FalconBlog--Triumphs and Trials in the BGSU Falcon Nation

Adam Dunn, Dave Kingman......compare and contrast

One of the top observers on the Reds scene is Brian at Redlegnation. He excels in the infuriating habit of using facts to argue baseball, something which has infuriated many, from comments in today's post to Joe Morgan.

Today, Brian looks at whether Adam Dunn is merely another Dave Kingman.

Like many stupid questions, the answer is evident as soon as the question is asked. Kingman's OPS was .780. To date, Adam is at .905.

Even better, check out this comparison.

.267  .527  .380  .908 - Mike Schmidt
 
.249  .523  .384  .907 - Adam Dunn

Pretty good company. If only it wasn't for that infernal batting average. When, oh when, will people let that go? Brian also goes on to note that Dunn's .907 is not far off the top ten OF under 25 in baseball history.

As all things Dunn do, it spurned a massive, passionate debate, although not always based on reason and facts.

I have to admit, I have been guilty in the past of thinking Dunn is less than he is. I just saw the K's and the lack of hits, and I thought I was watching Rob Deer. But, I wasn't. I was watching a young Mike Schmidt.

I popped onto Redszone a couple times and found out that you can't say anything about Dunn that doesn't suggest he is a young diety. So, I quit doing that. And, in fact, some of the SABR-heads are a little self-righteous and condescending, and a little too sure they are right. In fact, nothing's wrong with making contact with runners on the second and third and no outs. And there may be effects to what is going on that we can't measure. Having said that, the numbers leave no doubt. Adam Dunn is a producer, even if he never does any better than he is doing right now. Which I think he will.

Now, on other topics, Paul Daugherty is a moron. He follows the Joe Morgan school, the one that buys into myth over production. He is sorry we traded Randa--sorry, this wasn't a Bowden fire sale. It was a legitimate shot at making the team better. Maybe it will work out that way, maybe it won't. But it was a good run at it.

Here's Chad at Redlegnation with a comment:

Go read the article, then email Daugherty to ask where the Reds would have been in the off-season, when Randa signed elsewhere after a career year at age 35. They would have been left holding the bag, with nothing in return. Signing aging players like Joe Randa to multi-year contracts is precisely the way for a team like the Reds to ensure a future filled with losing.

This is why people never learn. Dan O’Brien finally makes an excellent decision, and the Cincinnati media hammers him for it. Similarly, if Sean Casey were traded, the media would criticize O’Brien for weeks. Yet, if Adam Dunn is dealt, Dan O’Brien would be considered a genius by many.

Am I living in Bizarro World?

No, its just a town where people think they know more about baseball than they do. Apparently, Redszone has a good thread on this as well.

Finally, is Jerry Narron a Sabrmetrician. Lonnie Wheeler has Narron saying that he's not worried about all the sac flies, and Marc Lancaster's blog says that Narron has talked to Bill James. I ask, rhetorically, why Dunn keeps batting seventh, but we'll watch this for future developments.

Well, its the fifth and we have no hits off Derek Lowe, and Harang has given up four runs early. We have seven road games upcoming....I'd be satisfied with three wins.