Great article on the fall of Kearns and Dunn

[George Foster]

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/2576/the-fall-of-austin-kearns-and-adam-dunn

[Boston Red]

There are no great articles on Grantland. Bill Simmons should be shot for foisting that garbage on us.

[Vottomatic]

The article was pretty much spot on. If Dunn had any respect for the game, he'd just retire.

[Mutaman]

Are any of those folks who argued that Dunn was a hall of famer still around?

[Pete4prez]

For the most part, I thought the article was accurate.

[Roush's socks]

Dunn's decline is a strange case because he had been SO consistent over previous seasons, we all projected that he would keep up those numbers with a slow gradual decline. What has happened can only be explained as:
1. He "got old" over night. This happens in all sports where a player over 30 who has got some miles on the odometer just loses whatever athleticism that was keeping them competitive.
2. It could be more of a mental thing, compounded by switching leagues and struggling with AL pitching. Just like Tiger Woods problems are largely mental, it could be that Dunn is just in a major funk. Being a DH could be a factor. Maybe playing the OF helped keep him sharp.
3. You also have to consider maybe a more chemical explanation that could involve you know whats. I'm not saying there is any evidence, only that in this day and age you always have to consider it.

All in all I wouldn't be surprised to see Dunn make a comeback next year under the right circumstances.

[jwmann2]

Dunn hasn't adjusted to being a DH. Its gotta be different. He needs to step up the cardio and get in the weight room. Couldn't hurt. Could him the confidence he needs to become great again.
Kearns was just a good baseball player. Like Jeff Franceour, nothing flashy about his game, not yet a journeyman but knows how to play the game of baseball.

[bounty37h]

That would imply that Kearns was ever near the top to actually fall from somewhere? I would say it was more like he just rolled over, not an actual fall.

[Vottomatic]

Kearns had the talent. He didn't have the drive to be a great, or even good baseball player.

What a waste.

[texasdave]

Kearns was also a little snake-bitten.

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/15123/injuries-ruined-austin-kearns-career

[CrosleyField]

What Kearns and Lopez have done after the trade should be some vindication for Krivsky.

[SidneySlicker]

Dunn hasn't adjusted to being a DH. Its gotta be different. He needs to step up the cardio and get in the weight room. Couldn't hurt. Could him the confidence he needs to become great again.
Kearns was just a good baseball player. Like Jeff Franceour, nothing flashy about his game, not yet a journeyman but knows how to play the game of baseball.

Ahahahahahahahahaha



Wait












Ahahahahahahahhahahhahaha!

[jwmann2]

Ahahahahahahahahaha



Wait












Ahahahahahahahhahahhahaha!

What's so funny Bub? You don't think Dunn is great? The guy hits 40+ home runs every single year, automatic. So what if he strikes out a lot? He's paid to hit home runs. Millions.

[takealeake]

What's so funny Bub? You don't think Dunn is great? The guy hits 40+ home runs every single year, automatic. So what if he strikes out a lot? He's paid to hit home runs. Millions.

Not anymore.


I think his fall off has to do with all the stuff that people were saying over, and over, and over again when he was here. Lazy. No work ethic. No motor to improve or adapt his game. Damn, I just saw his picture, but he looks like he put on about 20-30 lbs since his time here.

People would bash Marty over what he would say about Dunn, but it was all proven right. Maybe he got by on those years here by a friendly homerun park and being relatively young, but it's all come crashing down since then. If you don't put any effort in to adapt and hone your craft, and get better this is what happens.

[powersackers]

Dunn benched for the rest of the year basically:

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/6908543/jon-greenberg-adam-dunn-dragged-white-sox-too-long

It is the work ethic that did him in. Only an offseason program with tons of conditioning will get the Sox their 56M dollars worth. I'm actually rooting for him.

[Roush's socks]

I have been looking into this and it really is incredible whn you put it in historical terms. Dunn had been OPSing around .900 and hitting 40 HR like clockwork for 10 years. His stats were unusually consistent with several years interchangeable. He's only 31 years old. To drop to an OPS of .567 without an injury that we know of, it just is unheard of. The closest comparables involve players who were 33-35 or older. If he doesn't recover it will be one of the more unusual drop-offs in MLB history.