Astros' Brett Myers Dominates; Cubs Shut Out For 10th Time In 2010

Which means signing him would blow up in our faces.

For Colvin to work at 1B, then Fukudome would also have to be a productive starter in RF, something he has failed to accomplish in his first 2 years here. For some reason the Cubs won’t try this arrangement for the remainder of this lost season, which leads me to believe it will definitely be a free agent, which would one of a small group including our own Nady, or else Hoffpauir. That means Fukudome must not be in the plans or else we will be treated to the same 4-man outfield logjam we got to enjoy this year.

But I’m waiting for a phone call, so I’ll help you out.

Colvin does not seem destined to move to first. The Cubs have not played him there at all, even though he was given some work there before several games in the last days of the Lou era. Either the Cubs want to wait until after the season to get Colvin some work at first (which makes little sense) or they don’t see him as a first baseman.

There’s also the issue of changing the math on a team that will almost certainly lose 90 or more games. Putting Colvin at first and putting Kosuke in right means that the group that was so disappointing in 2010 will be back in 2011. Sure, the lineups from opening day to opening day would be different, but that’s sort of like putting a Band-Aid on a head wound.

Also, the Cubs seem like they’re going to be players for Adam Dunn, who made comments recently about liking Hendry. Dunn’s extension talks with the Nats have stalled, he could be a marketable, fan-favorite commodity (at a time when the Cubs need people in the seats) and he instantly changes the lineup. His defense isn’t great, but he plays probably the only position the Cubs can fill from outside the organization. They’re locked in everywhere else except maybe second base.

Kosuke might have plate discipline, but he’s an incredibly expensive platoon player. Some around here debate whether he could hit lefties if the Cubs gave him the chance to do so, but whatever. Kosuke’s strong August MIGHT prompt another team to take him off the Cubs’ hands and pay enough of his salary so the Cubs can sign Dunn AND shore up the bullpen or add another starter. Besides, keeping Kosuke would require that the Cubs sign a right-handed hitting platoon partner, because there’s no one within the organization that I know of who makes sense to fill the role. Meanwhile, Colvin hits lefties, so can be penciled in to play right next season without an Xavier Nady-like insurance policy.

It’s also almost impossible to envision an outfield where Kosuke and Colvin play every day. Colvin won’t play left (because Soriano is untradable) and we know that Colvin won’t be playing center (he’s not good enough defensively to justify trading Byrd). The Cubs gave up on Kosuke in center after 2009, so Colvin and Kosuke only really have right field.

Last point: The Cubs have $20-some million in payroll savings because Lee, Theriot, Lilly, Nady and Fontenot will not be back. If the Cubs don’t sign someone to play first, where would you suggest they spend their money? This point is controversial — some regulars around here don’t see any point in a Dunn signing because they think the team should build for 2012 and beyond, or they think Dunn is old and bad defensively — but other than making a play for Cliff Lee (unlikely) the Cubs don’t have many good options for a face-saving, PR-ish signing that also makes the team better. Adam Dunn — at the right price — is that option.