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Nationals first baseman Adam Dunn, who is entering the final year of his contract, told The Washington Post that he has no desire to become a full-time DH.

"I like playing the field," Dunn said. "DH-ing is awesome during interleague, because it gives you a little break. But I couldn’t do it full time. I won’t do it full time. You can write that out right now."

Dunn added that he would like to sign an extension with Washington before the end of spring training.

In December, Nationals president Stan Kasten told Dunn in a radio interview that he needed to improve his defense at first base or accept going to the AL and becoming a DH.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is growing weary of the recent rumors linking his team to Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Those rumors have involved a trade package anchored by White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham.

"That’s all a TV thing," Guillen told the newspaper. "Gordon, (Gavin) Floyd and (John) Danks … those names are going to come up. And we have to deal with that every time they talk about the White Sox trying to make a deal."

Guillen added that the team currently has no plans to make a deal for Gonzalez.

‘I really believe that our team can win the World Series,’ Jake Peavy says.

Dealt to the White Sox just before the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline last season, Peavy didn’t make his Chicago debut until Sept. 19 because of ankle and elbow injuries. The ace recently spoke with Sporting News’ Dave Curtis and other reporters about his outlook for 2010.

Question: This pitching staff is something else. How excited are you?

Jake Peavy: I didn’t know what this team was made of until I got over here and became a part. Getting to see John Danks in person, Gavin Floyd. I’m super-excited. You know what we bring to the table night in and night out with the starting staff. And I love what (general manager Ken Williams) has done with the bullpen. To have J.J. Putz to go along with a great closer in Bobby (Jenks) and Matt Thornton, you play five- to six-inning ballgames. … With J.J. Putz, (Scott) Linebrink maybe rebounding, Tony Pena, those are your sixth- and seventh-inning guys giving the ball to Matt Thornton and Bobby Jenks. You’ve got to feel good.

Q: What’s your mindset this year now that you’ve been around a little bit?

JP: I really believe that our team can win the World Series from Day 1. I’m sure Kenny will tweak and make moves throughout the season, which he’s always done. But I believe this team assembled right now has a chance and is very capable and should win the A.L. Central. And I believe once we get in (the postseason), we’re as talented as anybody and can compete on a nightly basis with the Yankees, with the top-tier teams in baseball.

Q: How is your health?

JP: I feel as healthy as I’ve ever been. I told a lot of people last year, "When you saw me, I wasn’t in fighting shape." I just wasn’t ready to go. I was coming out of an eight-week cast. I wasn’t able to work out or do anything else. I was about 10 to 15 pounds heavier when you guys saw me last year. … It was a challenge just to get back and pitch those last three games.

Q:  How much of an advantage is it going to be for you to be healthy from the start?

JP: It’s going to be a blessing. Last year was a struggle for me to come into a new environment to pitch and to encounter all the setbacks and not be in shape. … When you get out there, you want to do well. You just got traded, four players for one. So you want to do what you’re capable of doing. Fortunately, I was able to go out and show my teammates, You know what, I’m capable of being a good part of this team. To come into spring training healthy, it’s just like a normal year.

Q: Who do you think has the advantage when you move to a new league: the hitters you haven’t seen, or you, because the hitters haven’t seen you?

JP: It can go either way. I can promise you this: I haven’t faced a lot of these American League guys, (but) when I go into my (first) start … I’ll know everything about those hitters and their tendencies and what they’re going to do and should do and what they ate for breakfast that morning.

Q:  Do you think you’re going to be an emotional leader for this team?

JP: I’m not going to go out there and be a hothead or let things get out of hand. But I’m passionate, and I want to win. That’s the bottom line. And when I take the field, whenever that is, I want to win. And I expect the eight other guys taking the field with me to lay it on the line. If that’s being a role model, I don’t know. Guys go about it in different ways. I’ll try to bring that on the day I pitch and be in the dugout on the days I’m not pitching, to encourage guys and try to keep them motivated.

SN: Ken Williams said it’s important for the young pitchers to know how a No. 1 works. How much do you think you can influence the team’s young pitchers?

JP: Well, I’m certainly going to try to be a leader. … Mark Buehrle has done a great job since he’s been here of mentoring these kids. When I got over here, I was amazed at these guys’ work ethic and the way they went about preparing and taking every fifth day seriously. I’m going to jump right in. We’re all already buddies. We’re going to become closer over the next couple of years.

