Monday, August 11, 2008

Dunn traded: I don't understand why

Adam Dunn is gone. Traded to Arizona. Amazing. His BA has dropped this year but he has put up a .233/.373/.528 and an OPS+ of 131, VORP of 24.9, both are the highest on the team. He is the most valuable bat in the lineup, can change the game with one swing, in the prime of his career, plays average defense, is the longest tenured Red, and the face of the franchise. Now he is gone and the young guys like Bruce and Dickerson get to learn how to play the outfield from the only other healthy outfielder, Corey the Great. Freel becomes the longest tenured Red and other than Bruce and Votto, there is no position player who will bring in fans.

If Dunn left after the year the Reds would get 2 picks in the top 100. If they were to trade him they would have to get a solid, young, major league ready prospect with very few questions of whether or not he will play in the majors. What did they get? They got a 23 year old, 3rd round draft pick, right-hander in high-A ball who has already had Tommy John surgery and two players to be named later, which of course means two players destined to stay in the minors. Horrible. Now there is no chance of him coming back next year and leaves the Reds with all their hopes for offense on the late developing Phillips and Encarnacion with Votto and Bruce still learning to play while trying to carry the middle of the order. I guess Corey really threatened Dusty with the incriminating pictures and now that Dunn is gone, he is guaranteed more playing time.

I am left speechless. I have pleaded with the Reds to lock Dunn down long term. They traded him for a bag of peanuts, some splintered maple bats, and a cactus from Arizona. There is no face of the franchise. Jay Bruce is now forced to carry the team on his 21 year old shoulders. Harang is turning into a mediocre pitcher and, not surprisingly, the young pitchers seem to be wearing down the more Dusty sends them out there for 110+ pitches. The season is over and, as for next season, I am almost ready to throw in the towel. Thank god football is almost back. The ineptitude of the Reds makes me long for Mike Brown and the Cincinnati Bengals.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rumor is those 2 players to be named are minor leaguers on the DBacks 40 man roster, names available are Scherzer and Owings - changes the trade a bit. Still not sure you don't keep Dunn around for the future

Anonymous said...

Dunn does not play average defense. He is the worst left fielder in the league. In fact, the Reds should have thrown in the forklift with which he plays left field. Where do you think the point-of-view of J.P. Riccardi and others who passed on Dunn comes from? Thin air? Raw malice? Nonsense. These guys want to win and they operate based on information they trust. I'm shocked the Reds got what they got for him.