Cards, Brewers & Cubs in on Cole?

One thing to emerge in the Gerrit Cole trade talks over the last month in a half:

Pirates GM Neal Huntington has no reservations about trading Cole inside the division.

[hide] As the Pirates are operating with the mindset that if a Cole trade doesn’t happen in January, one likely won’t happen until the deadline or next off-season, the Pirates have been involved in multiple trade scenarios inside the division surrounding their biggest trade chip.

The Pirates have had varying degree of trade talks with the Cardinals and Brewers about Cole, two clubs Pittsburgh feels they match up well with, and the Chicago Cubs have also been linked to Cole for the first time this winter.

As trade talks with the Yankees stalled last month, the Pirates feel once a shoe or two drops on the pitching market in free agency, their established asking price for Cole has a greater chance of being met as the group of teams kicking tires on Cole are a similar group in on the big name pitching market in free agency. [/hide]