Dejan reports that the Bucs are now actively looking to bolster their offense through a trade now that Jeromy Burnitz has signed with the Cubs. The interesting thing about the report is the list of names bandied about as possible targets: Austin Kearns, Aubrey Huff and Eric Byrnes. To me, Kearns and Huff (and Byrnes to a lesser extent) are much more attractive acquisitions than a guy like Burnitz. They are all younger and all have a chance to actually get better in the future. The question I have is, if these possibilities legitimately exist, why even bother exploring the Burnitz route in the first place?

As Charlie accurately points out, this list of names might just be a heady case of wishful thinking on Mr. Kovacevic's part. All three of the names listed above have been widely reported as "available" in a number of media sources, but are they truly on the Bucs' radar? Kearns is my favorite out of the three. He is coming off a tough year and has been beset by injuries the last two years. But when you are a small market team you have to look to "buy low and sell high". Kearns wouldn't even be available if not for his recent struggles, and I think his talent and upside are worth the risk. My concern is the Reds' asking price. I don't think we should trade Zach Duke, but I think he might be the only pitching prospect that gets the deal done.

Huff offers other problems. He's due to make a ton of money and I can't see the Pirates coughing up the dough (almost $12 million over two years). He's an established offensive player -- which is something the Bucs sorely need -- but will they cough up the dough (in addition to the prospects) to get him.

Byrnes is the less attractive of the three. He had a good year last year, but I get the feeling that's they best he will ever get. That wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, but it could be if he takes a step back and never reaches that level again. I'm not too worried about that -- I get the feeling that he will be relatively consistent for the next couple of years. The drawback with Byrnes is that he is somewhat limited as a defensive player.

I do believe that the Bucs will be making a trade before the start of the season, but I get the sneaky feeling that it will not be for one of the names listed above. My gut is telling me to lower my expectations. My money is on the Twins' Michael Restovich. He is looking like he might not even make the Twins roster coming out of spring. He seems more like the typical player the Bucs have been targeting: available with limited upside. Hopefully, I am wrong. I want to see management make a bold move -- the time is right.