Adam Dunn cleared waivers

[LittleHurt05]

Discuss

Chicago White Sox slugger Adam Dunn has cleared waivers and is eligible to be traded to any team, sources said Friday.

 

It's no surprise that Dunn would go unclaimed since he has close to $20 million to go on his contract through the end of next year, but he's hitting very well lately and potentially could help someone if Chicago finds a trade partner.

 

Dunn's overall numbers (26 home runs, 69 RBI, .227 average, .797 OPS) are decent but he has been hitting better in recent days, with a .297 batting average since the break and .391 (9 for 23) in August.

 

The Rangers and Orioles are two teams that might consider at least looking at DH, though the White Sox would presumably have to pay down significant dollars. Texas also has a greater need for a right-handed bat, not a lefty like Dunn.

 

The Rangers were the team that claimed Dunn's teammate Alex Rios as they look to shore up right field following the Biogenesis suspension for star Nelson Cruz. The chances for a deal there weren't being portrayed as necessarily likely. Rios would be a good fit in Texas, though, and the Rangers showed they are willing to take his contract, which pays him $12 million this year, $12.5 million next year and has a buyout and an escalator in the event of a trade

 

 

[witesoxfan]

It's really amazing that he didn't get claimed by SOMEBODY.

 

-No one

[hogan873]

I don't see Adam going anywhere unless the Sox pay a good chunk of his contract, which I don't see happening. I'm okay with Dunn sticking around. If he can keep up the way he's been hitting into next season, he'd be a much more valuable to this team as they "retool."

[iamshack]

Well, I suppose this is telling. There may be some interest, but no one is willing to take the chance of getting stuck with the contract. I'll guess Cleveland had interest but blew much of their financial wad this previous offseason, so couldn't take the chance that we'd let them have him.

[thxfrthmmrs]

Damn, I wished someone would have bit on that.

 

Imagine if we shred Dunn, Rios, Alexei and maybe even Danks contract. We will be running on a $25 mil payroll next year

Edited August 9, 2013 by thxfrthmmrs

[LittleHurt05]

Well, I suppose this is telling. There may be some interest, but no one is willing to take the chance of getting stuck with the contract. I'll guess Cleveland had interest but blew much of their financial wad this previous offseason, so couldn't take the chance that we'd let them have him.

 

I wonder if people would take on the contract if 2011 never happened. I bet there is always that fear he could revert back to that form.

[iamshack]

I wonder if people would take on the contract if 2011 never happened. I bet there is always that fear he could revert back to that form.

I think so...if you look at '12 and '13, his run production is right where it has been historically. His OBP is down and his SLG is down, but he's still been very good at hitting home runs and driving in runs. Over the last 2 months, his OBP and SLG are pretty close to his golden years, so I am surprised no one is willing to take a chance on him, especially given the much talked about "tv money" next year.

[witesoxfan]

I think so...if you look at '12 and '13, his run production is right where it has been historically. His OBP is down and his SLG is down, but he's still been very good at hitting home runs and driving in runs. Over the last 2 months, his OBP and SLG are pretty close to his golden years, so I am surprised no one is willing to take a chance on him, especially given the much talked about "tv money" next year.

 

With pitching so much of the focus, it's really hard to acquire a guy who, for the most part, strikes out, walks, or homers.

[iamshack]

With pitching so much of the focus, it's really hard to acquire a guy who, for the most part, strikes out, walks, or homers.

Do you mean it is difficult to actually acquire a player like this, or it is difficult to justify acquiring a guy like that?

[witesoxfan]

Do you mean it is difficult to actually acquire a player like this, or it is difficult to justify acquiring a guy like that?

 

Difficult to justify, sorry. Dunn is terrible at 1B, and is no longer playable in LF or RF.

 

I have a hypothesis that more guys are being used at DH to give them a day off too, but that's something I want to look at in the offseason.

[Y2Jimmy0]

With pitching so much of the focus, it's really hard to acquire a guy who, for the most part, strikes out, walks, or homers.

 

 

You are right. Dunn has always been one of my favorite players and I have actively defended him and that style of play on this board but he has really stretched the acceptable levels of a true 3 outcome player while in a Sox uniform.

[cabiness42]

I think this makes it less likely that a Rios deal happens. Hahn now has the rest of the month to try to reduce payroll via Dunn--he doesn't have to cave in and take a lame offer from Texas for Rios.

[witesoxfan]

You are right. Dunn has always been one of my favorite players and I have actively defended him and that style of play on this board but he has really stretched the acceptable levels of a true 3 outcome player while in a Sox uniform.

 

We see eye to eye. Dunn is like a 2 win player just as a DH, and when you bring fielding into the equation, it drops to 1 win. It's not a pretty contract. I really like what Dunn can do at the plate, but there's no surprise that he went unclaimed.

