Adam Dunn (1b/OF), WAS

News: After a tumultuous offseason of getting spurned, the Washington Nationals finally got their man Wednesday, signing slugging outfielder Adam Dunn to a 2 year deal reportedly worth $10 million a year. Dunn hit .236 with 40 homers and 100 RBI in 158 games between the Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks last season.

Views: Forget the batting average (.247 lifetime), forget the strikeouts (his 164 last season were his fewest in the past five seasons.... and that's not really saying anything positive), and focus on two things: his consistent power production (40 or more homers in five straight seasons, including an eerie four straight years of exactly 40 homers) and the outstanding plate discipline that helps negate his poor contact skills (while that .247 lifetime average looks like garbage, find me more than ten hitters in the majors with a lifetime .381 OBP). The Nationals desperately needed a middle of the order bat, and they have it for the next two years in Dunn.

As for how this will impact his fantasy value... it shouldn't. The Nats offense was... well... offensive last season. However, that was without Josh Willingham's consistent power bat in the lineup. It was also without Ryan Zimmerman, Lastings Milledge, Nick Johnson, and Elijah Dukes bats in the lineup on a frequent basis. Dunn will have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs batting cleanup (most likely behind Milledge and Zimmerman and protected by Willingham most of the time). Nationals Park doesn't play nearly as poorly to power hitters as RFK did either. Expect him to put up his usual 40 homer/100 RBI season while batting in the .240 to .260 range and striking out just a few times less than Ryan Howard.

As for the Nationals, great signing. Much has been made about the economy and how it's been impacting some of the players (Dunn included up until now) refusal to sign. The assumption is that Dunn likely would have signed with a contending team for $1 or $2 million less (more likely on a one year deal). Regardless, the length of the contract isn't a major issue, and Dunn is still taking a $3 million a year paycut in the prime of his career. Financially, Washington comes out just fine in this deal. All in all, the Nationals still certainly don't have nearly enough pieces to contend in the NL East, but the additions of Dunn, Willingham, and starting pitcher Scott Olsen as well as a (hopefully) healthy lineup should give them enough to have an excellent shot at escaping the basement.