MLB Player News: [FA Signing] Adam Dunn (1b/OF), WAS

Posts: 5055 · Posted: Feb 11, 2009 8:22 pm

Baseball Player News: Adam Dunn (1b/OF), WAS
By: James Meyerriecks

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.

Posts: 3479 · Posted: Feb 11, 2009 8:38 pm

great signing

Posts: 2539 · FIC's Tim Cahill Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 2539

FIC Bot wrote:

(while that .247 lifetime average looks like garbage, find me more than ten hitters in the majors with a lifetime .381 OBP)

There's at least 20 hitters with career OBP better than .381. Could've missed someone, he is in pretty elite company.

Todd Helton .428
Albert Pujols .425
Frank Thomas .419
Lance Berkman .413
Manny Ramirez .411
Chipper Jones .408
Jim Thome .406
Bobby Abreu .405
Brian Giles .404
Joe Mauer .399
Garry Sheffield .394
Travis Hafner .391
Vlad Guerrero .389
Alex Rodriguez .389
David Wright .389
Derek Jeter .387
Matt Holliday .386
Kevin Youkilis .385
Jack Cust .382
David Ortiz .382

Awesome signing for Nats though. He is the power bat they've lacked and relatively cheap as well at 10 mill per. I'm very surprised at the lack of interest in Dunn.

Posts: 3074 · Posted: Feb 11, 2009 9:06 pm

I think Dunn is a solid signing but I'm not sure how much sense it makes for the Nationals. I guess they can now look to deal Nick Johnson. They also have some tradeable surplus in the outfield (Jim Bowden has an outfielder fetish) with Dukes, Milledge, Willingham, Wily Mo, Kearns and Willie Harris.

Posts: 10851 · Posted: Feb 11, 2009 10:12 pm

I like Dunn as much as the next guy, but he's going to give back some of that value on defense.

Posts: 9224 · Posted: Feb 11, 2009 11:05 pm

stlsportsfan wrote:

I like Dunn as much as the next guy, but he's going to give back some of that value on defense.

At first base? Nick Johnson is a phenomenal defender, but how many slugging first baseman have even a palatable glove?

Posts: 3774 · I - L - L...... I - N - I Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 3774

The Dodgers are dumb for letting this guy slip to the Nats. McCourt and Colletti are really under some intense pressure to sign Manny now. I would be very surprised if Manny doens't get his $$ from LA.

That being said, it is a good signing by the Nats, but they still aren't a playoff team... and Dunn is not a guy that will bring fans into the stadium. A 2 yr deal makes no sense to me - either sign him for 1 with a club option, or sign him for 3-4 years when the team might actually be able to contend (similarly to what the Tigers did with Pudge back in 04).

Posts: 7575 · NA34 Joined: 03 Jul 2002 Location: California Posts: 7575

guru4u wrote:

Dunn is not a guy that will bring fans into the stadium

I don't know man, looking at the recent rosters Dunn actually has decent star power. Three of the past four seasons they've failed to have a guy reach 25 homers. Last season their team high was 14. Chicks dig the long ball, he'll put a few extra fans in the seats.

Posts: 2539 · FIC's Tim Cahill Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 2539

guru4u wrote:

A 2 yr deal makes no sense to me - either sign him for 1 with a club option, or sign him for 3-4 years when the team might actually be able to contend (similarly to what the Tigers did with Pudge back in 04).

1 or 2 year deals were probably the only way to get him. Nats were desperate for a big bat and Dunn didnt want a longterm deal in this crisis. He also probably didnt want to play for Nats but they were the only ones giving him even close to what he earned last year. Now he'll test the free agency in 24 months time at the age of 32. If the market recovers and his power doesnt sap, he's due for a big pay day.