I’m going to try to throw things at them that might make them better, and I certainly believe they’re going to do the same to me. Any time you’re around someone who does what you do for a craft — I don’t care how long you’ve been doing it or what you’ve been doing — you can always talk and make each other better.

Q: Are you a goal-oriented guy, as far as putting numbers down in your mind?

JP: No. For myself or for my team. I’ve got no numbers. I’ll just tell you I’ll pour every bit of my energy into my opening start. I imagine it will be against Cleveland. Then, I go to the next one. My goal is to give everything I have on that night and walk away from it knowing that I came there and pitched that night. There are too many ups and downs.

Q:  Is the relationship between a pitcher and a catcher overblown? How important is it that A.J. Pierzynski gets to know what you like to throw in which situations?

JP: I think it’s very important that we got to work three games together last year. … It’s not overblown by any means. When you have confidence in each other to do certain things, you get in a rhythm. If you’re going good and you get out of that rhythm, it can kind of knock you off your game a little bit. If you struggle to get into that rhythm, you know, it can be a long night.

The agent for Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez tells the San Diego Union-Tribune he doesn’t "see any signs" that a long-term extension can be worked out.

John Boggs says talks with the Padres quickly stalled when he used Mark Teixeira’s eight-year, $180 million contract as a starting point.

"You always shoot high and adjust to the marketplace," Boggs says.

Club owner Jeff Moorad said last month that, based on initial demands, the Padres were unlikely to afford Gonzalez. General manager Jed Hoyer was less forthcoming on Monday.

"We are not going to comment on player negotiations," Hoyer told the newspaper in an e-mail. "Adrian is under contract for two more seasons with the Padres and ongoing dialogue about the status of extension discussions can only serve as a distraction to the team and to the player."

Gonzalez has one year and $4.75 million, plus a $5.5 club option, remaining on his current contract. That club-friendly deal, plus his age (27) and production (40 home runs last season), makes him a highly attracive trade target. The Red Sox, White Sox, Mariners and Mets have all been linked to Gonzalez in recent rumors.

"This is a premium ballplayer," Boggs tells the paper. "If you think you can get it done, he’s obviously somebody who’s moveable …"

The White Sox were interested in trading for Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez this winter, and they asked Gonzalez’s former teammate Jake Peavy for a recommendation, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Peavy gave it wholeheartedly. The Sox, however, backed off after determining they likely would have to give up second baseman Gordon Beckham, according to the Sun-Times report.

The Sun-Times also reports Peavy first mentioned the Gonzalez link to the newspaper in January. He repeated it to CBSSports.com on Saturday, and confirmed it to a Chicago reporter Sunday.

"(Sox general manager) Kenny (Williams) asked me at one point (this winter), ‘What kind of guy is this guy?’" Peavy told Chicagobreakingsports.com reporter Mark Gonzales. "I went into recruiting mode."

Peavy also told Mark Gonzales that Adrian Gonzalez is prepared to leave his hometown club if it means being on a contender elsewhere.

"Adrian wants to win – I can tell you that," Peavy said. "If it means leaving San Diego, he won’t think twice about doing that. I can promise you that."

Francisco Cervelli. Austin Romine. Jesus Montero. Gary Sanchez. J.R. Murphy. All are young Yankees catchers who are keeping a close watch this spring on 38-year-old starter Jorge Posada. But despite all the young talent that surrounds him, Posada says he won’t go away any time soon.

"I am going to make it tough, that’s the way I was brought up," the veteran switch hitter told the New York Post. "We got a lot of talent, but I am going to make it tough for them. I don’t want to go away.

"I am having fun and enjoy playing. To tell you the truth, they are going to really have to rip (the uniform) off me."

The St. Petersburg Times reports Rays prospects Sean Rodriguez, Reid Brignac and Matt Joyce are battling for two roster spots and one position—the position Ben Zobrist does not play.

In an oddity, Zobrist’s position won’t be determined by his play this spring. It will depend on what Rodriguez and Brignac show at second base or what Joyce does in right field. Zobrist can play either position, and play both equally well. So he’ll bide his time to see which of the three youngsters might emerge as a starter.

"For the most part, Joyce, Rodriguez and Brignac are competing for meaningful at-bats," Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman told the newspaper. "Then the other two are probably competing for a spot on the team, and then the one will probably be in (triple-A) Durham."

Rays manager Joe Maddon says the final decision will be hard. "Maybe the toughest we’ve ever had to make," he said, "because we feel like they are all big league players right now."