There were 61 hitters who got at least 100 at-bats in the No. 1 slot last season. Their on-base averages ranged from Rafael Furcal's .434 to Corey Patterson's .217.

Only five of those 61 filed for free agency after the season: Jerry Hairston Jr., David Eckstein, Scott Podsednik, Cabrera and Patterson. Beyond the Orioles' Roberts, who is expected to be shopped this week at the winter meetings, the list of leadoff candidates possibly available in trades is lukewarm -- Figgins (maybe), Weeks (at a big price), Nyjer Morgan, Josh Anderson (whom the White Sox passed on in the Vazquez trade), Willy Taveras (.299 on-base percentage in 378 at-bats) and Juan Pierre (.293, 268).

Despite the unhappiness over Soriano, his .350 on-base percentage in the leadoff spot matched Iwamura's, which ranked 32nd among the 61 guys on our long list. The Cubs ranked 19th of the 30 big-league teams in leadoff on-base percentage and matched Baltimore in leadoff OPS, ranked seventh in the majors.

You can see why Lou Piniella has spent two years acting like this crisis exists strictly in the heads of Cubs fans.

The White Sox haven't developed a leadoff man since Ray Durham. It's unclear who they envision filling that role in 2009.

Alexei Ramirez shows signs of being a high-average hitter but rarely walks (18 in 515 plate appearances last season). Jerry Owens has a .360 career OBP in the minors and intriguing speed but is no lock for the center-field job. Rookie second baseman Chris Getz, whose 2008 momentum was stopped by a broken bone in his left hand, is another potential get-on-base guy.

The Sox appear to have few other strong leadoff candidates in their farm system. The best hopes might be 2008 draft picks Jordan Danks, a center fielder, and Tyler Kuhn, a shortstop.

Like Patterson, Felix Pie once seemed like a long-term leadoff candidate for the Cubs. But his development has stalled, both as a baserunner and hitter. If only he had developed his tools like Sam Fuld, the fringe prospect who at age 27 has a .429 on-base percentage hitting leadoff for Aragua in the Venezuelan league.

There aren't a lot of strong candidates coming behind Pie and Fuld. The best might be shortstop Darwin Barney, who helped Oregon State win two NCAA titles. The Cubs were thinking leadoff when they added speed in the 2008 draft, with outfielder Tony Campana (22 steals in 24 games in rookie ball) and infielders Logan Watkins and Josh Harrison forming a pool of candidates.

The best bet, however, is 18-year-old Korean Hak-Ju Lee, whom some consider the best talent ever from his country. He's a blazer whose hitting and skills at shortstop earned him a seven-figure bonus. He will be watched closely when he takes the field for the first time as a pro, probably next June at the rookie level.

Cabrera's call: A glut of middle infielders on the market forces Orlando Cabrera at least to consider accepting the White Sox's offer of salary arbitration. The deadline to do so is Sunday, and if Cabrera takes the offer -- made only to vest for two compensation picks in next year's draft -- he will be the Sox's property, whether they want him or not.

"Alexei Ramirez is going to be the shortstop," Williams said. "One of the kids is going to be the second baseman. I don't think Orlando wants to come back here and be a utility guy."