Originally posted by SteelSD:
http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71000 (entire thread, great read if you like to see what sensible people think of AD)
Adam Dunn is the most under-appreciated Red ever. It honestly sickens me that the Reds were not able to cull more advertisting revenue from forwarding the concept that he was a player people should come out to watch. Especially for his age, his production as a Red has been historic, a concept lost on the awful announcers the Reds continue to employ, the inept radio stations the Reds continue to support, and an intense throng of nonsensical fans who have little idea how baseball actually works.
Adam Dunn has been a tough guy to take out. He's worked through many injuries over the course of his career and he's done so without excuse. He's smart. He's personable and funny. Those attributes would have earned him a better nickname than "Big Donkey" in the long-ago-time and his grit, determination, and consistency should have earned him better treatment from both the media and fans than we have seen. Had the Reds put a better team around him, who knows what folks might be calling him today. "Mr. October" didn't get there by himself. Not "clutch"? Nah. If that's the excuse, then we're not paying attention.
Instead, we saw a truly marketable player lambasted time after time for having the audacity to not be able to pitch a lick and not be able to coach a lick and not be able to make numerous front offices draft a lick or trade a lick or find anything resembling a cohesive team. In the end, Dunn's time ran out. He was here for every single moment of every single "win-now" scenario, but was always handcuffed by an owner and/or GM who really didn't know how.
Farewell, Adam Dunn. You're not an "enigma". You're just an incredibly productive player folks didn't appreciate because you're not someone who folks wanted you to be. You weren't appreciated not because you weren't productive. You weren't appreciated because you weren't nostalgic. You didn't allow folks to harken back to times where they recognized your game. And that's far more a commentary on Cincinnati Reds fans than it is you.
You have talent, you have drive, you have heart, you have the grit, and you have the soul. Now it's time for you to put it together for a team, and hopefully, a fan base that understands exactly how valuable you are.