The subject was Jake Peavy and the Cubs, but Lou Piniella was more interested in the horse race unfolding on one of the TV screens at the Bellagio's sports book.
Piniella had the No. 2 horse, and No. 12 was running away with the race.
''Will you look at that,'' Piniella said, shaking his head.
Another loser.
This wasn't the biggest derby playing out at the Bellagio on Wednesday, which was Day 3 of the winter meetings that officially wrap up today. The big derby all week has involved the Cubs' pursuit of Peavy. Or maybe the San Diego Padres' pursuit of the Cubs, trying to sell them on Peavy.
It all depends on who's spinning the story that particular hour.
Either way, this much is clear: The Cubs eventually will land Peavy, the Padres will have ended their offseason headache and Piniella couldn't care much either way.
Looking at the state of the Cubs, it's hard to blame Piniella for being so ambivalent.
Sure, he would love to have Peavy, but pitching isn't Piniella's top problem these days.
''Jim is working on getting a bat,'' he said of general manager Jim Hendry's other pursuit this week. ''I'm confident he will. And then we go out and play.''
Um, well, what about that extra ace that could land in his hand, the one who won a Cy Young Award in 2007?
To be, or not Peavy
''My rotation is fine the way it is,'' Piniella said. ''If we add somebody else, it makes it stronger. But if we did nothing, I'm very happy with it just the way it is.''
Couldn't agree more.
The Peavy saga has played out over the last month and has been intriguing, but the big-ticket right-hander is more a luxury item than an actual need. The Cubs need that big left-handed bat in the middle of the lineup and a new leadoff hitter.
Fill those two needs, then get Peavy.
Kosuke Fukudome fizzled as the lefty-swinging right fielder. Derrek Lee's power days appear behind him. A nice, intimidating bat from the left side to break up all those righty-swinging hitters -- say, Raul Ibanez or Milton Bradley -- would perk up Piniella.
But entering the final day of the winter meetings, no deal.
The switch-hitting Bradley has the numbers to make him a perfect fit. But his volatile personality wouldn't be a great match for the tight confines of being a Cub and living every day with a sometimes-crabby manager.
Piniella has liked Ibanez from their Seattle days, but Ibanez is 36 and his power peaked only once, when he hit 33 home runs in 2006.
Bobby Abreu would seem to be the perfect fit, but the Cubs haven't shown much interest in him this week. Most of the talk surrounding the Cubs this week has centered on Peavy. Utilityman Mark DeRosa's name has entered the talks. Shortstop Ronny Cedeno also has been mentioned. Even left-hander Sean Marshall.
DeRosa would be a huge loss. He was signed two years ago to be an insurance policy for third baseman Aramis Ramirez. He can replace Lee at first base. Plus, he's not bad at second base. Even in right field, he does an adequate job. He hit .285 with 21 home runs and 87 RBI. He was a clear leader in a clubhouse that needed his presence. He's a bargain at $5.5 million for 2009.
Cedeno is the Cubs' only legit option as a backup to Ryan Theriot at shortstop. Marshall is a solid left-hander who can serve as a sixth starter or a middle reliever.
Soriano staying at the top
Losing any one of the three would be a blow. Losing two or more of them would be OK if the Cubs had a major need for another starter. But here is the rotation right now: Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Rich Harden and Jason Marquis.
This is the group that helped the Cubs win a National League-best 97 games last season.
''Our starting pitching, I've got no complaints with it,'' Piniella said. ''If we got better, look, the better pitching you have, the better your chances are.''
Those chances look a lot better with that big left-handed bat in the middle of the lineup.
And it seems the Cubs have all but given up on their pursuit of a new leadoff hitter. During organizational meetings in October, several in the room suggested it was time to drop Alfonso Soriano out of the leadoff spot. But the way things look, Soriano will be the leadoff hitter on Opening Day.
''We won 70 percent of the games with him leading off,'' Piniella said. ''That's a pretty good number. He's a good player. He gets a little hot, he gets a little cold. And unfortunately in the postseason, he has been a little cold.
''But I have all the confidence in the world in him. The way we are right now, he is our best choice.''
Had they landed a legit leadoff hitter, the Cubs would be able to drop Soriano to a better run-producing spot in the lineup.
But so far, no leadoff hitter and no left-handed bat. Just a whole lot of Peavy talk.
No wonder Piniella had more interest in the horse races.
THE BUZZ
What Sun-Times baseball writers Chris De Luca, Gordon Wittenmyer and Joe Cowley are hearing at the winter meetings:
The Cubs are in the long line of teams that have asked the Los Angeles Angels about the availability of versatile leadoff hitter Chone Figgins, who has a career .356 on-base percentage and stole 34 bases last season. It's unclear what the Angels would need in return, but the Cubs' chances of having enough player capital to pull it off could drop significantly if they trade for Jake Peavy. ... Cubs officials expect to make a push to sign free-agent pitcher Randy Johnson to a one-year deal if they don't land Peavy. ... The Cubs have talked to catcher Paul Bako's agent about bringing back the former Cub to compete for the backup job vacated by Henry Blanco. The Cubs also signed Mark Johnson -- the former White Sox catcher who was out of the majors for three seasons until playing 10 games for the St. Louis Cardinals last season -- to a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to spring training. ... Look for the Cubs to target middle infielders in today's Rule 5 draft as insurance against possible losses of players in trades. ... After reaching a tentative agreement on a seven-year, $161 million contract with free-agent left-hander CC Sabathia, the New York Yankees are said to be upping the ante to five years for right-hander A.J. Burnett. Agent Darek Braunecker is using the five-year, $91.5 million contract extension the Cubs gave Carlos Zambrano last August as a basis for his asking price on Burnett. ... Even after landing coveted free-agent closer Francisco Rodriguez, the New York Mets further addressed their bullpen with a three-team, 12-player blockbuster deal that netted them Seattle Mariners closer J.J. Putz. ... The Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles are showing serious interest in former Cubs catcher Michael Barrett. ... Craziest rumor of the meetings so far? The White Sox are the third team in the Peavy trade to the Cubs, getting Zambrano and sending out a handful of prospects in return. ... Sox general manager Ken Williams will be leaving the meetings this afternoon and said the Sox don't expect to take anyone in the
Rule 5 draft. ... The Cubs' training staff, including head trainer Mark O'Neal and assistant Ed Halbur, was named baseball's top staff by its peers.
Color Photo: Tom Cruze, Sun-Times / Losing Mark DeRosa would be a huge loss for the Cubs, even if they get a needed left-handed bat. ;
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