Q&A with Marty - comments on Dunn, pitching, and playoffs

[timmario66]

I'm sure this will get all the Marty haters riled up:

http://www.amnews.com/public_html/?m...15&format=html

What about outfielder Adam Dunn (40 home runs, 92 runs-batted in in 2006)? Could he be the key?

Brennaman: "I am pretty close to giving up on Adam Dunn. I don't know if he is capable of changing his approach to the plate, based on what the count is, and can be happy with shortening his swing, hitting the ball the other way and showing a measure of discipline. I am at the point where I don't know if it can happen. He is a guy who drove in five runs in the month of September last year and didn't even get to 100 runs batted-in.

"People constantly ask if the club is trying to trade him. I think this team waited one year too long to try and trade him. If they had traded him after 2005, they would have got something good. I don't think there was a team in baseball that had any interest in him after last year.

"He is going to make $10 million this year. I get tired of people saying he hits 40 home runs and drives in 100 runs. Wonderful. This is a guy who should hit 50 plus home runs and should drive in 130 runs or more every single year. And he can't do it because he leads the world in strikeouts. I think he was overweight last year. He walks to his position. He walks off the field. You see no energy whatsoever and that disappoints the heck out of me."

[westofyou]

This is a guy who should hit 50 plus home runs and should drive in 130 runs or more every single year.

HOMERUNS                      YEAR     HR       RBI    
1    Barry Bonds              2001       73      137   
2    Mark McGwire             1998       70      147   
3    Sammy Sosa               1998       66      158   
4    Mark McGwire             1999       65      147   
5    Sammy Sosa               2001       64      160   
6    Sammy Sosa               1999       63      141   
7    Roger Maris              1961       61      142   
8    Babe Ruth                1927       60      164   
9    Babe Ruth                1921       59      171   
T10  Jimmie Foxx              1932       58      169   
T10  Ryan Howard              2006       58      149   
T10  Hank Greenberg           1938       58      146   
T13  Alex Rodriguez           2002       57      142   
T13  Luis Gonzalez            2001       57      142   
T15  Ken Griffey Jr.          1998       56      146   
T15  Ken Griffey Jr.          1997       56      147   
T15  Hack Wilson              1930       56      191   
T18  Babe Ruth                1928       54      142   
T18  David Ortiz              2006       54      137   
T18  Babe Ruth                1920       54      137   
T21  George Foster            1977       52      149   
T21  Alex Rodriguez           2001       52      135   
T21  Mickey Mantle            1956       52      130   
T24  Johnny Mize              1947       51      138   
T24  Cecil Fielder            1990       51      132   
T26  Sammy Sosa               2000       50      138   
T26  Jimmie Foxx              1938       50      175 

NATIONAL LEAGUE

HOMERUNS                      YEAR     HR       RBI    
1    Barry Bonds              2001       73      137   
2    Mark McGwire             1998       70      147   
3    Sammy Sosa               1998       66      158   
4    Mark McGwire             1999       65      147   
5    Sammy Sosa               2001       64      160   
6    Sammy Sosa               1999       63      141   
7    Ryan Howard              2006       58      149   
8    Luis Gonzalez            2001       57      142   
9    Hack Wilson              1930       56      191   
10   George Foster            1977       52      149   
11   Johnny Mize              1947       51      138   
12   Sammy Sosa               2000       50      138  

Reds who have done it


HOMERUNS                      YEAR     HR       RBI    
1    George Foster            1977       52      149

[membengal]

And...any hope of Marty being the least bit professional and even-handed from the booth calling the games when Dunn is up in 2007 is already gone. So much for wishing for a change from the past from him...

I missed the memo: since when are announcers required to "believe in" or state that they are close to "giving up on" players?

Mind-boggling. Every time I get the least bit excited for the spring, something in here crushes it. Now I know that first broadcast from Florida (a great day every March) will be sullied from the get-go with an early Marty broadside against a player he is "pretty close to giving up" on. Wonderful.

[boognish]

The Reds would have to "give up" on a lot of guys if 50/130 was the measuring stick.

10 HR and 38 RBI would be easily attained if he sprinted out to his position? I think the two are mutually exclusive.

[15fan]

"This is a guy who should hit 50 plus home runs and should drive in 130 runs or more every single year."

And when he's not smashing every single pitch he sees at least 750 feet, he needs to be working on cures for cancer, global warming and the national debt, as well as unlocking the secrets to cold fusion and time travel.

[Raisor]

And when he's not smashing every single pitch he sees at least 750 feet, he needs to be working on cures for cancer, global warming and the national debt, as well as unlocking the secrets to cold fusion and time travel.

That's what Jack Bauer and Puffy do on days off.

[bounty37h]

what, truth hurt? I dont see anything Marty said that I dont believe in as well. I like Dunn, havent gave up on him, but fully understand where Marty is coming from

[George Anderson]

The Reds would have to "give up" on a lot of guys if 50/130 was the measuring stick.

10 HR and 38 RBI would be easily attained if he sprinted out to his position? I think the two are mutually exclusive.

I think that not hustling to his position and to a greater degree being overweight doesnt make Dunn look very professional. Would dropping 20 pounds and hustling to his position get him to 50/130 ?? Maybe or maybe not, but I think being in top shape and hustling on the field would ultimately enhance his performance on the field.

[Red Leader]

what, truth hurt? I dont see anything Marty said that I dont believe in as well. I like Dunn, havent gave up on him, but fully understand where Marty is coming from

That's the problem. Some people just aren't happy with what Adam Dunn brings to the table. Some people want Adam Dunn to be Adam Dunn, and Tony Gwynn. He's simply not that kind of ballplayer. If you don't like that, that's fine, and understandable, but then, you wouldn't be appreciating one of the better offensive players the Reds have had in a couple decades. What's so bad about Adam Dunn being Adam Dunn? Last time I checked not a whole lot of Reds had scored 100 runs and driven in nearly 100 runs like Dunn has almost every year. Not many players get on base at the frequency Dunn does. I'm not saying that Adam Dunn is a perfect player, that is by no means the case, but just because the guy doesn't turn into a Judy-hitter with 2 strikes you're going to give up on the guy? Give me a break.

[RedsManRick]

You may or may not agree with Marty, but you have to like that he has an opinion he's actually willing to express.

[HumnHilghtFreel]

I actually appreciate that he doesn't hold back the way he really feels about the team. He might not be overly optimistic, but the fact that he's hard on some guys because they aren't fulfilling their potential or on some issues with the team shows that he really cares about the team.

[Joseph]

You may or may not agree with Marty, but you have to like that he has an opinion he's actually willing to express.

I suppose to some degree its better than simply blowing smoke up our bums every time he gets on the radio, but at the same time Marty is a HoFer. He's been watching this game a long time and he should know how rare what his expectations are for a ball player to do even ONCE, much less EVERY YEAR.

[CySeymour]

And he can't do it because he leads the world in strikeouts.

Of course, Ryan Howard struckout 181 times last year. I guess he sucks, too.

[westofyou]

what, truth hurt? I dont see anything Marty said that I dont believe in as well. I like Dunn, havent gave up on him, but fully understand where Marty is coming from

Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.

Einstein

[Caveman Techie]

Personally I like Marty. I like the fact that he dosen't pull any punches. However on this subject I just disagree with him. I have no problems with Dunn's approach at the plate as long as he keeps his OBP up there in the stratosphere.

The one area I would like to see some improvement on from Dunn is his fielding though.