Even though the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs are strapped for cash, expect their always proactive general managers to look under every rock in pursuit of improvement in 2010.

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The Cubs and Rangers have had peripheral talks about Milton Bradley for Kevin Millwood.

Starting with the Cubs, they have had talks with the Mets about second baseman Luis Castillo for Milton Bradley. Castillo and Bradley have two years left on contracts. Bradley is owed $9.6 million more in total salary.

The theme remains the same: each team the Cubs talk to asks how much of Bradley's contract they'll eat. That remains the big question.

As of midnight on Monday, Cubs general manager Jim Hendry still was in an hour-long conversation with Tampa general manager Andrew Friedman and special assistant Gerry Hunsaker. The parameters of a Bradley deal for outfielder Pat Burrell were discussed again.

Burrell has one year left at $9.5 million. How much of Bradley's contract the Rays would pay is the question.

The new team in the Bradley trade mix is the Texas Rangers. The Cubs and Rangers have had peripheral conversations on three different levels about Bradley. The Rangers are one team that would have no problem bringing Bradley back to Texas, where he had his best season in 2008, leading the AL in OPS.

Once again, money is the issue with Texas. Right-handed pitcher Kevin Millwood, who is making $10 million in the last year of his contract, could be the player to come back to the Cubs if a Bradley deal is struck.

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