2008-12-04T18:41:44-05:00 <p>Things have appeared oddly quiet for the biggest slugger on the free-agent market. That would be <strong>Adam Dunn</strong>, who may find his value isn't quite what he had hoped (though we have to believe he doesn't actually expect the $100 million ex-Reds teammate Brandon Phillips says he's expecting).</p> <p>The Nationals, who have been in on many big names (including Maryland native <strong>Mark Teixeira</strong> and Maryland resident <strong>A.J. Burnett</strong>), could be a possibility. Nationals GM Jim Bowden is said by baseball people to love Dunn, who hit .236 with 100 RBIs and 40 homers last season.</p> <p>A few others might look him, as well, though. He is the most consistent 40-homer hitter in baseball. How consistent? Well, he's hit exactly 40 home runs for four years running. And the year before that he hit 46, giving him a grand total of 206 homers in the last five years.</p> Top free-agent slugger may come cheap 2008-11-26T13:10:05-05:00 18 2008-11-26T13:10:05-05:00 1 2 10 2008-12-04T18:41:44-05:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/169/322/thumb/180px-Musial_statue.jpe.jpg 2145 MO CardsFan2 Saint Louis 169622 19 This game is about runs. Runs created by Adam Dunn is higher than Ryan Howard and Ryan Braun. That's not bad company. This guy is very underrated. Don't like the defense? Sign him as a DH. He can flat out smash the ball. 3542241 2008-12-01T22:43:15-05:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/486/014/thumb/staypuft.jpg 1722 OH Dallas_W Cincinnati 486454 18 Having watched Dunn play his entire career here, I take issue with anyone who says his defense is average. Watching eight years of him regularly trot to balls hit past him as the runner arrives standing at second will do that. He doesn't register many errors over the years because it's not scored an error if the ball sails over your head or if you're just generally too slow to make a play. Dunn bats for walks, not contact. This can be seen in all of his strike outs looking; he's looking for the free base instead of protecting the plate. When he does swing, he can wallop the ball, but it's feast or famine. A lot of fans are still wrapped up in this schoolboy fascination with home runs. Home runs alone don't get you very far, and Adam Dunn and recent Cincinnati Reds history are perfect examples of this. I'll take a consistant .300 hitter who only hits maybe 20-25 home runs and has better mobility than a Bradley Tank over Dunn any day. 3503862 2008-11-29T16:00:57-05:00 365 AZ yngwiescruggs Tempe 493642 17 Thank you mbgrayson for using fancy numbers and newfangled math. Batting average is an awful statistic. I would take a lineup of 9 Adam Dunns any day. Plus it would be really funny to see him try to play shortstop ;D As a crazy Indians fan, I would love to see them make a run at Dunn if his price is lower than is expected. He's a really underrated player because walks are so undervalued. One thing not a lot of people point out is that his HR are NOT cheap because he plays in Cincy. He's consistently at the top of the league in &quot;no doubt&quot; HR and road HR. 3478958 2008-11-28T21:50:23-05:00 1 MT mbgrayson Anaconda 619651 16 Dunn's fielding is average, not below average. Among 21 regular left fielders in 2008, his range factor was 1.97. Dunn also led the NL in pitches per plate appearance at 4.32. He wears out opposing pitchers. I am sick of you guys even using batting average to rate players. Dunn had a .386 OBP in each of the last two years, one of the best in the league. He also has driven in 100+ runs in 4 out of 5 years. Finally, Dunn just flat out plays and plays. He played 150+ games in each of the last five years. He will play through minor injuries, and he is just tough. Yes, I think Dunn is a darn good player, and anyone who thinks otherwise is simply wrong. 3474846 2008-11-28T13:12:11-05:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/200/297/thumb/071024pedroia-pumped.jpg 11 MA Seth G Randolph 200597 15 And I think Manny Ramirez and Mark Teixiera might disagree with Dunn being the biggest slugger on the free agent market. 3471995 2008-11-28T13:10:49-05:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/200/297/thumb/071024pedroia-pumped.jpg 11 MA Seth G Randolph 200597 14 And I think Manny Ramirez and Mark Teixiera might disagree with Dunn being the biggest slugger on the free agent market. 3471990 2008-11-28T00:17:29-05:00 16 IL wojo14 Tinley Park 195645 13 Despite the strikeouts and low batting average, Dunn gets on base at about a 40% clip so he does have value offensively. His defense is poor and there are questions about his desire. But I think he would be good for the Cubs, I'm kind of surprised I haven't heard him linked to them so far. They desperately need some lefty power to offset the righty combo of Soriano-Lee-Ramirez. 3469720 2008-11-28T00:13:59-05:00 16 IL wojo14 Tinley Park 195645 12 Dunn have offensive value, despite the strikeouts and low batting average because he gets on base at about a 40% clip. He would be good for the Cubs, who desperately need lefty hitting power, but I agree his defense is poor. 3469700 2008-11-27T12:37:32-05:00 39 XX sturg1dj No City 174198 11 something about not wanting to spend $100 million on a .240 hitter seems about right 3467482 2008-11-27T00:44:14-05:00 2 SD sdeasy Rapid City 618285 10 With the focus on building a team through the draft, teams are not running out offers to free agents until after the arbitration deadline for free agents pass so that teams can hold on to draft picks. Signings will come in December. Dunn will get a big deal once Teix or Manny signs. 3466008 18 <p>Things have appeared oddly quiet for the biggest slugger on the free-agent market. That would be <strong>Adam Dunn</strong>, who may find his value isn't quite what he had hoped (though we have to believe he doesn't actually expect the $100 million that ex-Reds teammate <strong>Bronson Arroyo </strong>says he's expecting).</p> <p>The Nationals, who have been in on many big names (including Maryland native <strong>Mark Teixeira</strong> and Maryland resident <strong>A.J. Burnett</strong>), could be a possibility. Nationals GM <strong>Jim Bowden</strong> is said by baseball people to love Dunn, who hit .236 with 100 RBIs and 40 homers last season.</p> <p>A few other teams might look Dunn, as well. He is the most consistent 40-homer hitter in baseball. How consistent? Well, he's hit exactly 40 home runs for four years running. And the year before that he hit 46, giving him a grand total of 206 homers in the last five years.</p> 27101 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/100/64/thumb/Heyman_Jon.png 0 NY Jon Heyman New York 10084