Is David Price A Distant Dream Or A Potential Reality For The Chicago Cubs?

It’s been a pretty humdrum winter for the Chicago Cubs, for a variety of reasons. Whether it’s the fact that they’re targeting lower tier free agents, or that the betters ones that they do pursue look at more competitive teams, this Cubs team is set to look quite a bit like the 2012 Cubs.

However, Buster Olney dropped a nugget a few weeks ago that Cubs fans will likely be clinging to for dear life until this time next winter, when it comes time to make a trade for a marquee name. And that marquee name could be David Price.

Price has found his name out on the market this winter, but nothing has even come close to materializing, as few teams are going to be able to come up with the type of epic package that it would likely take to acquire him. The teams that do have the pieces are already set with their respective staffs.

But the Cubs could be a different story by the time the offseason of 2013 rolls around.

Despite talent in their rotation, the Cubs lack a true No. 1. Matt Garza could be gone by the time the season starts, leaving only Jeff Samardzija as a top tier starter in their rotation. Price would solve that problem, and give the Cubs a dominant pitcher who is still just 27 and isn’t a free agent until 2016.

Price’s credentials speak for themselves. He’s thrown at least 200 innings in each of the last three seasons and is coming off of a Cy Young season in 2012. He’s simply dominant, and heading into the true prime years of his career.

Of course, assuming the Tampa Bay Rays are still looking at trading Price next winter, the question of what kind of package it would take to acquire him will be a tremendous one. The Cubs have spent a great deal of time upgrading the farm in the past year or so, and it would come in handy in a situation like this. A name like Dan Vogelbach or Junior Lake could end up being a large piece of such a deal.

It’s a long way off from right now, but the possibility that was floated out there by Olney is one that is going to make a tough season for the Cubs in 2013 just a little easier to stomach. And will make the winter of 2013 that much more exciting.