Jan 07 2009
Why don’t Braves focus on Dunn?
By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com
ATLANTA — Chicks may no longer dig the long ball the way they did when Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux filed their famous Nike commercial a decade ago. The steroid scandal cast a shadow of doubt on power hitters from coast to coast, whether that power was generated by natural or other not-so-honorable methods.
Certainly, power has been a focus of the Atlanta Braves entering 2009. Rather, the lack of power from the motley crew of outfielders last season that helped send the Braves to their worst season since 1990.
So, with a power-hitting left fielder who has blasted 206 homers the past five seasons sitting out there on the free agent market, it begs the question: Why aren’t the Braves pursuing Adam Dunn?
Let’s be clear about one thing: Dunn will not win a Gold Glove for his defensive efforts. The lumbering 6-foot-6, 240-pounder has a career fielding percentage of .969 in 950 games in left during his eight career seasons. His range is somewhat limited, a concern considering the open spaces of Turner Field.
But with that said, if you’re looking for power, Dunn fits the bill. His home run totals the past five seasons: 46, 40, 40, 40, 40.
Notice a trend? Dude is a threat to reach the cheap seats every time he steps to the dish.
That’s exactly what the Braves need. The current lineup does not feature a slugger, a guy you can put into the cleanup spot who will strike fear in opposing pitchers. After Mark Teixeira was dealt to the Angels at the trade deadline, the Braves were pathetic in the power department.
Several factors make Dunn intriguing if you’re the Braves. Yes, he benefited from playing in a small ballpark in Cincinnati, but he belted eight homers in 44 games after being dealt from the Reds to Arizona last summer. During the course of a full season, that prorates to 30 homers, which would be just fine for an Atlanta lineup where one figures Dunn would bat behind NL batting champion Chipper Jones, and ahead of .300 hitter Brian McCann.
Dunn also is young: he turned 29 in November. It’s not like you’d be putting an aging player on the downside of his career in left and hoping that player could recapture the magic of years gone by. And yes, while the batting average and the number of strikeouts is a concern, I think you take that with the knowledge that Dunn will make up for it in the power department.
Chicks may not dig the long ball like they once did, but the Braves certainly would dig having a big-time power threat in the midst of their lineup. Adam Dunn is that guy.
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