Wire Taps: Other Teams Might Want Adam Dunn, Do The Washington Nationals?
by Patrick Reddington on Aug 25, 2010 9:15 AM EDT
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• Chicago Sun-Times' writer Gordon Wittenmyer wrote on Tuesday (8/24) in an article entitled, "Adam Dunn's a Wrigley fan", about the Nats' big middle-of-the-order bat, Adam Dunn, who was quoted by the Sun Times' writer stating that the Cubs' iconic ivy-walled home, "'[Wrigley Field's] obviously one of my favorite parks to hit in...I've always really enjoyed playing there.'" Although Dunn's not quoted explicitly saying so, Mr. Wittenmyer writes that, "Dunn is willing to talk if the Washington Nationals don't make a strong push to get him signed to an extension before he becomes a free agent in the fall." Cubs' third baseman Aramis Ramirez said in another article by Mr. Wittenmyer on August 10th entitled, "Zambrano still the man in the middle", that if the Cubs were to spend this winter, the Nats' 40/100 threat might be a good investment, since Chicago was in the process of freeing up cash before they'd even dealt first baseman Derrek Lee to Atlanta, "Adam Dunn would fit anybody's lineup. But they're going to have to spend a lot of money to get Adam Dunn.''
In an article this morning by Detroit News' sports writer Bob Wojnowski entitled, "Johnny Damon: I'm not jumping ship", the Tigers' outfielder explains his decision not to accept a move back to Boston after the Red Sox claimed their World Series hero in an attempt to bring him back to Fenway as they battle to make it a three-way race for the AL East crown. Damon's reportedly decided that he doesn't want to return to Boston, and the veteran outfielder says he'd like to come back to Detroit:
"'I hope I'm back, I've made that clear, but there obviously are no promises,' Damon said. 'I understand the team wants to figure out who they're going to pursue. I don't know if they're going after (Tampa Bay's) Carl Crawford or (Washington's) Adam Dunn or whoever, but I understand the process.'"
Adam Dunn's made clear in the past that he doesn't want to become a DH in the AL, so if he doesn't return to D.C., a move to the Cubs would seem more likely than the 30-year-old slugger becoming a Tiger, but with obvious interest out there, even if it's only other players mentioning his name, will Dunn still be motivated to sign with the Nats when they've so far been unwilling to commit to the sort of deal that will keep him in DC?
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I'm starting to feel that the no-DH sentiment is a little overstated
I know it came from his mouth but I think he would if Rizzo scorns a long term deal and if the price is right
Somebody needs to be last in the standings; as long as its the Orioles, Tom is happy
Even whe.
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Aug 25, 2010 12:12 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Even when deals to AL teams were discussed at the Non-Waiver Deadline...
…Dunn was quoted stating he’d consider being a DH since it was only 2 months. That doesn’t seem like someone who’s changed their mind.
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Aug 25, 2010 12:14 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I'm starting to re-think the whole situation.
Dunn looks awfully bad when he slumps. His strike-outs are starting to worry me. He truly seems to have no clue out there.
Patiently waiting for "next year" since 1971.
by Princess Jazzy on Aug 25, 2010 12:08 PM EDT reply actions
Power hitters tend to be streaky
When they’re going bad, they tend to be awful.
With Dunn, the key is going to be price. If he can be signed up for 3 years/$40 million, that’s one thing. If he’s looking for 5 years at $16-18 million a year – bless you, Adam, I hope you get it, but I don’t want you getting that much from the Nationals.
And I say...
…that if Rizzo didn’t have a good idea of the price range and the likelihood he would sign, he deserves a lot of criticism over the offseason if this deal doesn’t get done or another player comes in and overpays for him when Dunn probably could have been signed at a better price either last spring or before the trade talk started heating up and reminded him of how valuable he could be on the open market.
Dunn’s camp will be pulling all the strings from here on out, though.
On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park. In Rizzo and Ramos we trust.
by souldrummer on Aug 25, 2010 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Dunn's camp has been pulling the strings all along
They want to go to free agency, because that’s the only place they are going to get a 4-year deal.
Your voice of doom and gloom. Read more at natsnewsnetwork.blogspot.com
by Dave at District Sports Page on Aug 25, 2010 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions
I think there's some eeyore in this but not too much.
If Rizzo believed that he’d only accept a four year deal than he was being too stubborn around the deadline. There’s still negotiating left to be played and I hope that Rizzo will use his newly learned from Boras negotiating skills to get him at a decent price even after they go to free agency. You start to wonder, like I think there was with Soriano, if there’s some beyond baseball reasons for keeping him. Keep Dunn around to keep some of the fans interested if he gets hot or competes for the home run title. Don’t say to season ticket holders that you’re throwing in the towel for the next year. Make a splash with someone early on in free agency to keep folks interested if Dunn doesn’t resign. Just please don’t sell us on the equivalent of “all-star Jason Marquis” or “future hall of famer Pudge Rodriguez” this time(although I liked both moves at the time ).
