One of Mike Quade's first orders of business as Cubs manager was to scuttle the Tyler Colvin-as-first-baseman experiment and put the rookie back in right field.
Whether Colvin eventually gets a look at first football jersey
base this season, he's no longer a candidate for any kind of serious look anytime soon, as further evidenced by the Cubs' swapping outfielder Sam Fuld for first baseman Micah Hoffpauir on the roster Monday.
And if the Cubs still plan to get back into contention next year, that puts them right back in the free-agent market for a first baseman -- with Adam Dunn potentially being one of those ''three or four'' significant moves that general manager Jim Hendry talked about needing to make.
Dunn is willing to talk if the Washington Nationals don't make a strong push to get him signed to an extension before he becomes a free agent in the fall.
''[Wrigley Field's] obviously one of my favorite parks to hit in,'' said Dunn, second in the National League with 31 home runs. ''I've always really enjoyed playing there. The atmosphere is great there for any player. The fans are always hard on the other team, which makes it fun.''
Starving in recent years for run production from the left side, the Cubs, with Dunn, could go into spring training with one of the top left-handed power threats in baseball, along with the lefty-hitting Colvin, who leads major-league rookies with 18 home runs.
And Dunn, 30, has thrived at Wrigley Field like few others, hitting .282 with 25 homers in San Francisco 49ers jersey
66 games there.
The Cubs won't discuss their specific plans for personnel moves heading into next season, but if they plan to contend, they need at least one frontline starting pitcher and a first baseman with corner-infield production.
''I don't know if they're going to spend the money,'' third baseman Aramis Ramirez said recently. ''But Dunn would fit anybody's lineup. But they're going to have to spend a lot of money to get [him].''
Between existing contract commitments, arbitration estimates and pre-arbitration players, the Cubs have roughly $120 million going to next year's payroll if they stand pat. With a payroll of even $130 million that could provide enough room to add at least one impact player -- possibly two depending on how much payroll relief Hendry can find in moving a big contract or two.
Dunn, who wants no part of the American League because he doesn't want to be relegated to a designated-hitter role, says he's in discussions with the Nationals on an extension. But talks are a long way from gaining any traction.
He's in the final year of a two-year, $20 million deal.
He's not going to be anything close to Derrek Lee defensively at first, but he's one of the rare hitters capable of transforming the Cubs' lineup -- if not breaking windows on Sheffield Avenue.
''It's a great place to play,'' said Dunn, who's an old Cincinnati teammate and friend of Cubs clubhouse leader Ryan Dempster and who also has developed a rapport, if not a budding relationship, with Hendry.
''I know Jim from my Cincinnati days,'' he said. ''We hit it off. He's one of Buffalo Bills jersey
my favorites. And I hear nothing but great things about him.''
If nothing else, it sounds like a pretty good fit.
''Hopefully,'' Dunn said, catching himself to reiterate his ongoing talks with the Nats. ''You never know.''
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