Coming into the 2011 harden, there was arguably no more harmonious a player in all of greater league baseball than Adam Dunn. When it comes to fantasy baseball, there is perhaps nothing more treasured to owners than a play-actor that provides constant and consistent song, year after year. In a adventure where player statistics can veer wildly from undivided extreme to another, fantasy baseball owners ~times appreciate the opportunity to take a lessen the force of from rampant speculation and go with a sure thing. And there was ~t any more of a sure thing than Adam Dunn similar to fantasy owners approached the draft list this year.
After hitting exactly 40 home runs both season from 2004 to 2008, Dunn therefore cranked out exactly 38 home runs in each of his next 2 seasons. Changing teams and home ballparks had not at all effect on his production as he left Cincinnati's Great American Ballpark (a excessive home run hitter's park) in quest of Arizona's Chase Field (a benefit home run hitter's park) near the front of playing his home games at the greater degree of spacious Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. With 81 home games looming at home depart privately hitter's paradise, Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field, it looked like Dunn was going to easily recapitulate with another 40 home run accustom.
Also, having signed to be the White Sox designated hitter meant ~t one more patrolling the outfield for Dunn, purpose he could concentrate solely on offense. This shaped up to subsist a perfect situation as Dunn certainly brought a astonishing amount of offense to the undertaking (and precious little defence). In the novel "Moneyball" statistical era, hitters like Dunn are the highest article of merchandise possible. Dunn's prodigious walk totals, unusual base power and lack of make haste make him the ideal player on this account that the strategic model put forth in Michael Lewis' part.
As of July 22, Dunn has fortune a grand total of 9 home runs to entice him in a tie for 50th in the American League in that statistical head. His 36 RBI rank 61st in the Junior Circuit. Dunn has not at all been one to produce an affecting batting average throughout his career, excepting a slash line of .163/.291/.301 is every abysmal offensive output by anyone's standards. Consider his three miles-leading 125 strikeouts and you are looking at a season of epic proportions.... literally. The aggregate-time worst batting average (among those by enough at bats to qualify) is Rob Deer, who be crowned with success a paltry .179 in 1991. Dunn would emergency to hit .210 the rest of the practice to avoid Deer's record. That doesn't assume like much unless you consider the performance that it means he will exigency to achieve a whopping 47 condition increase in his current average. The aggregate-time American League record for strikeouts in a habituate is 197 (set by Jack Cust in 2008). Dunn is popularly on pace to eclipse that trace as well with a projected 205 Ks.
So to what did it all go wrong? Some receive suggested that becoming a full time DH has caused Dunn to give way at the plate. Never one to exist confused with Willie Mays in the outfield, it is sour to believe Dunn has let his be in want of of playing in the field interest him so markedly. Others may thesis to the fact that the steroid era has led many to believe that a player who experiences a precipitous drop in cogency stats must have recently stopped seizing steroids. There is also the truth that players decline as they time and some drop off astoundingly rapidly (Dale Murphy comes to mind).
Regardless of the thinking principle for his stunning collapse, Dunn is in the midst of a historic season. Whether or not he ends up setting records notwithstanding most strikeouts, worst batting average or master slugging percentage is yet to be seen. The one thing that is indubitable is that Dunn holds the memorial for most fantasy baseball seasons decimated by a single player. Just ask his owners.
