Teams abandoning shift against Dunn

[southsider2k5]

More at link

 

http://www.csnchicago.com/white-sox/shift-...lugger-all-dunn

 

Finally, Dunn had enough and decided to take advantage of the holes the opposition provided at shortstop and down the line.

 

“It’s probably a little bit of a change, but I think everybody makes adjustments over the course of their career and it has helped him,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. ‘The idea you only help your team if you hit homers (isn’t true) unless you’re (Miguel) Cabrera.”

 

Dunn said he decided to abandon his “stupid, stubborn ways.” After going over spray charts with third-base coach Joe McEwing, Dunn has decided to take what the defense gives him even if it means fewer home runs.

 

“Sometimes I’ll get up there with a runner on second and I look and there’s a huge hole almost at shortstop and you’re basically giving yourself up, but you’re really not,” Dunn said. “If you hit the ball over there, it’s a run. I’ll literally get jammed as bad as I can get jammed and it’s a slow roller out there that barely reaches the outfield grass and yet it gets the job done.”

 

Since June 8, Dunn’s spray chart is far more balanced. From Aug. 1-15 alone, he had 16 balls hit to the left side of second base.

 

Teams have been forced to play him in normal positioning as such and Dunn’s production has soared.

[Steve9347]

Don't try to make me like you again, Adam Dunn. This type of s*** shows you're trying and starts to hurt my unabashed hatred of you.

[elrockinMT]

I had been preaching to Adam Dunn to take it to the opposite field. Apparently he reafs Soxtalk cause he did. Average up to about .240 now. I said before he we could see a .250 or so average he would be awesome

[greg775]

I had been preaching to Adam Dunn to take it to the opposite field. Apparently he reafs Soxtalk cause he did. Average up to about .240 now. I said before he we could see a .250 or so average he would be awesome

 

What took him so long? Everybody, I mean everybody, has said he has the power to hit it out to any field. That ridiculous shift would be on every single at bat and yet he'd still strike out or ground out or pop out into the shift.

[Eminor3rd]

What took him so long? Hawk Harrelson, I mean Ken Harrelson, has said he has the power to hit it out to any field. That ridiculous shift would be on every single at bat and yet he'd still strike out or ground out or pop out into the shift.

 

Fixed.

 

It was never about his power, it was about his hit tool. If Dunn or his coaches felt there were legitimate questions about his ability to control the bat against pitches that are harder to hit, there would be a real risk of even moire strikeouts with even less power.

 

Based on this, it sounds like the coaches thought he could do it but Dunn wasn't so sure. Nice that it's working

[Jerksticks]

What an asshole. That's all that article says. "My stupid stubborn ways". What a boner. Get the hell off our team.

[witesoxfan]

What an asshole. That's all that article says. "My stupid stubborn ways". What a boner. Get the hell off our team.

 

Not exactly a surprising comment from a Sox based based on a left handed slugger who strikes out a lot but has put up a .282/.385/.548/.933 triple split over his previous 84 games.

[elrockinMT]

What took him so long? Everybody, I mean everybody, has said he has the power to hit it out to any field. That ridiculous shift would be on every single at bat and yet he'd still strike out or ground out or pop out into the shift.

 

 

I think Dunn said it himself. He was stubborn. You hear this a lot about and from power hitters. "They are not paid to go the other way as they are HR hitters." I see them as RBI guys and you get them anyway you can to help the team

[elrockinMT]

What an asshole. That's all that article says. "My stupid stubborn ways". What a boner. Get the hell off our team.

 

 

Calm down my friend. Dunn was being honest and criticizing himself. He isn't blaming anyone else. I like the way he has stepped up

[Jake]

Most guys like Dunn are encouraged to not try to hit through the shift by their coaching staffs

[Jerksticks]

Calm down my friend. Dunn was being honest and criticizing himself. He isn't blaming anyone else. I like the way he has stepped up

 

Stepping up is getting RBIs no matter what. 14 million worth every year. Admitting it was "your bad" 2 years later after a whole coaching staff was fired and the team was forced into hybrid rebuilding because of your stubborn ways makes me want to puke. Now all of a sudden he's going to listen to coaches? When it doesn't matter? When the talented all-in team is gone? GMAB.