[iamshack]

We see eye to eye. Dunn is like a 2 win player just as a DH, and when you bring fielding into the equation, it drops to 1 win. It's not a pretty contract. I really like what Dunn can do at the plate, but there's no surprise that he went unclaimed.

I understand the whole concept of wins above replacement, but it's just not this simple. A player has a particular value to each potential buyer. While it is perfectly reasonable to establish a baseline value for each player, there are many other factors which effect value, especially monetary value. These variations are magnified around this time of year, when more risk is acceptable for the opportunity to play in the Postseason.

[witesoxfan]

I understand the whole concept of wins above replacement, but it's just not this simple. A player has a particular value to each potential buyer. While it is perfectly reasonable to establish a baseline value for each player, there are many other factors which effect value, especially monetary value. These variations are magnified around this time of year, when more risk is acceptable for the opportunity to play in the Postseason.

 

Well there's marginal value too. Adam Dunn is only a 2 WAR player, but in the Orioles lineup, he'd essentially act as about a 3-3.5 WAR player because the guys they have had DH have put up a -12.5 RAR offensively.

 

Still, you don't want to pay $15 mill next year for Adam Dunn.

[iamshack]

Well there's marginal value too. Adam Dunn is only a 2 WAR player, but in the Orioles lineup, he'd essentially act as about a 3-3.5 WAR player because the guys they have had DH have put up a -12.5 RAR offensively.

 

Still, you don't want to pay $15 mill next year for Adam Dunn.

Well, that depends, doesn't it? It's just not simple. If adding him allows me to play in the Postseason, whereas not adding him might not, then maybe I am willing to do so. What if I am working off a budget of $130 million whereas others are working off a budget of $85 million? We adjust performance for park factors...we could certain adjust salary data for budget factors, could we not?

[witesoxfan]

Well, that depends, doesn't it? It's just not simple. If adding him allows me to play in the Postseason, whereas not adding him might not, then maybe I am willing to do so. What if I am working off a budget of $130 million whereas others are working off a budget of $85 million? We adjust performance for park factors...we could certain adjust salary data for budget factors, could we not?

 

You can certainly take that into consideration that somebody may be willing to pay more for a lesser player because, frankly, they can, and they will be a better team overall because of it, if I'm understanding what you're getting at. The Red Sox could pay Jacoby Ellsbury $40 million a year for the next 10 years and he'd be good and "worth" it to them because they can afford it financially and they can make the playoffs and the World Series and Jacoby wins an MVP and saves a falling baby andall that jazz, and they aren't going to mind.

 

That doesn't necessarily make it a smart investment though.

 

It depends on how you want to evaluate it. I can fire off about 500 scenarios at you right now too.

 

In the end, we assume that people act rationally and we try and figure out what that value is. It's clearly not black and white, but it establishes the framwork for evaluation of contract and production and gives a base for what is to be an expected and fair (or unfair or bad) offer to a given player.

[iamshack]

You can certainly take that into consideration that somebody may be willing to pay more for a lesser player because, frankly, they can, and they will be a better team overall because of it, if I'm understanding what you're getting at. The Red Sox could pay Jacoby Ellsbury $40 million a year for the next 10 years and he'd be good and "worth" it to them because they can afford it financially and they can make the playoffs and the World Series and Jacoby wins an MVP and saves a falling baby andall that jazz, and they aren't going to mind.

 

That doesn't necessarily make it a smart investment though.

 

It depends on how you want to evaluate it. I can fire off about 500 scenarios at you right now too.

 

In the end, we assume that people act rationally and we try and figure out what that value is. It's clearly not black and white, but it establishes the framwork for evaluation of contract and production and gives a base for what is to be an expected and fair (or unfair or bad) offer to a given player.

Yeah, I think we are in agreement. I just think the part about people acting "rationally" gets strained a bit around this time of year, as perhaps it should.

[Kyyle23]

I can fire off about 500 scenarios at you right now too.

 

 

do it

[witesoxfan]

do it

 

#1) Eat a dog

#2) Eat a frog

#3) Eat a log

#4) Eat a brog

#5) Eat a slog

#6) Eat a pog

#7) Eat a zog

 

There's 7. I'll the the other 493 later tonight

[Kyyle23]

pathetic

[witesoxfan]

pathetic

 

#8) Punch Kyle

 

[The Ginger Kid]

Still, you don't want to pay $15 mill next year for Adam Dunn.

 

+1 million

[Kyyle23]

#8) Punch Kyle

 

still missing 492

[witesoxfan]

still missing 492

 

#9) Create a Ponzi scheme where I take all of Kyle's money and nobody else's, thus winning