The Los Angeles Times reported that Fuentes signed a two-year, $17.5 million contract. The deal includes a $9 million club option on him for 2011 - and that option will activate if Fuentes finishes 55 games in 2010. Industry sources said the Cardinals earlier offered him slightly more guaranteed money on a two-year offer.

"Am I disappointed? Yeah," Mozeliak said Wednesday afternoon. "We made a sincere effort on this. We were very aggressive early. As time went along, it left us with an uncomfortable feeling."

Fuentes, 33, spent the previous four seasons as the Rockies' closer. He saved 111 games during that span and was named to three All-Star Games.

He was hoping to land with the Angels. "Anaheim would be a great fit, being a California kid," Fuentes told the Merced Sun-Star earlier in December. "That would be my first choice."

The Cardinals appeared to be his second choice, but his agents put off Mozeliak while waiting to see how the Mark Teixeira free-agent sweepstakes played out. When the New York Yankees got Teixeira, the Angels had the flexibility to offer a deal similar to the Cards' proposal.

"I can't be upset that somebody wants to go somewhere else," Mozeliak said.

Miles wanted to remain in St. Louis. But when Mozeliak wasn't able to drum up trade interest in second baseman Adam Kennedy - and his $4 million salary for 2009 - he opted not to give Miles a qualifying offer.

That put Miles into the free-agent marketplace. The Cubs signed him to a two-year deal worth $4.9 million, doubling what he made as a Cardinal. His base salary was $1.4 million last season and $1 million in 2007.

"It couldn't happen to a nicer guy," Mozeliak said. "This is just a unique opportunity that he had."

Miles will likely start at second base. He could also lead off if Cubs manager Lou Piniella moves Alfonso Soriano lower in the order.

"I'm excited to be a Cubbie," Miles told Chicago Cub beat writers on a conference call Wednesday afternoon. "Being a Cardinal was great, and that part is over now. Now I'm ready to be a Cubbie and play the game the right way."

The Miles signing was one of several moves Cubs general manager Jim Hendry made before ringing in the new year.

After adding Miles, Hendry traded second baseman Mark DeRosa to Cleveland for young pitchers Jeff Stevens, John Gaub and Chris Archer. To clear more budget space, he was also working on a deal to send former Cardinals pitcher Jason Marquis to Colorado for reliever Luis Vizcaino.

By building a stockpile of young pitchers and clearing much of Marquis' salary off the books, Hendry could position himself to sign outfielder Milton Bradley.

The switch-hitting Miles, 32, spent the past three seasons with the Cardinals. He averaged 134 games played and batted .263, .290 and .317. He arrived as a second baseman but became useful as a fill-in shortstop, outfielder and third baseman as well.

Last season, the Cards developed a glut of middle infielders. Brendan Ryan played a big role early on, Felipe Lopez joined the team for the stretch run and Brian Barden came along as a September call-up.

Lopez departed as a free agent, signing a one-year, $3.5 million contract with Arizona. Now Miles is off to Chicago.

"We understood the risk we took when we decided to non-tender him," Mozeliak said.

When a market developed for Miles, the Cardinals got back into it.

"St. Louis jumped in the last day," Miles said. "I pretty much had already said my goodbye to them in my head. The thought of playing for the Cubs is exciting, and I'm pumped up about it."

Miles leaves the Cardinals feeling under-appreciated. Although manager Tony La Russa loved his work, Mozeliak let him test free agency after the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

"I figured I had a place over there," Miles said. "In the end, they non-tendered me two years in a row. The (interest in) me being there wasn't as big as it was before.

"I was feeling maybe I wasn't wanted by everybody. ... The non-tendering of me two years in a row kind of made you feel like you're not wanted as much. There was a little bit of that in my head."

Moving forward, Mozeliak isn't shopping for another infielder. Khalil Greene will start at shortstop, Kennedy will start at second and Ryan, Barden, Tyler Greene and newcomer Joe Thurston will be among those competing for bench roles.

Mozeliak will keep shopping for pitching help. A buyer's market is shaping up for the legion of unsigned starters.

"I still want to add some lefthanded depth to the bullpen, but it's not like I have to go out and get one of the names being bandied about," he said. "I want to get some protection.

"Having a back-up plan for starting pitching makes a lot of sense. I don't know what the timing will be. My preference would be to not go with a three-year deal."