Wire Taps: Chicago White Sox Still Talking Washington Nationals' Adam Dunn.

In yet another artice discussing the possibility of a deal for the Washington Nationals' big middle-of-the-order bat, Adam Dunn, entitled, "Trade talk: Deal with it", Chicago Sun-Times' writer Joe Cowley describes a scene in the White Sox' clubhouse recently in which Chicago's 23-year-old '08 1st Round pick, infielder Gordon Beckham, was forced to watch a news broadcast which mentioned the possibility of the Sox' second baseman getting dealt before the July 31st Non-Waiver Trade Deadline. Reports in recent weeks have both the Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers insisting on Beckham's inclusion in any deal to bring a big slugger to Chicago. 

The Sun-Times' Mr. Cowley, who wrote earlier this week in an article entitled, "Sox have made pitch for Dunn - ball is in Rizzo's court", that "a major-league source" told him the White Sox' GM Kenny Williams is willing to part with, "...anyone and anything he has in the minor leagues in a package," echoes reports in this latest article from several national baseball writers who wrote yesterday that, as Mr. Cowley puts it, "Talk out of Washington is the team will make one more charge at re-signing Dunn to an extension, then go from there."

One of the national baseball writers talking about the Nats' plans with Dunn, ESPN.com's Buster Olney, says in a section of a blog post today entitled, "Better days ahead for the Royals", which is subtitled, "Dunn Deal?" that the Nationals, "...are on the fence about what to do with Adam Dunn," and, "...concerned about whether Dunn's body would hold up through the duration of a three- or four-year deal," but an AL scout Mr. Olney quotes offers this advice: 

"What Dunn does well -- hit homers -- is gaining more value as time goes on, and the two skills that last the longest in aging players like Dunn are the ability to generate on-base percentage and power."

Mr. Olney's solution, which several local writers I've spoken to have suggested as well, put a 3-year deal on the table (the average $-amount I'm hearing is $40M), and, Mr. Olney suggests that the Nats, "...be prepared to go to four years in their proposal," or risk losing their big middle-of-the-order-bat either at the deadline or to free agency when the season is over and AL teams looking for a slugger start throwing money around. Seven days and counting...