by Gordon Wittenmyer, The Chicago Sun-Times , Chicago Sun Times

Meanwhile, questions such as these hung in the air: Will the Cubs' leadoff man in 2010 look more like Kosuke Fukudome, Chone Figgins or Luis Castillo? Will the center fielder be Mike Cameron, Fukudome, Reed Johnson or Marlon Byrd? How many left-handed hitters will be in the Opening Day lineup? And will the Cubs increase their starting-pitching inventory to help cover for the early-season loss of left-hander Ted Lilly, who had shoulder surgery last week?

The answers: Most of it still depends on Bradley, who will cost the Cubs millions of dollars to move, with the amount setting the tone for everything else the Cubs want to do this winter.

The Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers remained the likeliest destinations, with both teams requiring the Cubs to pick up a substantial chunk of the remaining $21 million Bradley is owed in the next two seasons.

The Mets have talked with the Cubs about sending second baseman Castillo (two years, $12 million left on his contract) to Chicago, but they want no part of Bradley -- unless it's about helping move him to somebody else.

''If we can make one or two moves in the next couple of weeks, that would be probably helpful and would give you a little better direction where you wanted to go,'' said Cubs GM Jim Hendry, whose payroll next season is expected to rise slightly to about $143 million, but who also lots of back-loaded contracts and an unusually high number of arbitration-eligible players to deal with.

Unless somebody takes nearly all of Bradley's contract, that likely precludes the possibility of the Cubs going after a premier free agent such as Figgins to lead off. But the switch-hitting Castillo (.387 on-base percentage in 2009) would improve the top of the Cubs' batting order and allow Fukudome, one of the few lefty hitters in the order, to move around the lineup.

Center field also is a focus for Hendry, who is expected to look at free agents Cameron and Byrd, either of whom would allow Fukudome to return to his natural position in right. Hendry can't negotiate with either in earnest, though, until he knows what he has to spend to unload Bradley.

Hendry, who wants to resolve the Bradley situation before the winter meetings start in four weeks, said he expected the 24-hour period that started at midday Tuesday to provide a significant benchmark for his plans.

''Not that there'd be any big deal by noon [today], but the path will get clearer,'' he said.

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