Dunn listed as having "best tools"

[coachw513]

with the caveat of being able to "make or break" his team...

From Steve Phillips' column on ESPN.com:

Baseball is built on five tools: hitting for average, hitting for power, throwing, fielding and running. Here's a look at the players whose skills, or lack thereof, in each area could make or break their teams. Plus, to wrap everything up, there's a sixth category -- chemistry -- on the guys who have a sixth sense for creating it.

STICKS:
Adam Dunn, LF, Reds
One of the most complex hitters in baseball, Dunn led the NL in K's, was second in walks and hit the seventh most home runs in 2006, yet he batted only .234. Of his 194 K's, 46 were called. If he focused on contact, he could hit 50 homers and drive in 150. Dunn has 12 sacrifice flies in five full seasons; Justin Morneau had 11 last year.

I'm not sure if he was complimented or insulted...kindof like everyday here at RZ

[RichRed]

If only he'd hit fewer homers and more sac flies.

[IamWallaman]

He's just saying that if he can get wood on the ball more often, better production will be the result. With a guy like Dunn, simply making contact is enough for a sac fly or even a HR. Every K is a lost opportunity for runs.

That said, Dunn's looking great so far. He's having solid ABs with much more contact and still plenty of HRs. May the trend continue!

[SunDeck]

I think the comment about Dunn focusing on contact is right on the money. The guy is so big and so strong that frequent, solid contact is going to result in a lot of bases and rbis.

And I'm extremely optimistic about him. This guy is still pretty early in his development. His ceiling is enormously high as a hitter.

[Degenerate39]

His sac flys are home runs

[HumnHilghtFreel]

I never really took note of the sac fly thing until I saw that number, it just seems like you would accidentally hit more sac flies than just 12.

[Eric_Davis]

As someone pointed out, he tries, but they keep going over the fence.

[tripleaaaron]

His sac flys are home runs

this is true and most of the problem, dunn seems to have just been trying to swing soooo hard that he either hit it out or didnt touch it at all, if he could work on putting the wood on the ball more often, he will not necessarily lose home runs, but he will have more sac flies, a better average, same walk rate, better OBP, more RBI's, more Runs, more more more, I would take 5-6 less HR's anyday for an increase in every other category, those 5-6 less home runs possibly could give us 5+ more wins.

[tripleaaaron]

If only he'd hit fewer homers and more sac flies.

more contact, less strikeouts and more sac flys DO NOT EQUAL LESS HOMERS!
The more often you get the bat on the ball, the more opportunity you have of hitting a HR (or a single, double triple), with his power he would still hit the same amount of home runs (possibly even more) he would just have more sac flies as well. More contact = more opportunity to get on base/ score runs. This equation can never work out to be negative for the Reds.

[Johnny Footstool]

Sac flies are totally random. Ignore them.

[tripleaaaron]

Sac flies are totally random. Ignore them.

possibly so, but they are the result of contact, which is something we all cannot disagree that dunn needs more of

[DTCromer]

I laugh at all the people who say Dunn's homers are all Sac-flies and that he's so strong it's so hard for him to hit them.

Dunn has 12 sacrifice flies in five full seasons;

Here are other guys I consider just as strong as Adam.
David Ortiz: 32 sac flies last 5 years
Wily Mo Pena: 6 in the last 2 years
Manny Ramirez: 27 last 5 years
Ryan Howard: 8 last 2 years
Albert Pujols: 24 last 5 years

I'm sure I could name a few other players, but please don't give me a lame excuse that Dunn's too strong to hit SF's.

[boognish]

sigh. Dunn runner on 3rd, less that 2 outs (2004-2006): .195/.391/468

84 PA, 25 BB, 32 K, 5 HR, 6 2B, 50 RBI.

Lots of non-contact AB, true, but the 11 extra-base hits in 59 AB (PA-BB) are a pretty good number, albeit in a small sample. That comes out to 18.6% of the time his hits are for extra bases (13.2% XBH vs. PA in all situations over that span). The number that jumps out is bolded above, equating to a .196 isolated discipline in those 84 PA. That suggests the man is getting nothing to hit, and is one data point in the "more contact does not equal more sac flies" argument. 57 walks + strikeouts suggest little is thrown his way in such situations that can be driven to the outfield in the air.

I realize Dunn is a frustrating hitter to watch at times, but I think many have a preconceived notion about the numbers they expect a player of his talent level to accomplish, and do not give him enough credit. Over those 84 PA, if he had had 2 more singles over a THREE YEAR span in those situations, that is 2 more RBI and a much prettier .288 BA.

For the record, Dunn hit .249/.460/.534 with RISP and 2 out, good for a .994 OPS. The man can and does hit with RISP.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/player...&type=batting3

Let's discuss!

[coachw513]

Has there been any more scrutinized Reds player in the history of this site than Adam Dunn???

[Always Red]

Has there been any more scrutinized Reds player in the history of this site than Adam Dunn???

Well, Frank Robinson was considered to be "old" at the age of 30. Very much scrutinized and under-appreciated here in Cincinnati. Dealt away, and then pined after for years.

I hope the same thing doesn't happen to Adam Dunn.