Tribune (Reg. Req.)
Serious suitors kissing off Sosa (Sullivan)

Fround around the country
At the very end of this morning's New York Times (Reg. Req.) article on Atlanta's trade for Tim Hudson, Braves General Manager John Schuerholz "said he had financial flexibility to address Atlanta's outfield needs, [and] admitted that he had had preliminary conversations with the Chicago Cubs about Sammy Sosa." But the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Reg. Req.) says that despite this, "a deal appears highly unlikely."

Some Thursday items that posted late:

Sun-Times
Cubs still hope to talk with O's (Kiley)

Southtown
Sosa rumors rumble (Vorva)

Cubs.com
Cubs' Spring camp opens Feb. 16 (Muskat)