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Levine: Epstein, Cubs Hoping To Deal

By Bruce Levine--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- As the non-wavier trade deadline approaches Friday, there remains no real way to tell if the Chicago Cubs will be able to add a piece or two for a playoff run.

The Cubs are in the market for pitching and a versatile offensive contributor.

"We have had some good conversations but nothing as of yet," president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said Monday evening.

The Cubs haven't made a serious run for the playoffs in seven years. The fact that they're even talking about adding veteran players has excited the fan base. The names of pitchers like Cole Hamels, David Price and James Shields have been attached to the Cubs' pursuit of one more top-of-the-rotation arm.

"We would really like to," was the response by Epstein to the question about making a deal. "If we do things on a bigger scale, it will be for players that can help us beyond this year. If we do something smaller, it will be for a rental player."

Multiple reports had the Cubs pursuing Padres starter Tyson Ross, who, in the first year of arbitration, is making $5.260 million in 2015. The Padres have contract control of Ross for two more seasons. Ross would fill a need in pitching depth that's lacking in the Cubs organization at this point.

The Cubs won't push themselves to do anything that will detour from the goal of organization excellence for the next decade. From day one taking over the Cubs in 2011, Epstein said a goal of sustained success was the top priority of his baseball department.

A 5-9 record the past two weeks also won't set off any panic buttons at Clark and Addison.

"You can't get too high when you're hot," Epstein said. "You can't get too low when you're not. We are in a competitive race for postseason. A week ago and two weeks ago we were. We still are today. We are going to sit down and track this and pull ourselves out of it."

Like any savvy leader, Epstein predicted the ups and downs of a team that on Monday evening started four rookie position players. Adding to that mix for now and the future makes a little more sense than adding a rental pitcher for a one-time run at a wild-card entry.

"We are really young, so it's remarkable that these guys have put us in this position," Epstein said. "We expect some remarkable things going forward. It won't be without periods of struggles and periods of poor play."

The holes on the team have been covered up by a propensity to win games in many improbable ways all season. The odds and baseball gods have brought the club back to earth as of late.

"We hope we are nearing the end of a rather long slump and getting close to pulling ourselves out of  it," Epstein said.

Adding a bat like super sub Ben Zobrist would come at a high price of young talent. Oakland baseball boss Billy Beane is listening to six different teams about Zobrist.

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.

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