we weren't really rumored to be on different free agents, and that was intentional as well. We didn't really feel we were in a place to do that. It's nice to be talked about, but at the same time, right now it's a little aggressive with us seemingly being linked to everybody."
The reason for that is the signing of manager Joe Maddon and a more flexible payroll, after basically sitting out the last three winters, with the exception of the Edwin Jackson deal.
Hoyer said the Cubs will make all the calls on potential fits for 2015, but added "that doesn't mean you have extreme interest in every one of those guys."
Former Cubs starter Jason Hammel, who was traded to the A's with Jeff Samardzija in July, is interested in returning, and there is mutual interest from the Cubs, his agent said. But Hammel won't be a priority, and the Cubs are expected to seek a front-line starter first.