If they’ve been keeping Dunn for those kinds of reasons, though, I think they are being shortsighted and I think it reflects poorly on us as a fanbase.
On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park. In Rizzo and Ramos we trust.
people don't come to the ballpark to see Adam Dunn.
they come to see the Nationals win. there have been exhaustive studies done (i’ll try to find examples) that state, except in the rarest cases and only fleetingly (see: Strasburg, Stephen), fans do not come to the ballpark to see any one single individual player.
Your voice of doom and gloom. Read more at natsnewsnetwork.blogspot.com
by Dave at District Sports Page on Aug 25, 2010 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions
I believe that.
There are different degrees of win. Getting younger, a camp you seem to squarely fall in, means that it’s certainly possible to lose game in the standings from this year. How do you sell this team in DC if it loses more games and doesn’t have very much hope to win more? Losing Dunn probably means what 4-5 less wins? And where to do those 4-5 less wins come from? If they are the difference between 70 and 66 wins than, yeah, he’s not worth it. If they are the difference between 76 and 81 wins a real important bar for the franchise to hit ASAP, then they may be worth it, especially if they’re playing significantly better at home. If two of those wins, represent dingers in Strasburg starts those are big as well. A winning record for Strasburg, say 9-7 or so next year vs 7-9 is also significant.
Like so much else it depends on context and risk tolerance. They will win less if Dunn is not brought back and they will receive less support if Dunn is not brought back and those wins are not replaced quickly. And going young still has to happen before Zim leaves. To me, keeping Dunn has to mean that they are going all in now and not just letting him walk and pocketing the savings in picks and dollars for some in the great beyond future date.
On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park. In Rizzo and Ramos we trust.
that's my point.
if they let Dunn walk, in addition to taking the picks, the Nats HAVE TO invest the money that would have gone toward him in two younger, more athletic players — most likely via trade because those types of players don’t come through free agency.
Your voice of doom and gloom. Read more at natsnewsnetwork.blogspot.com
by Dave at District Sports Page on Aug 25, 2010 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions
I could care less whether the player at first base is "young and athletic"
The player at first base needs to produce with the bat and catch the ball with regularity.
Rob
"Ninety feet between home plate and first base may be the closest man has ever come to perfection." -- Red Smith
Justin Maxwell is younger and more athletic
And yet, somehow I’d rather have Dunn.
I've been arguing that JMax should get the next six weeks
to either begin to demonstrate he can adjust to ML pitching, or to finish his Nationals career. But this only make sense if he plays CF; if anybody in the Nats front office get a notion to play JMax at first I’ll be quite sore with them.
Rob
"Ninety feet between home plate and first base may be the closest man has ever come to perfection." -- Red Smith
I agree, Maxwell and Bernie should've gotten the whole year to show what they could do and learn...
Willy Taveras playing over Bernie and J-Max was a complete waste of development time. And don’t get me started on putting Guzman in right early in the season…
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Aug 25, 2010 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Looks like JMax might get at least 7 games to show what he can do now.
Curious to learn about what actually happened to Nyjer Morgan. Haven’t seen a scoop yet or video about this.
On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park. In Rizzo and Ramos we trust.
by souldrummer on Aug 25, 2010 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions
I've seen some of these studies
and they have been anything but “exhaustive”.
People came to the ballpark to see Barry Bonds. People came to see Mark McGwire. People came to see Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan, and Greg Maddux. Like it or not, baseball is both a team sport and a sport of individuals who can achieve great things even without the help of their teammates. Fans recognize that and go to see even bad teams when great players play.
Does Adam Dunn fit into this discussion? Ask me again in a few years when he’s chasing 500, hopefully in a Nationals uniform.
Rob
"Ninety feet between home plate and first base may be the closest man has ever come to perfection." -- Red Smith
I still like the Pudge move
With Flores on the never-ending rehab cycle, without Pudge it would be all Nieves, all the time. Yikes. And the pitchers certainly speak highly of Pudge as well.
Experience and leadership matter
The Nats have a great bunch of guys who make the team both likeable and respected, no matter the stats and standings. A young team needs player mentors and leaders to shape the team culture and act as herders to keep the team cohesive. OThe pitchers regularly attest to what they learn from Pudge’s vast experience, work ethic and wise counsel. While Dunn sometimes seems like an overgrown kid, he obviously is well liked and provides essential leadership – and his good humor certainly lifts spirits that have good reason to be low. Youth is the future but Dunn and Pudge are necessary to create not just a winnimung team, but a team that fans feel represent us and who we can respect and like as individuals.
by Nats have my heart on Aug 27, 2010 10:05 PM EDT reply actions
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