[Stormy]

Dusty deserves great credit for going to, and staying with, a hot Jerry Hairston Jr. This is one of those situations where Dusty's "instinctual" management has served him well, whereas a numbers based approach would never have afforded a guy like Hairston an opportunity in the #1 spot. He see's a guy he trusts with a hot hand, and he sticks with it, and it's paid off in spades. Probably not a long-term answer to anything, but definitely a catalyst for the recent offensive improvement (along with Dunn's huge surge).

After finally becoming disenchanted with Patterson, Dusty has actually been fairly proactive in trying **potentially** productive combos at the top of the order (Hairston, Keppinger/Bruce etc..., which was the polar opposite of the horrid Patterson, Janish, Freel, Hopper detritus we for forced to endure earlier in the year).