Dunn not in the best shape of his life

[The Ultimate Champion]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/cws/white-...p;vkey=news_cws

 

His offensive game has become one-dimensional, power-based as he enters the 2014 campaign. The always frank Dunn doesn't totally understand how he arrived at this point, and won't try to cop to anything more.

 

"No, I don't, I'm going to be honest," the 34-year-old Dunn told MLB.com when asked if he sees himself as more than a power hitter. "I used to, and I don't know what I've transformed into. I don't know what this guy that I've been the last five or six years, I don't know where it came from, but it is what it is now.

 

"I don't know. I really don't. I don't know if it's … I don't know. You can't, obviously you have to look yourself in the mirror and blame yourself. That's kind of the only excuse that I got.

 

"Have I got bad advice in the past? Sure, who hasn't," Dunn said. "Everyone has. But apparently I couldn't weed it out."

 

Since arriving to the White Sox with much fanfare on a four-year, $56 million free-agent deal before the 2011 season, Dunn has been one of the most polarizing figures in franchise history. Polarizing among the fan base, that is, as the always upbeat 6-foot-6, 285-pounder has been the consummate teammate. He also has handled adversity better than one person could be expected in taking on such a fairly constant burden.

 

The bottom line is that Dunn has not performed near expectations with the White Sox, and more so his own lofty expectations than anyone else's. He has a .197 average over the past three years, with a .317 on-base percentage and .405 slugging. Those numbers pale to a career slash line of .238/.366/.495.

[The Ultimate Champion]

Boy that's one big cookie of encouragement for all you Dunn lovers who believe some team is going to swoop in and pick up part of this guy's contract.

 

The other 29 see those stats, too. They also see this mindset, from the guy who was more or less dumped in his free agent year and who famously for a year or two had his desire for playing the game of baseball constantly questioned.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Boy that's one big cookie of encouragement for all you Dunn lovers who believe some team is going to swoop in and pick up part of this guy's contract.

 

The other 29 see those stats, too. They also see this mindset, from the guy who was more or less dumped in his free agent year and who famously for a year or two had his desire for playing the game of baseball constantly questioned.

 

UC, you are a funny man. You are a great grudge holder.

[witesoxfan]

Those splits include the worst year in the history of baseball, which is obviously an outlier.

 

Over the past 2 years, he's at .211/.326/.455/.781 overall. In 2013, he put up a .226/.327/.459/.786 line against RHP, and in 2012 those splits were .211/.348/.469/.817.

 

Dunn is not a physical specimen, but he does hit righties well, he does walk, and he does strike out (which is bad, but prevents a lot of DPs from happening). If the Sox can get someone to pick up even $3 mill of his salary, then it's worth it. If not, he'll ride into the sunset or onto some other team.

 

The Sox are trying to compete, and they need Dunn to do so. You starting a new thread or talking about how much you hate Dunn every week isn't going to change that. Maybe you should just accept that and move on.

[ptatc]

Boy that's one big cookie of encouragement for all you Dunn lovers who believe some team is going to swoop in and pick up part of this guy's contract.

 

The other 29 see those stats, too. They also see this mindset, from the guy who was more or less dumped in his free agent year and who famously for a year or two had his desire for playing the game of baseball constantly questioned.

I don't think the desire has been questioned by anyone with knowledge about him. Results, yes.

[The Ultimate Champion]

Sox are trying to compete now? With who, the Twins? Astros? This team doesn't have a shot.

[The Ultimate Champion]

UC, you are a funny man. You are a great grudge holder.

Thank you I work very hard on my mustache & clenched fist table pounding exercises. But really an actor is as only as good as his material and Adam Dunn absolutely f***ing infuriates me.

[pettie4sox]

[The Ultimate Champion]

More like don't feed the donkeys, starve them out, send them into the Arizona desert looking for water and peyote, maybe they'll come back with a new approach to hitting because obviously nothing the Sox have tried has been working.

[witesoxfan]

Sox are trying to compete now? With who, the Twins? Astros? This team doesn't have a shot.

 

So Rick Hahn is going to go to the media and say "We have no shot this year, just like we had no shot in 2008 and 2010 and 2012." You're absolutely crazy if you think they aren't going to try and compete.

 

The Sox have been an increasingly inconsistent team over the last 8 years. The Tigers look like the favorites, but they lost some pretty substantial pieces in the offseason, have gotten a year older, and have a rookie starting at 3B for them. They are eminently beatable.

