Everybody wants Fuku

The Cubs are facing significant competition for their No. 1 target, Japanese free-agent outfielder Kosuke Fukudome. The Padres have emerged as a serious contender for Fukudome, according to major-league sources.

The market for Fukudome, 30, is moving quickly, sources say, with the White Sox and Dodgers also showing significant interest.

Fukudome, a left-handed hitter, would play right field for the Cubs, and could play center or an outfield corner for the Padres, Dodgers and White Sox. He played center for Japan in the World Baseball Classic.

The Padres envision Fukudome possibly replacing free agent Mike Cameron, who has told the team that he will not accept their offer of a one-year contract through salary arbitration.

Cameron, who turns 35 on Jan. 8, is entertaining multi-year offers from more than one club and continues to negotiate with the Padres.

"You know me. It's always about this year. We go into our planning sessions and get very specific about how we want things laid out in the season we're in and three seasons out. You've heard me talk about the (three-year) board before. When a opportunity is given, and certain expectations haven't been met, or that time table hasn't come about in regards to, I'm not talking about one player, just whomever it may be, then we have to make an adjustment. That adjustment comes from the trade market, or comes from re-signing a guy maybe you thought you weren't going to re-sign at a given time. It is is a variety of things that come into play. While we have our plans mapped out, I'm not so rigid in them that we can't maintain our flexibility. And part of that is identifying when a young guy is ready and when he's not. We've given a couple opportunities. By no means does that mean that these moves we've made in the outfield that we have cast these guys aside. They're very high on our lists, still. But for today and right now, we've got to do what we go to do to put the best team on the field."