[greg775]

Stepping up is getting RBIs no matter what. 14 million worth every year. Admitting it was "your bad" 2 years later after a whole coaching staff was fired and the team was forced into hybrid rebuilding because of your stubborn ways makes me want to puke. Now all of a sudden he's going to listen to coaches? When it doesn't matter? When the talented all-in team is gone? GMAB.

 

I know I despise Dunn the player (not the person) and may not be capable of being objective, but reading Dunn's new take on hitting also made me mad. I mean these arguments for hitting the ball to the left side are pretty f***ing obvious. It doesn't take a rocket scientist or Bill James to realize you uh, might hit the ball to the third baseman, since there IS NO THIRD BASEMAN.

 

Dunn said: ""Sometimes I'll get up there with a runner on second and I look and there's a huge hole almost at shortstop and you're basically giving yourself up, but you're really not. If you hit the ball over there, it's a run. I'll literally get jammed as bad as I can get jammed and it's a slow roller out there that barely reaches the outfield grass and yet it gets the job done."

 

My comment: Well no kidding, Adam. How old are you and you are just now realizing this is a possible line of attack?? I'd really get mad when he would hit into the shift in a tie game or close game with runners on base. It's like THERE IS NO THIRD BASEMAN, just dribble one that way. I just wish he'd go away so I don't have to think about him any more (and yes I realize he's had some big hits in a Sox uniform as well).

Edited August 20, 2013 by greg775

[Rowand44]

Most guys like Dunn are encouraged to not try to hit through the shift by their coaching staffs

This. It's really not that hard to understand, people just want to find a new way to bash Dunn.

[Jerksticks]

I know I despise Dunn the player (not the person) and may not be capable of being objective, but reading Dunn's new take on hitting also made me mad. I mean these arguments for hitting the ball to the left side are pretty f***ing obvious. It doesn't take a rocket scientist or Bill James to realize you uh, might hit the ball to the third baseman, since there IS NO THIRD BASEMAN.

 

Dunn said: ""Sometimes I'll get up there with a runner on second and I look and there's a huge hole almost at shortstop and you're basically giving yourself up, but you're really not. If you hit the ball over there, it's a run. I'll literally get jammed as bad as I can get jammed and it's a slow roller out there that barely reaches the outfield grass and yet it gets the job done."

 

My comment: Well no kidding, Adam. How old are you and you are just now realizing this is a possible line of attack?? I'd really get mad when he would hit into the shift in a tie game or close game with runners on base. It's like THERE IS NO THIRD BASEMAN, just dribble one that way. I just wish he'd go away so I don't have to think about him any more (and yes I realize he's had some big hits in a Sox uniform as well).

 

This is beautiful. Good post man.

 

It's like if you can't hit situationally then you shouldn't be hitting in an RBI spot in the order. If you can't change your approach then you aren't a top hitter. And if you aren't a top hitter, then wtf are you doing batting third?

[greg775]

This. It's really not that hard to understand, people just want to find a new way to bash Dunn.

 

Then why is this coming up now? If he's supposed to pull everything and that's the smart approach, and the one recommended by hitting coaches, then why change now ... after the Sox are 30 games out of first place or whatever they are?

[Jake]

Then why is this coming up now? If he's supposed to pull everything and that's the smart approach, and the one recommended by hitting coaches, then why change now ... after the Sox are 30 games out of first place or whatever they are?

 

Perhaps he changed. The approach may be fine but it may be the case that the 33 year old Dunn doesn't have all the same strengths and weaknesses that the one that earned that shift did.

[Quin]

Then why is this coming up now? If he's supposed to pull everything and that's the smart approach, and the one recommended by hitting coaches, then why change now ... after the Sox are 30 games out of first place or whatever they are?

 

Cause Greg Walker preached lift and pull and Dunn's approach worked for a goddamn decade.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Then why is this coming up now? If he's supposed to pull everything and that's the smart approach, and the one recommended by hitting coaches, then why change now ... after the Sox are 30 games out of first place or whatever they are?

Most likely because thats truly the only time you can try it. Last year using his old approach the Sox were in a pennant race. His old way he got 41 HR's and 96 RBI you can't change in the middle of that. What if he sucked at it ? The precise time to try it is when you have nothing to lose.

[greg775]

Cause Greg Walker preached lift and pull and Dunn's approach worked for a goddamn decade.

 

You didn't answer my question. Why change now if it works so well?