 

I would only put the chances of the Sox winning the division at about 5%, but there's a lot of talent in both the bullpen and the rotation and the offense has upside that it didn't have last year.

 

 

[witesoxfan]

More like don't feed the donkeys, starve them out, send them into the Arizona desert looking for water and peyote, maybe they'll come back with a new approach to hitting because obviously nothing the Sox have tried has been working.

 

What part of Adam's Dunn game surprises you? The home runs, the walks, or the strike outs?

[ILMOU]

Since arriving to the White Sox with much fanfare on a four-year, $56 million free-agent deal before the 2011 season, Dunn has been one of the most polarizing figures in franchise history. Polarizing among the fan base, that is, as the always upbeat 6-foot-6, 285-pounder has been the consummate teammate. He also has handled adversity better than one person could be expected in taking on such a fairly constant burden.

 

Uh, Scott, polarizing implies that their are strong opinions on both the like and dislike sides of the equation. I'm pretty sure only relative shades of dislike exist for Donkey among the fanbase.

 

The sad state of pseudo-journalism.

 

 

[Y2Jimmy0]

Uh, Scott, polarizing implies that their are strong opinions on both the like and dislike sides of the equation. I'm pretty sure only relative shades of dislike exist for Donkey among the fanbase.

 

The sad state of pseudo-journalism.

 

 

Not true. I don't dislike Dunn. I like him actually. I hope he hits 30 homers in the first half. WAtching him hit moon shots is fun. He was one of my favorite players when he was in Cincinnati. The guy was a monster offensively for a long time. Just hasn't worked out here.

[witesoxfan]

Uh, Scott, polarizing implies that their are strong opinions on both the like and dislike sides of the equation. I'm pretty sure only relative shades of dislike exist for Donkey among the fanbase.

 

The sad state of pseudo-journalism.

 

Yes, for the most part. I like Adam Dunn and he seems like a hard worker and a nice guy, but I haven't been happy with him as a player. He is what he is though.

[The Ultimate Champion]

What part of Adam's Dunn game surprises you? The home runs, the walks, or the strike outs?

Nothing, none of that, just the fact that he's still on the roster.

 

Wite, to be honest here, and to bare my soul a bit right now, I just feel like the Sox FO reads these threads here (not so much Buddy Bell though) and especially Hahn almost certainly reads these threads. And if so then Hahn almost certainly reads every one of my posts and takes them quite seriously. Now I don't know the man or the myths, only a tiny bit of the legend, and so I don't know exactly how he would view my posts, but I do think it's likely he sees them as coming from a member of the Sox family, or a close friend or trusted advisor. And so I feel like by showing support for doing the right things like dumping Dunn I'm just playing my own little small part, for the better of the organization as a whole. I'm just trying to make this world better one day at a time here, that's all. But it's like with you, it always feels so cold, like a deli, and I don't know where the counter is or always who is working behind it and who is standing in front of it looking for something, but it's always like one of us is waiting on the other, and like one of us always has each other's number. And sometimes one of us is a turkey but actually probably not a turkey or chicken for me, just beef mostly, corned beef probably, but the fact is Adam Dunn sucks my balls and I hope he vanishes from this roster.

[pettie4sox]

So Rick Hahn is going to go to the media and say "We have no shot this year, just like we had no shot in 2008 and 2010 and 2012." You're absolutely crazy if you think they aren't going to try and compete.

 

The Sox have been an increasingly inconsistent team over the last 8 years. The Tigers look like the favorites, but they lost some pretty substantial pieces in the offseason, have gotten a year older, and have a rookie starting at 3B for them. They are eminently beatable.

 

I would only put the chances of the Sox winning the division at about 5%, but there's a lot of talent in both the bullpen and the rotation and the offense has upside that it didn't have last year.

 

I'm always curious how people come up with their percentages.

[The Ultimate Champion]

Yes, for the most part. I like Adam Dunn and he seems like a hard worker and a nice guy, but I haven't been happy with him as a player. He is what he is though.

And no he's come to accept that.

 

Ha.

 

Why haven't we cut this guy again?

 

Hahn (DJ voice) you've got WORK TO DOOOOOOOO

[Princess Dye]

Boy that's one big cookie of encouragement for all you Dunn lovers who believe some team is going to swoop in and pick up part of this guy's contract.

 

The other 29 see those stats, too. They also see this mindset, from the guy who was more or less dumped in his free agent year and who famously for a year or two had his desire for playing the game of baseball constantly questioned.

