Update [2006-12-7 13:48:54 by HanOfTheBluegrass]:Gil Meche's five-year deal with the Royals will be worth $55 million-$60 million, the Kansas City Star reports. --madtown

Gil Meche to play for Kansas City.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/article.jsp?content=20061207_094642_4024
(Source listed is Ken Rosenthal)

At least one report (Cubs Hot Stove also said FoxSports has reported it)

I guess we wait and see. This surprises me, as we've heard rumors the Cubs were going hard after him.

Who's the next target? Another 4-5 pitcher or a trade?

My guess is bat-wise, we end up with Church, Lofton or Floyd within the next day or so.

Choose the top 2 possible players you would expect to be Cubs come next season.

Yes, some are very unlikely, but all have had their names tossed around in relation to the Cubs since Lou signed on.

I probably forgot some more likely guys, but whatever.

(Select "Entry Link" to get to the poll, obviously.)

Daisuke Matsuzaka
Akinori Iwamura

and now Kei Igawa (pitcher) will be posted.

Wasn't that one of the names the Cubs might have been looking at over there?

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=2643385
(reuters)

Igawa, who is still three years away from becoming a free agent, will be able to leave Japan's Hanshin Tigers and talk to MLB teams under the posting system.