Theo Epstein says he will be open to selling off veterans at midseason again.

"What I want to avoid is the middle ground,’" said the Cubs president. "It'd be nice to make the playoffs, we're not hiding that. [But] there's no glory in 78 wins instead of 73. Who cares? We're going to take a real cold assessment in the middle of the season. If we have a legitimate chance to push for a playoff spot, then 2013 can become our primary focus. If we think a playoff spot's not in the cards, there will be no concern for appearances or cosmetics whatsoever. We'll continue to address our future and trade off some pieces that would keep us respectable."