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Adam Dunn is half of a successful clubhouse
What Adam Dunn is missing, really, is the classic comedy straight man.
He has the off-the-wall bit down. He’s a favorite of reporters, who gather around his corner locker before and after games, waiting for amusing answers. Here’s a sample from the post-game conversation on Saturday, after Dunn won the game with a bottom-of-the-ninth home run after being asked to bunt on the two previous pitches and not getting one down:
I can bunt. And that makes me mad that I didn’t get it down, I’m serious, it really does. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say I’m one of the top three bunters on the team, and now I can’t get it done, and that makes me mad.
Well Adam, Dusty Baker said you might be the best bunter on the team.
Well, I didn’t want to say that.
Better than Norris Hopper, the bunt-single specialist?
Better than Hop? I’m different than Hop, a different bunter than Hop.
Seems like you love the pressure situations.
I love it. I don’t know why … especially with a packed house and everyone. It’s awesome.
You know, that home run almost left the park.
See, those I don’t care anymore. I’m done trying to hit it outta here. That’s for the younger guys, not a 28-year-old.
But, he’s a 28-year-old who could be a hot name on the trading block as the season grinds into mid-summer. Last week, Ken Davidoff of Newsday wrote a piece describing the reasons why Dunn will indeed be traded this summer. It can be easy to agree when you look at the strikeouts and batting average during down streaks, but then Dunn does something like hit home runs in five straight games, and the fan feeling changes.
Even though he at times looks lackadaisical in the outfield and might seem like he’s moving slowly (hey, he’s a big guy), Dunn is a good personality in the clubhouse. The problem is, there’s no business-like leader to counter Dunn’s cool-dude persona.
This is not a new idea. Most folks who pay attention to this team can tell you that a gigantic piece the Reds are missing is a quiet veteran presence like Barry Larkin was for years. Someone who doesn’t talk much but to whom you had to answer if you weren’t doing things right.
Dunn has the personality and the experience to keep the clubhouse light. That’s not what the Reds are missing.
They need to match Dunn with a straight man.
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