ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Chicago Cubs kept up their rapid makeover Sunday, acquiring pitcher Ismael Valdes and second baseman Eric Young from the Los Angeles Dodgers for reliever Terry Adams in a five-player trade.

Chicago Cubs 2000

How the Cubs are shaping up: Lineup 2B Eric Young CF Damon Buford 1B Mark Grace RF Sammy Sosa LF Henry Rodriguez 3B Shane Andrews/Cole Liniak C Joe Girardi/Jeff Reed SS Jose Nieves Rotation Ismael Valdes Jon Lieber Kevin Tapani Kyle Farnsworth Micah Bowie/Kerry Wood Bullpen Rick Aguilera Scott Sanders Felix Heredia Rodney Myers Mark Guthrie ESPN.com analysis The Cubs looked to improve their defense by adding Buford and Girardi, but those two will only weaken an offense that ranked 13th in the NL in runs scored. Valdes has struggled away from Dodger Stadium the past two years. How will he fare in Wrigley Field? The Cubs don't look much better than the 95-loss team they were in 1999.

"This is more than a talent issue; cost efficiency is what we're trying to do," Dodgers general manager Kevin Malone said. "It frees up $9 or $10 million this year and $4.5 million next year. The dollars are big. Last year we had All-Stars at practically every position. We need a better mix."

The Cubs, whose 67-95 record last year was even worse than the Dodgers' 77-85 mark, made a deal for the third straight day, prompting general manager Ed Lynch to say, "I know we're a heck of a lot better than when I got on the plane in Chicago."

On Friday, the Cubs reached a tentative three-year agreement with free agent catcher Joe Girardi. On Saturday, in an effort to improve their defense, they got center fielder Damon Buford from Boston for backup infielder Manny Alexander.

New Cubs manager Don Baylor is determined to improve the team's last-place finish in the NL Central.

"If you look at the Chicago Cubs, it became Sammy Sosa's Cubs, where guys expected home runs, not wins," Baylor said.

The Cubs were 13th among the 16 NL teams in runs scored, but sixth in home runs last season.

"EY will bat leadoff for us," Baylor said. "He was a very exciting player for me in Colorado. He brings to us something that this club needed, one with speed."

Young, 32, played nearly five years under Baylor in Colorado. He hit .281 with two homers, 41 RBI and 51 stolen bases last season, and will get $4.5 million in each of the next two years.

The acquisition of Young figures to keep second baseman Chad Myers in the minors for another year.

Valdes, 9-14 with a 3.98 ERA in 32 starts for the Dodgers, earned $4,275,000 last season and is eligible for arbitration. He figures to fill the rotation spot vacated by free agent Steve Trachsel, who has been seen in the headquarters hotel of the meetings.

Valdes, 26, has been one of the Dodgers' best and most consistent pitchers for five years, though hard-luck results have held down the right-hander's won-loss record. He has a 61-54 career record with a 3.38 ERA.

"He's a 3.6-something ERA, I'll take that," Baylor said. "You have to remember, I've been in Coors Field a long time. ... I didn't think it was going to happen, it sounded too good to be true, to get a starting pitcher."

The Rockies had been interested in acquiring both Valdes and Young prior to Sunday's deal.

Adams, a 26-year-old right-hander, was 6-3 with 13 saves and a 4.02 ERA in 52 games last season.

"We think Terry Adams is really going to help our bullpen," Malone said. "That was one of our needs."

Adams, who figures to set up closer Jeff Shaw, said the deal didn't surprise him.

"Pretty much every day I've read my name in trade rumors," he said. "I figured I was going to be part of a deal, but I didn't know where. I didn't know about LA."

Malone said right-handers Eric Gagne and Mike Judd and left-hander Jeff Williams were candidates to replace Valdes in the rotation. All pitched late in the season, with Gagne (1-1, 2.10 ERA) and Williams (2-0, 4.08 ERA) each making five starts and Judd (3-1, 5.46 ERA) making four.

Malone said he could make a deal for a second baseman, move Mark Grudzielanek from shortstop or have a platoon with Jose Vizcaino, Craig Counsell and Juan Castro. Vizcaino and Castro also are possibilities at shortstop.

"We want to have the best team possible for the most reasonable amount," said Malone, who a year ago at the winter meetings signed pitcher Kevin Brown to a $105 million, seven-year contract -- baseball's richest.

The Dodgers acquired outfielder Shawn Green from Toronto last month, and signed him to a six-year, $84 million deal, giving Green baseball's second-highest average salary.

"We weren't trying to upset the industry, we were trying to get better," Malone said. "I think you can set the standard without raising the bar financially."

Ricketts, a 24-year-old right-hander, was 6-4 with eight saves and a 3.09 ERA at Double-A West Tennessee.

"He's a young man that seems to be on the come," Malone said. "He's a big kid, 6-5, 225, with a good arm. Probably in 2001 he'll be able to help us out of the bullpen."