[Jerksticks]

Most likely because thats truly the only time you can try it. Last year using his old approach the Sox were in a pennant race. His old way he got 41 HR's and 96 RBI you can't change in the middle of that. What if he sucked at it ? The precise time to try it is when you have nothing to lose.

 

Interesting point: The FO asked Dunn to change his approach going into this year despite his "productive" 2012. Even in his comeback year management insisted he change his approach. So many of you cling to his 41 HR 100 RBI as production, like he wasn't a problem last year. Management disagrees with you...why is that? I think I know.

 

110 hits. That's right. 110 hits all year out of the 3-hole. That's a minimum of 52 games without a hit. Lucky for everybody I did the math. He actually went hitless in 69 games last year. 69 if I added right. He started 145 games in the #3 spot and got a hit in barely half of them.

 

Phantom production at its finest IMO. Sure you can't discount the 41 HRs just like you can't discount the 430 PA that ended in s***.

[greg775]

Interesting point: The FO asked Dunn to change his approach going into this year despite his "productive" 2012. Even in his comeback year management insisted he change his approach. So many of you cling to his 41 HR 100 RBI as production, like he wasn't a problem last year. Management disagrees with you...why is that? I think I know.

 

110 hits. That's right. 110 hits all year out of the 3-hole. That's a minimum of 52 games without a hit. Lucky for everybody I did the math. He actually went hitless in 69 games last year. 69 if I added right. He started 145 games in the #3 spot and got a hit in barely half of them.

 

Phantom production at its finest IMO. Sure you can't discount the 41 HRs just like you can't discount the 430 PA that ended in s***.

 

Excellent post. To the Dunn lovers out there I'd ask this question to you: Looking back, do you think the White Sox made a wise decision in signing Adam Dunn? My answer is No, they made a very poor decision in signing Adam Dunn. Your answer please.

[Real]

Interesting point: The FO asked Dunn to change his approach going into this year despite his "productive" 2012. Even in his comeback year management insisted he change his approach. So many of you cling to his 41 HR 100 RBI as production, like he wasn't a problem last year. Management disagrees with you...why is that? I think I know.

 

110 hits. That's right. 110 hits all year out of the 3-hole. That's a minimum of 52 games without a hit. Lucky for everybody I did the math. He actually went hitless in 69 games last year. 69 if I added right. He started 145 games in the #3 spot and got a hit in barely half of them.

 

Phantom production at its finest IMO. Sure you can't discount the 41 HRs just like you can't discount the 430 PA that ended in s***.

 

f***ing OWNED all of the Dunn supporters in the face right here

 

well done lol

 

69 games without a hit.

 

3-hole hahahahahahahahaha

[cabiness42]

Excellent post. To the Dunn lovers out there I'd ask this question to you: Looking back, do you think the White Sox made a wise decision in signing Adam Dunn? My answer is No, they made a very poor decision in signing Adam Dunn. Your answer please.

 

Unless there was an obvious sign that Dunn's production was going to take a nosedive, then no, it wasn't a poor decision to sign him.

 

[witesoxfan]

Interesting point: The FO asked Dunn to change his approach going into this year despite his "productive" 2012. Even in his comeback year management insisted he change his approach. So many of you cling to his 41 HR 100 RBI as production, like he wasn't a problem last year. Management disagrees with you...why is that? I think I know.

 

110 hits. That's right. 110 hits all year out of the 3-hole. That's a minimum of 52 games without a hit. Lucky for everybody I did the math. He actually went hitless in 69 games last year. 69 if I added right. He started 145 games in the #3 spot and got a hit in barely half of them.

 

Phantom production at its finest IMO. Sure you can't discount the 41 HRs just like you can't discount the 430 PA that ended in s***.

 

So you would rather Dunn have hit 20 extra singles last year while sacrificing 10 homers, correct? That's the argument you're making. If so, why not just sacrifice all those homers and get 60 extra hits? I mean, really, honestly, I think Alexei Ramirez would make a great DH.

 

Calling it phantom production is a crock of s***. Production, no matter how you come up with it, is PRODUCTION. Dunn is a flawed player, but to suggest he was "bad" last year is like saying Jake Peavy was "bad" last year.

[Jake]

Dunn leads the White Sox in HR, RBI, wRC+. and is 2nd in OBP.

 

f*** him!!!!!!