Odds & Ends: Cubs, Byrnes, Orioles

Links for Wednesday... Chris De Luca of the Chicago Sun-Times doesn't expect much to change with the Cubs under the Ricketts family.  He says to expect a payroll around $143MM.  That might leave GM Jim Hendry with around $8MM to work with. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic believes Eric Byrnes' time with the Diamondbacks might be nearing an end.  They may attempt to trade him before releasing him. John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer wouldn't be surprised to see the Reds release center fielder Willy Taveras, who is still owed $4MM. Sox Machine reader Chris Pummer makes the case for the White Sox offering arbitration to reliever Octavio Dotel.  Dotel projects as a Type A free agent, though he's right on the fringe. Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun believes Andy MacPhail "will have to pull a huge rabbit out of his hat" to make the Orioles competitive in 2010. As expected, new Padres GM Jed Hoyer reassigned scouti...