 

 

And if he replays his 2012 season then these quotes and perceived mindset go out the window and teams will come calling. Put up some stats and memories become short. Don't, and they won't. That's where we're at with him.

 

Plus his 2013 was just down some from 2012, nothing insurmountable.

 

As you say, it will be about losing PART of the contract midyear. That isnt that difficult to accomplish if he has a regular Sox-Dunn year, as opposed to '11.

[witesoxfan]

Nothing, none of that, just the fact that he's still on the roster.

 

Wite, to be honest here, and to bare my soul a bit right now, I just feel like the Sox FO reads these threads here (not so much Buddy Bell though) and especially Hahn almost certainly reads these threads. And if so then Hahn almost certainly reads every one of my posts and takes them quite seriously. Now I don't know the man or the myths, only a tiny bit of the legend, and so I don't know exactly how he would view my posts, but I do think it's likely he sees them as coming from a member of the Sox family, or a close friend or trusted advisor. And so I feel like by showing support for doing the right things like dumping Dunn I'm just playing my own little small part, for the better of the organization as a whole. I'm just trying to make this world better one day at a time here, that's all. But it's like with you, it always feels so cold, like a deli, and I don't know where the counter is or always who is working behind it and who is standing in front of it looking for something, but it's always like one of us is waiting on the other, and like one of us always has each other's number. And sometimes one of us is a turkey but actually probably not a turkey or chicken for me, just beef mostly, corned beef probably, but the fact is Adam Dunn sucks my balls and I hope he vanishes from this roster.

 

#1) People within the Sox organization are aware of this board and do read these threads, but Rick Hahn is not one of them. He doesn't say "Hold on Kevin, I've got to check Soxtalk to see what those guys think I should do."

#2) I do not believe he would take you seriously even if he did.

 

And no he's come to accept that.

 

Ha.

 

Why haven't we cut this guy again?

 

Hahn (DJ voice) you've got WORK TO DOOOOOOOO

 

I've been over this with you 100 times and it goes right in and right out.

 

#1) He's due $15 million. If the Sox can save some of that, it's a win.

#2) The Sox are going to need him in the lineup if they are going to have a chance to compete at all.

[witesoxfan]

I'm always curious how people come up with their percentages.

 

LOL, it's the "I don't think it's likely, but I think it's likelier than most people believe" type of mentality. Frankly, that number could be 10% too. I can't say 15% or 20% because that would imply that I think they are just as likely to be good as the Tigers, when that is not true.

[glangon]

I may be out of the norm here but I like Dunn. He sends the ball out of the ballpark. I like that.

 

The problem I have with him is that he acts like a victim in the shift.

 

Seriously, Todd Steverson should be hauling his big bearded oscar winning ass over and teaching him how to bunt along the 1st base line. Instead of standing there and hitting into the shift and soft outs.

 

Rather than act the victim, he should be taking the bull by the horms and bunting, you never know, if he does it often enough and it's successful, maybe they'll take the shift off and he can start hitting the way he wants to again.

 

It can't hurt his batting average any more as it's bad at the best of times.

[The Ultimate Champion]

As far as I can tell the only member of the Sox FO who we can all definitively say does not read this board is Brooks Boyer because all his ideas are terrible and every spring this board lights up like a Christmas tree with better ideas he never uses, instead opting to go with Swisher worms and painful 15 min long infomercials featuring a gunshy Nate Jones playing hackey sack or whatever he was going to do, I don't know because I had to turn the TV off immediately before it killed me.

 

Hahn on the other Hahnd hahaha he reads all my posts & thinks they're awesome. Kenny too.

[witesoxfan]

As far as I can tell the only member of the Sox FO who we can all definitively say does not read this board is Brooks Boyer because all his ideas are terrible and every spring this board lights up like a Christmas tree with better ideas he never uses, instead opting to go with Swisher worms and painful 15 min long infomercials featuring a gunshy Nate Jones playing hackey sack or whatever he was going to do, I don't know because I had to turn the TV off immediately before it killed me.

 

Hahn on the other Hahnd hahaha he reads all my posts & thinks they're awesome. Kenny too.

 

Yeah, you definitely could not possibly be any further from the truth on any of this.

[southsider2k5]

I love the smell of dead horse in the morning.

[southsider2k5]

Yes, for the most part. I like Adam Dunn and he seems like a hard worker and a nice guy, but I haven't been happy with him as a player. He is what he is though.

 

This.