The Matt Garza contract news out of Friday could mean trade talks pick up again.
The 9.5 million the two sides agreed on is a far cry from the 12.5 million Garza's side asked for, but it's not too much more than the 7.95 million the Cubs filed at.
Which means it may not inhibit a trade too much.
CBS' Danny Knobler asks the question: Who will pay Garza's salary in 2012?
Knobler thinks the Cubs will continue to shop the 28-year-old pitcher through spring training, though the Cubs are hardly the only team with a quality starter on the block. Garza is the best of the bunch available right now, though, and some team may very well be willing to climb to Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer's price range.
Trades in February are pretty rare, as teams typically prefer to head into spring training with what they've got on the roster already. As the spring wears on, however, ineffectiveness and injuries cause teams to become buyers and a deal is more likely to take place.