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Should the Orioles pin their hopes on the 'big donkey'?
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Give it to me up high, junior. Oh, wait. You can't!
Judging by Andy MacPhail's comments and the stiff competition the team will face in the free agent market, the Orioles are a longshot for Mark Teixeira. If they miss out on the hard-hitting first baseman, they still need to fill the void at first or add a competent designated hitter.
Adam Dunn is big enough to fill that void. At 6'6” 275 pounds, Dunn looks more like a sasquatch than a man. Nicknamed the “Big Donkey,” Dunn may become a part of the plans for any team that loses out on Teixeira.
And he just became even more available. On Monday night, the Arizona Diamondbacks declined to offer Dunn salary arbitration, which means that teams are now free to sign him without giving up draft pick compensation in exchange.
Here are several reasons Dunn would benefit the birds:
He clubs 40 home runs a year
He walks over 100 times per year
He could DH, allowing Aubrey Huff to play regularly at first
Speaking of Huff, they would be a powerful combo if Huff’s numbers match his ’08 totals
He won’t require a long term deal
His entrance music is Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight”
Imagine Dunn lumbering up to bat (“It was the first time, the last time, we ever met, met, met, met, met”) with one out, Nick Markakis on first, and Aubrey Huff on deck. Not a bad situation to be in, especially because Dunn has a nearly 4 in 10 chance of getting on base.
Detractors point to Dunn’s low batting average as reason to avoid signing the big lefty. He strikes out a lot, so his BA is often in the .230-.240 range. But batting average is a rather limited statistic; it means very little in comparison to on base percentage, and since Dunn walks over 100 times a year his .386 OBP would be amongst the highest in the league.
Because of his enormous, oak tree-like stature, Dunn looks a lot older than he is. But if you cut him in half and count the rings, you'd discover that he just turned 29. His production should stay in the same range for several years, and he would require a commitment only a fraction as long as Teixeira’s ten year demand.
Dan Graziano of the Newark Star Ledger pointed out the relatively low level of interest in Dunn versus his high value as a power hitter. Given his consistent numbers and relatively low contract demands, Dunn could be a strong candidate for the birds if they are looking for offensive production.
Of course, Blue Jays GM J.P. Richiardi claimed this summer that Dunn “doesn’t like baseball that much,” but so what? Joe Buck doesn’t like baseball, and he does play-by-play for the World Series. Peter Angelos doesn't seem to like baseball, and he runs a major league team. I don't like cleaning up at the Apex on Broadway every night, but I do it. You know why? Because it's my job; that's why.
A Texas native, Dunn’s first desire was to be an NFL quarterback. But who cares if he’s dreaming of throwing eighty yard touchdowns? If he’s doing so while slugging 500 foot dingers, that’s really all that matters.
