Adam Dunn hates to talk about trades, hates to even think about them. He’s made it clear — he’s happy in Washington and would like to stay with the Nationals. And Nationals’ General Manager Mike Rizzo agrees: Adam is good for the team, good at the plate, good in the clubhouse and is a plus, plus, plus all the way around. But it’s hard to deny the rumors that the Chicago White Sox are bidding for Dunn and would love to bring him aboard, though at a price they dictate. Rizzo doesn’t deny this. He simply says that the Nationals must be overwhelmed by any offer, which could or would or might include Pale Hose second sacker Gordon Beckham and right fielder home run hitter Carlos Quentin. Or both. The White Sox have recoiled from this, knowing that Beckham is a long term talent and that Quentin is one of the guys that led their surge into contention in the A.L. Central. They would like Rizzo to focus, instead, on accepting a much more modest package that would, could or might include young righty Daniel Hudson (above) and heavy hitting youngster Dayan Viciedo.

There are problems here: Beckham is a young guy who would solve Washington’s problem at second base for years to come, but he’s having a lousy year at the plate (.237, 4 HRs), while Quentin, after a breakout year in 2009 (21 HRs., albeit without a MLB standard BA), is having trouble finding his groove (.244 BA, .344 OBP). But shifting away from Beckham or Quentin also presents problems. Daniel Hudson has a lot of promise, but it’s really only promise and while the young righty’s “upside” (gag) seems good, the Nats know all about “upside.” They need a proven pitcher (right now) who can fill the second (or third, if you count Livan) slot behind “the kid.” Hudson would look good in that spot, or he might end up being John Lannan’s roomy in Harrisburg. Mr. Dayan Perez Viciedo has his own set of challanges: he is a freeswinging Pablo Sandoval (or “kung fu house cat” as one of our readers opined) in the making. This guy couldn’t hit the water if he fell out of a boat. Well, okay — Viciedo is a good hitter and potentially a great hitter and when he does hit it it goes a long, long ways. Translation: Dayan can really hit the ball, but he strikes out a lot. Still . . . still. The simple and blunt truth is that the more that you study Hudson and Viciedo, the more tempting they become.

The White Sox end of this, at least according to Chicago Sun-Times baseball guru Mike Cowley, is that Rizzo is asking for way too much — he’s dangling Dunn like he’s Ryan Howard. The White Sox are hesitant. They’re willing to pay a good price for Dunn, but Chicago G.M. Kenny Williams is simply not willing to part with a package of top prospects and major pieces. He is countering with a package of minor leaguers (probably Hudson and Viciedo), that would keep Beckham and Quentin in Chicago. Pale Hose partisans apparently agree with this strategy, as does the White Sox clubhouse. Williams is just unwilling to trade away parts of a surging squad that has put together one of the more astonishing June and July winning streaks in recent memory. And Rizzo’s attitude? Well, Mike seems to be standing firm. In truth, he’d like to have them all — and much as we love Adam Dunn, we have to agree. We would love to have them all too. But let’s be realistic. A package that would include Hudson, Viciedo and just one of Beckham (which would be our preference) or Quentin is tempting. Very tempting.

If there was any thought that somehow the Washington Nationals could get along without Adam Dunn, the hefty lefty must have put them to rest on Wednesday night. Dunn hit three dingers against a formidable San Diego pitching staff, solidifying his obvious importance as a run producer inside the 3-4-5 Nats batting order. It’s odd how things work (or seem to work): just as talk was heating up about how tough an out Joey Votto has been, Ryan Zimmerman nearly single handedly demolished the Friars on Tuesday — and thereby, we assume, made his own case for why he (and not Votto) should be an All Star. Now, on Wednesday, after hearing endless rumors about where he might be going in the weeks ahead, Dunn made the clearest statement possible for staying right where he is.

But the rumors continue. The most recent is that the Nats have asked the White Sox to pony up for Dunn, giving up a mix of hitters and prospects that would (or so the argument goes) strengthen the Nats defensively, but without subtracting any power. The most recent whisper is that the Nats will ask the Pale Hose to part with second sacker Gordon Beckham, apparently because of his slick glove and implied power. It must be implied, because Beckham is currently hitting an anemic .208, with two home runs. If the report is true (and we’ll just bet it is), the Nats will trade a proven slugger for a questionable starter that will plug a hole that doesn’t need plugging. Which is to say: the Nats solution at second base is not in Chicago — he’s in the dugout. Of course the hope here is that Dunn’s pyrotechnics last night might have, and should have, put this to rest. And if they didn’t, then perhaps what Ryan Zimmerman told the Post this morning will: “It’s really, really hard to find a 3-4-5.”