General Manager Meetings: Chicago Cubs look for ‘quality’ pitching

Major League Baseball’s general managers will have their annual meetings in Orlando, Fla. at the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes from Monday through Wednesday. The meetings serve as a place for all 30 MLB teams to discuss on-field issues, economics, and potential trades face-to-faces.

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According to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post, the quarterly owners meetings will also be held during the next four days. This means Cubs’ trio of Tom Ricketts, Cubs’ owner, Theo Epstein, president of baseball operations, and Jed Hoyer, general manager, will all be in the same place.

"Expect much conversation about a diversity of topics, from the Japanese posting system to increased instant replay to eliminating home-plate collisions.There will be a meeting of assistant GMs on Monday; a group dinner for GMs on Monday night; GMs meetings and owner-committee meetings on Tuesday; a joint GM-owners session with commissioner Bud Selig on Wednesday; and the ownership general session on Thursday.But if that were all that transpired, then we wouldn’t care anywhere as much about these get-togethers. When they aren’t at meetings, GMs (and owners, in some instances) will convene with each other to exchange trade ideas, and spend time with player representatives, most of whom will be on site, to learn more about their free-agent clients."

Davidoff also writes most of the deals will not be made until the Winter Meetings, which take place from December 9-12 in Orlando.

Last December, the Cubs front office signed Brian Bogusevic, Scott Baker, Dioner Navarro, and other minor leaguers. The Cubs made their big splash in free agency in January when they signed Edwin Jackson to a four-year, $52 million deal. Jackson finished 8-18 with a 4.98 ERA in 31 starts this season.

Epstein stated on Friday the Cubs will look to their pitching staff this off-season.

"“We need to add some quality,” Epstein said."

The Cubs 2014 rotation currently consistent of Travis Wood, Jeff Samardzija, Jake Arrieta, and Edwin Jackson. The Cubs will talk to free agent Scott Baker, who spent this past season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.

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