Wayne... Bob... whomever is currently in charge... please, kind sirs... just pick up the option and try to sign Adam Dunn longterm.
I know his defense isn't very good, but he's been much better this year, so let's hope his 2007 defense is the beginning of an upward trend. I know he appears, at times, to not care... I know he can give the impression that he takes criticism from the media pretty harshly (e.g. the Brennamens, Jeff Brantley, Bill Cunningham), but look at the numbers! Again, he's gonna finish with 40 HR and 100 runs. He's already over 100 RBI. His OBP and OPS are .384 and .940, respectively. Yes, he strikes out a lot, but he doesn't make an out almost 40% of the time.
Yes, Jay Bruce is almost ready and will need a spot in the lineup. Yes, Griffey looks like he still has a couple decent years left. Yes, Josh Hamilton is the CF of this club for the forseeable future. Yes, Votto looks to be the answer at 1B. So it looks like, maybe, somehow, letting go of Dunn might not hurt the team that much...
...but do you really want to just let a guy with such ridiculous power/run-producing stats walk away and get only a sandwich draft pick in return? Is that sandwich pick going to give you 40-100-100 for the next 8 years? I bet Dunn will...
My answer is no, regardless of what I said about him just last month... the moral of the story, as always, is that I'm a fruitcake who can't make up his mind. SIGN HIM! You just won't get fair value in return. Gotta keep The Donkey.
As much as I love Griffey - and yes, boy oh boy, do I love watching Griffey play - I'd rather have Dunn. If someone in the OF must be moved, I'd be willing to send Junior on his way to a team that could win it all in the next year or 2. Wouldn't you be ok with an OF of Dunn-Hamilton-Bruce-Hopper-Freel next year? And an IF of Encarnacion-Gonzo-Phillips-Votto-Keppinger-Cantu?
Junior is wonderful... a first-ballot HOFer, for sure... and I'd love to see 600 in a Cincinnati uniform... but he's in the twilight. The future isn't the guy in his mid-30s... the future is Dunn-Bruce-Hamilton-Phillips-Votto. Build around that.
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You layed it out there quite well, Scotty me boy..! I've been calling The Donkey everything but a Ball Player. Ya just can't argue the numbers. The man sucks out-loud in the field and it bothers the hell out of me. But Griff on the other hand,....good luck getting that ring. See ya and your SWEET SWING later!...And God, is it ever a sweet swing..! I'd might like to see Gonzo gone w/Phillps at SS and Kepp at 2nd. Give me that 300 hitter baby. Ohh Yeah, and all I want for Christmas is some pitching pitching pitching.
Dan W
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