Brace for a daily barrage of Brian Roberts rumors during the next week. And when the dust settles after the general managers head home Friday, Roberts still figures to be the property of the Baltimore Orioles.

Frustration has been the most obvious outcome for Cubs general manager Jim Hendry, who began a full-speed pursuit of Roberts during the winter meetings last year. By the end of spring training, the Cubs were so sure they were on the verge of acquiring Roberts that they adjusted their lineup accordingly, dropping Alfonso Soriano from the leadoff spot.

Orioles boss Andy MacPhail held on to his hot commodity.

At midseason, the Sox stepped into the fray, and general manager Ken Williams worked until the non-waiver trade deadline July 31 to swing a deal for Roberts.

Now there's a feeling MacPhail is reaching a breaking point -- though it most certainly won't come during these winter meetings.

Roberts laughed off a recent report in Chicago that the Orioles offered him a multiyear extension with a ''soft deadline'' for making a decision. In fact, no clear offers have been made, sources say. And before agreeing to an extension, Roberts wants to see what direction the last-place Orioles are headed.

Roberts, 31, is a year away from free agency and will earn $8 million in 2009 -- a bargain considering his talent. He's a switch hitter who batted .296 last season and was second in the American League with 51 doubles, third with 107 runs, fourth with 40 stolen bases, sixth with 265 times on base, eighth with a .378 on-base percentage and 10th with 113 runs created. He's a major talent whose skills weren't put to optimum use by a 93-loss team.

Though the Cubs have been at the head of the yearlong Roberts derby, the Sox have a bigger need. Williams suggests center fielder Jerry Owens might be his leadoff hitter. That was the same thinking a year ago -- until Owens proved during spring training he isn't durable enough for the job.

Plan B? It gets pretty sketchy if the Sox are interested in a proven major-league bat. And don't suggest Brian Anderson, who has yet to prove to Ozzie Guillen that he's an every-day player in the big leagues. If Williams doesn't locate a leadoff hitter from outside the organization, then 2009 will be a rough rebuilding year.

As for the Cubs, they still could survive with Soriano as the leadoff hitter. Don't forget, they led the National League with 855 runs and 97 victories with Soriano leading off. For all of the hand-wringing about Soriano at leadoff, the Cubs went 69-36 with him there and

28-28 with someone else leading off.

Either way, brace for another helping of Roberts rumors.