OnBaseMachine
05-24-2008, 11:55 PM
Red-hot Dunn getting job done
Left fielder enters Saturday with nine-game hitting streak
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
SAN DIEGO -- The difference between red-hot-hitting Adam Dunn and stone-cold Adam Dunn is apparently minuscule.
The Reds left fielder has his average up to .248 entering Saturday, with a team-leading 12 home runs and 30 RBIs. During his nine-game hitting streak, he is 12-for-27 (.444) with six homers and 11 RBIs and raised his average from .203.
That's a not-so-minuscule jump to the Reds.
"Dunn has gotten hot, hasn't he? It's beautiful," Reds manager Dusty Baker said.
When Dunn was off to a slow start and his production was lousy, he continually insisted that he was feeling fine at the plate and seeing the ball.
"I made a few minor adjustments but as far as seeing the ball and feeling good, I don't feel any better or worse than I felt in spring," Dunn said on Saturday. "It's little stuff and it has nothing to do with the game. It's more batting-practice stuff. I have to give a lot of credit to [hitting coach] Brook Jacoby. He brought up something to try and kind of close off a little more during batting practice. So I've been doing that. It's the only thing different."
Many of Dunn's homers have been big ones. On Saturday, the Reds snapped a four-game skid with a 3-2 win when Dunn hit a solo homer off of Trevor Hoffman in the top of the ninth inning. It was No. 250 for his career, which is one shy of Ted Kluszewski's franchise record for a left-handed hitter.
At one point this week, Dunn homered in a career-best five-straight games. Last weekend vs. the Indians, Dunn was responsible for the go-ahead run in all three wins, including two via homers.
"I think that's coincidental," Dunn said. "I've been getting pitches to hit in those situations. I'm just not missing them."
Despite the slow start, Dunn is projected to hit 41 home runs and 104 RBIs -- which is on track for his usual production -- and he's currently batting at his career average. He's hit 40 homers in each of the previous four seasons and had 100 runs/100 RBIs in three of the last four seasons.
It's a pivotal season for Dunn, who is playing out the option year in his contract, worth $13 million. He is eligible to be a free agent this winter for the first time.
There has been no mention of a contract extension between Dunn and general manager Walt Jocketty.
"I haven't had that talk," Dunn said. "We'll see what happens. I'm not going to go out and track him down."
http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080524&content_id=2765187&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin
Left fielder enters Saturday with nine-game hitting streak
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
SAN DIEGO -- The difference between red-hot-hitting Adam Dunn and stone-cold Adam Dunn is apparently minuscule.
The Reds left fielder has his average up to .248 entering Saturday, with a team-leading 12 home runs and 30 RBIs. During his nine-game hitting streak, he is 12-for-27 (.444) with six homers and 11 RBIs and raised his average from .203.
That's a not-so-minuscule jump to the Reds.
"Dunn has gotten hot, hasn't he? It's beautiful," Reds manager Dusty Baker said.
When Dunn was off to a slow start and his production was lousy, he continually insisted that he was feeling fine at the plate and seeing the ball.
"I made a few minor adjustments but as far as seeing the ball and feeling good, I don't feel any better or worse than I felt in spring," Dunn said on Saturday. "It's little stuff and it has nothing to do with the game. It's more batting-practice stuff. I have to give a lot of credit to [hitting coach] Brook Jacoby. He brought up something to try and kind of close off a little more during batting practice. So I've been doing that. It's the only thing different."
Many of Dunn's homers have been big ones. On Saturday, the Reds snapped a four-game skid with a 3-2 win when Dunn hit a solo homer off of Trevor Hoffman in the top of the ninth inning. It was No. 250 for his career, which is one shy of Ted Kluszewski's franchise record for a left-handed hitter.
At one point this week, Dunn homered in a career-best five-straight games. Last weekend vs. the Indians, Dunn was responsible for the go-ahead run in all three wins, including two via homers.
"I think that's coincidental," Dunn said. "I've been getting pitches to hit in those situations. I'm just not missing them."
Despite the slow start, Dunn is projected to hit 41 home runs and 104 RBIs -- which is on track for his usual production -- and he's currently batting at his career average. He's hit 40 homers in each of the previous four seasons and had 100 runs/100 RBIs in three of the last four seasons.
It's a pivotal season for Dunn, who is playing out the option year in his contract, worth $13 million. He is eligible to be a free agent this winter for the first time.
There has been no mention of a contract extension between Dunn and general manager Walt Jocketty.
"I haven't had that talk," Dunn said. "We'll see what happens. I'm not going to go out and track him down."
http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080524&content_id=2765187&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin