Adam Dunns replacement.

[AmarilloRed]

Does anyone think we already have Dunns replacement on the roster? His name is Josh Hamilton and if he continues to hit better than Dunn and give the reds more production than Dunn, the reds will simply buyout Dunn at the end of the season. Krivsky signed Dunn because he was the only run producer in the lineup. Wily Mo struck out too much, Kearns was always hurt, and there was noone else. If he gets enough plate appearances( a big if) Hamilton will take over Dunns spot in the offseason. This is why Dunn is doing better. He hears foootsteps following him.

[Redsland]

The Reds hold Hamilton's rights for six years. He is Griffey's replacement.

[hebroncougar]

Does anyone think we already have Dunns replacement on the roster? His name is Josh Hamilton and if he continues to hit better than Dunn and give the reds more production than Dunn, the reds will simply buyout Dunn at the end of the season. Krivsky signed Dunn because he was the only run producer in the lineup. Wily Mo struck out too much, Kearns was always hurt, and there was noone else. If he gets enough plate appearances( a big if) Hamilton will take over Dunns spot in the offseason. This is why Dunn is doing better. He hears foootsteps following him.

Yeah, becase we only need one run producer.

[Jaycint]

Does anyone think we already have Dunns replacement on the roster? His name is Josh Hamilton and if he continues to hit better than Dunn and give the reds more production than Dunn, the reds will simply buyout Dunn at the end of the season. Krivsky signed Dunn because he was the only run producer in the lineup. Wily Mo struck out too much, Kearns was always hurt, and there was noone else. If he gets enough plate appearances( a big if) Hamilton will take over Dunns spot in the offseason. This is why Dunn is doing better. He hears foootsteps following him.

I love Hamilton as much as the next guy but it's too soon to expect him to replace 40+ HR, 100+ Walks, ~ 100 RBI, etc year in and year out. I concur with the idea that he is Griffey's replacement.

[Degenerate39]

I want to keep Dunn so we can see an outfield like this. Hamilton, Bruce, Dunn

[AmarilloRed]

He already has 5 hrs and 11 rbis in mid-April.He will have 30-40 hrs and 100 rbis by the end of the year if he keeps it up. Griffey will be in the lineup for anothe 2-3 years and his replacement will come from the minors. One of the outfielders will be ready by then. The only question is if Hamilton can get enough playing time and show enough consistancy to take over. Dunn will have to improve to stay in the outfield.

[rotnoid]

This is a new angle on the Hamilton man-love. Replacing Dunn makes no sense, but if we can keep him and add a piece that is really a bat to build a line up about (which I don't believe Dunn is, but that's been beat into the ground), then you've got something. I'm not saying Hamilton is that guy-- I'm not ready to make that leap, but if he can be, then boy are we heading in the right direction.

[bucksfan2]

There is no way that the reds buy Dunn out after this year. He will have his option picked up at the end of this season. It makes too much sense. Look at what some of the free agent outfielders are getting contract wise.

[edabbs44]

He already has 5 hrs and 11 rbis in mid-April.He will have 30-40 hrs and 100 rbis by the end of the year if he keeps it up. Griffey will be in the lineup for anothe 2-3 years and his replacement will come from the minors. One of the outfielders will be ready by then. The only question is if Hamilton can get enough playing time and show enough consistancy to take over. Dunn will have to improve to stay in the outfield.

That's if the league doesn't catch up to him. When is Kevin Maas scheduled to break Aaron's HR record? Is it this year or next?

[Chip R]

The thing we need to remember about Hamilton is that he is a drug addict. That's not a knock on him because I'm sure he would agree. He's recovering and doing well and that's great. But depending on Josh to stay clean and sober for the next several years is like depending on Jr. to stay healthy for a full season. It could happen but the odds are against it.

[klw]

Hamilton makes it easier for the Reds to keep Dunn. Hamilton will be cheap for a while, has good range and defensive ability which helps hide Dunn's problems in the outfield. Griffey's replacement is likely to be Bruce. It would be Stubb's development which would be more likely to push Dunn out of left by creating a logjam. But these things have a way of working themselves out. I would love to have the problem of Bruce having the sort of year that Dunn had in his last year in the minors and forcing an accelerated timetable.

[AmarilloRed]

I am prefacing this thread on the assumption Dunn hits.230 , 40 hrs, 210 strikeouts like he did last year. If Hamilton matches his production and hits much better than Dunn, I can see this happening. IfDunn improves as a hitter, his option will be picked up.

[KronoRed]

Yeah, becase we only need one run producer.

[Jefferson24]

The thing we need to remember about Hamilton is that he is a drug addict. That's not a knock on him because I'm sure he would agree. He's recovering and doing well and that's great. But depending on Josh to stay clean and sober for the next several years is like depending on Jr. to stay healthy for a full season. It could happen but the odds are against it.

The thing Josh has going for him now that most recovering addicts don't have is handlers. Don't think for a minute that he is just out there on his own. The Reds have people who are watching very closely. He doesn't even carry his own meal money. He is more closely guarded than the communist athletes during Olympic competition in a free country.

Sure there's a chance he can relapse, but the odds of his kicking this addiction for good are greatly improved over the average addict.

[Red Leader]

The way I look at it is that Jay Bruce is Griffey's replacement. Josh Hamilton is Austin Kearn's replacement. Adam Dunn does not have a replacement. If the Reds choose to let him go they're going to have to either have someone blow up on historic levels in the minors to replace him, or possibly pay more than what it would cost to keep Dunn to replace him.