Adam Dunn, a.k.a. the Pat Burrell of the NL Central, continues to confound his team and local media. From John Fay of the Enquirer:
Dunn’s negatives – he’s a below-average fielder and has a career average of .221 with runners in scoring position – are reasons to trade him.
Baseball’s economics also play a role. Dunn will make $13 million next year if the club picks up the option.
The outfielder will probably never say publicly that he wants out. But the constant talk has to wear on him.
Both local newspaper columnists have called for the club to trade him. Dunn said his mother won’t listen to games that Marty Brennaman, Thom Brennaman or Jeff Brantley broadcast.
But there are also fans who love Dunn. They point to Dunn’s .363 on-base percentage and his .555 slugging average. That adds up to a .918 on-base plus slugging – the best on the team. OPS is considered by many baseball junkies as the best indicator of offensive production.
That’s actually better than Burrell (currently as a hot a hitter as there is in baseball), and (as the article goes on to mention), also better than every other leftfielder in the division (though obviously Soriano has – or had — some other ways to generate runs).