Chris Young, rounding the bases after a homer in Sunday's game, will be part of an intensified outfield competition in spring training.

ROSS D. FRANKLIN / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Other articles by Sarah Trotto:

Inexperienced men's hoops team learns on the go In '09, Cats will rely on experience to reach NCAAs UA volleyball: Sophomore ready to lead the team Defense keeps Wildcats close to No. 8 Aggies Cats have little time to study for No. 8 Texas A&M Cats in NCAAs 'for sure' after sweep Pre-game attitude worries coach needlessly Mexican team of four finishes 1-2-3-4Allar, 23, wins it for her coach Wildcats need deliveries by posts, guards

Construction
Komatsu Equipment Co
Mechanic General
CORT
WAREHOUSE/DRIVER General
CORT
Warehouse Supervisor Health Care
Rio Salado College
PA's/Online Instructors Education
Assessment Technology, Inc
Social Studies Content Writer

PHOENIX — Spring training will begin in five months — if anybody is counting — and manager Bob Melvin provided a forecast for the Arizona Diamondbacks' camp.

Expect heightened urgency.

After the D-backs held at least a share of first place in the NL West for five months, the Los Angeles Dodgers passed them on Sept. 6 and eliminated the reigning champions on Thursday.

Melvin indicated competition for jobs — particularly in the outfield — will heighten intensity at spring training.

Conor Jackson made a successful transition to left field, Chris Young will man center field, Justin Upton will be in right and Eric Byrnes will be back from hamstring injuries. Adam Dunn, a free agent, is not expected to return.

"We need to create some more questions and some more urgency," Melvin said. "Maybe this year coming in, being kind of a set lineup for a younger group, maybe I should have pushed that a little bit more. Maybe there should be more competition. Maybe there should be more urgency.

"A lot of it is going to be on their end, who deserves to be playing at the time," he added, addressing the outfield. "They all have the ability to push each other."

Byrnes said an excess of good players is always positive.

"My focus is getting healthy and getting ready to play," he said. "I have the confidence in myself that I'm a pretty good player when I'm healthy. The bottom line is just getting healthy."

After finishing 82-80 and out of the playoffs, Upton said he and his teammates should enter spring training with an edge.

"It's going to be Bob's decision who's going to be in the outfield every day and what positions everyone will play," he said. "We have to get ourselves ready. However it ends up at the end of spring training we need to know we did what we needed to do."

Second baseman Orlando Hudson, who is set to become a free agent, said Sunday's game "could be" his last with the D-backs. He begins rehab on his left wrist injury on Oct. 9.

"Hopefully, I'm still here," he said. "But if not, it was the best place I played. Coaches are unbelievable. Teammates are great. I had a lot of fun."

Dunn, who led the majors with 122 walks, said he has yet to talk to the D-backs about returning.

"I'm wanting to get home and relax," he said. "It's been a long year. There will be plenty of time for that."

Melvin gave Jackson the day off, starting Dunn in left field and Chad Tracy at first base to get Tracy's left-handed bat in the lineup against Colorado right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez. Jackson was available to pinch hit.

"I think everybody to an extent is a little bit run down," Melvin said. "He's fine."

The D-backs have discussed the possibility of catcher Miguel Montero playing third base, a move that could give Montero, a left-handed batter, more at-bats but would not be an everyday role.

Montero said he wants to help his team, but doesn't want to lose value as a catcher.

"I feel I can be an everyday catcher at some point in my career," he said. "I don't want to kind of change that around and be a utility guy or be the backup all my career."

Third baseman Mark Reynolds could then see time at second base.

"(It) maybe gives me another way to rest guys a little bit more," Melvin said.