Since homering on September 11th, 2009 at Land Shark Stadium (or whatever The Florida Marlins are calling their home ball park this season), Adam Dunn has hit only one more round tripper--that came on September 22nd, 2009--in a blowout loss to The Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park. The span now covers 26 regular season games from September 13th, 2009 through yesterday's 7-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park (April 12th, 2010).
Dunn is still showing a good eye at the plate, but he's displayed no muscle and a limited ability to gather extra base hits. Additionally, Our Number 44 did not homer in any of the 18 Spring Training games in 2010. Not once. A power slump that should have Our Washington Nationals pondering whether it's an issue?
Here are the numbers:
In the final 19 games of 2009, Adam Dunn went 10 for 63 at the plate (.208 avg). He walked 15 times (2 were intentional), knocked in seven runs and stroked a total of four extra base hits including that one home run against L.A.
In the first seven games of 2010, Adam Dunn is 2 for 18 (.111 avg.) with 10 walks (1 intentional) and one RBI. No extra base hits. Adam is batting .169 over that 26 game stretch (September/October 2009 & April 2010).
During Spring Training this year, Adam Dunn went 10 for 48 (.208 avg.) with seven walks and 8 RBI and two extra base hits. Combining all 44 regular season and pre-season games played since September 12th, 2009, Dunn is batting .171. His career average: .249.
Except for his walk totals, all his other statistical numbers are below career averages. In nine seasons of Major League Baseball, Adam Dunn has hit one home run every 17 plate appearances, or once every 14 official At-Bats. During his current power slump, Dunn has knocked the baseball out of the park in a regular season game only once in 106 plate appearances and only once in 71 official At-Bats.
If you want to count Spring Training totals--those number are even worse: One home run in 161 plate appearances and only once in 129 official At-Bats.
Those are not the figures Our General Manager Mike Rizzo is expecting out of his clean up hitter.
Adam Dunn has socked 316 home runs in 1297 games played over 9 plus seasons of Major League Baseball--that's one home run per 4.10 regular season games played. At his present pace, Dunn is knocking the baseball out of the park only once in 26 regular season games played (nearly 1/6th of a 162 game schedule). Known for hitting homers in bunches, Adam Dunn's current slump must be a concern for Our Washington Nationals.
Smaller than normal sample size? Maybe, maybe not.
But Adam Dunn's Power Outage is still a matter worthy of attention.
Adam Dunn Photo--Doug Benc (Getty Images)
Guzman looks spectacular in front of him. I think at least the Phillies are flat out refusing to pitch to Dunn.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen more than 3 innings on tv so far, has he been hitting the ball hard at least? Is this an issue where it looks like he's lost all power and ability to hit it hard, or has he just not yet hit one out?
ReplyDeleteDunn's showing good patience at the plate, but he's not making good contact on the pitches he believes he can hit. Only four extra base hits in over 100 plate appearances says either the pitchers have adjusted more to him--or he's not adjusted his hitting to those changes yet. Dunn's not making solid contact right now on the hittable pitches thrown his way. He's also lunging a lot at the plate.
ReplyDeleteOne of Dunn's two singles this season was a squibbler on the third base side that would not have been a hit except for the shift. The other one IIRC was a seeing-eye grounder right through the meat of the shift. Most of his outs have been Ks or weakly hit popups or grounders. He is not hitting the ball well at all, even if he is seeing it okay. Notice how any talk of extending him has completely died?
ReplyDeleteI believe the Marlins' stadium is currently called Sun LIfe Stadium, but I refer to it as Your Name For Sale Stadium. Their new ballpark should be named The Orange Bowl, but it won't be.
ReplyDeleteThis is totally off topic and I'm not sure it's how I should post but...
ReplyDeleteI'm recalling your comments about the Nationals away uniforms way back before Spring Training (you advocated a red 'curly W' on Navy the away hat to go with the new red stockings and sleeves -- and I agree).
How about lobbying decision makers to likewise consider losing the gold trim around the back number and the 'DC' on the left sleeve?
Replace them instead with the white/blue trim as it now appears on the "Washington" script, the front number and the player's name.
The gold looks great on all the other versions but just looks drab on the grays.
The bright trim would make the whole away uniform really pop and make it all consistent.
The LA Angels' away uniform conveys the consistency but aren't quite as bright as the Nats would appear, since they only use the navy trim without the white.
Whoa! How's that for a slow-coming response!?
Happy 5th anniversary for one of the great sporting events in our lifetime!
ReplyDeleteI will never forget the energy in the stadium; Castilla's three extra base hits and then getting plunked in front of a standing, roaring crowd; and Livan's nearly going the distance.
Perhaps we are only a couple of months away from a pro-Nats crowd providing the same energy in the stadium.