Adam Dunn

Adam Dunn
Washington Nationals – No. 44
First baseman / Outfielder
Bats: Left Throws: Right
debut
July 20, 2001, for the Cincinnati Reds
Career statistics (through 2008 season)
Batting average	.247
Home runs	278
Runs batted in	672
Teams
Cincinnati Reds (2001–2008) Arizona Diamondbacks (2008) Washington Nationals (2009–present)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star selection (2002)

Dunn during 2008 spring training.

Adam Troy Dunn (born November 9, 1979, in Houston, Texas) is a Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder for the Washington Nationals. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed. Dunn is 6'6 and 280 lbs., and therefore was given the nickname "Big Donkey."

Amateur career

Dunn was a standout quarterback at New Caney High School in Texas. After graduating from high school, Dunn attended the University of Texas and focused on football as a quarterback. The Cincinnati Reds drafted Dunn in the second round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft.

Professional career

At six feet, six inches (198 cm) in height and weighing 275 pounds, Dunn, who is one of the National League's most feared sluggers, invites frequent comparisons to Mark McGwire. His power and size have earned him the nickname "Big Country" in baseball.

Despite his high strikeout totals, Dunn often exhibits good plate discipline. He is among the major league leaders every season in number of pitches per at-bat, an indication that he generally knows when to swing and when not to. Although his career batting average is only .247, he has compiled a .382 on-base percentage while striking out about ten times for every six walks and averages more than one strikeout per game. He always is one of the top receivers in base on balls. However, his main weakness continues to be his tendency to strike out. Many point out that his on-base percentage is actually higher than several hitters with batting averages over .300 each year.

Dunn has the fifth-lowest career at bats per home run average in Major-League history. His 13.96 ratio (about one home run every 14 times he comes to bat) is eclipsed only by Mark McGwire (10.61), Babe Ruth (11.76), Barry Bonds (12.90), and Jim Thome (13.68). Stretching behind Dunn are such Hall-of-Famers as Ralph Kiner, Harmon Killebrew, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Jimmie Foxx, and Mike Schmidt, in that order.

Cincinnati Reds

Dunn made his Major League debut on July 20, 2001, and set a National League rookie record for the most home runs in a month by hitting 12 in August.

In 2002, Adam Dunn had a career high 128 walks and a .400 on base percentage. During that same year, he was selected to the 2002 National League All-Star team. In that game, Dunn hit a ball to center field that was a few feet from being a game ending home run (the game famously ended in a tie). He also walked in his only other plate appearance.

Dunn's most productive season came in 2004, when he posted career highs in batting average (.266), home runs (46), runs (105), hits (151), , slugging average (.569), and OPS (.957). On September 30, 2004, Dunn once again got his name in Major League Baseball's record book, albeit not in the manner he wished. That day, Dunn struck out three times against Chicago Cubs right-hander Mark Prior, raising his season total to 191 and surpassing Bobby Bonds' single season strikeout record of 189, set in 1970. He finished the season with 195 strikeouts. He held the record until Ryan Howard broke it on September 27, 2007.

Dunn's 46 longballs in 2004 were the fourth most in Cincinnati Reds history. That year, he joined Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan as the only Reds players to score 100 runs, drive in 100 runs, and draw 100 walks in a single season. Dunn repeated the feat the following season making him the only player in Reds history to do it more than once.

On Mother's Day, May 14, 2006, Dunn was one of more than 50 hitters who brandished a pink bat to benefit the Breast Cancer Foundation.

In 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2008 he struck out 34.3%, 30.9%, and 34.6% of the time, respectively. In each season, his was the highest strikeout percentage in Major League Baseball. In 2008 he struck out 31.7% of the time.[2]

On October 31, 2007, Dunn's $13 million dollar option was picked up by the Reds, making him the highest-paid player on the team.

On June 19, 2008, Toronto Blue Jays General Manager J. P. Ricciardi cited Dunn's lack of passion for baseball as a deterrent for acquiring the outfielder during a Toronto call-in radio show. Ricciardi later publicly apologized for his statements, but has yet to speak to Dunn personally about his comments.

On June 29, 2008, Dunn won the Ohio Cup MVP when he went 6-for-20 in the six-game series, with 5 home runs and 10 RBI.

Arizona Diamondbacks

On August 11, 2008, Dunn was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for right-handed pitcher Dallas Buck and two other players to be named later. The two players were catcher Wilkin Castillo and pitcher Micah Owings.

In 2008 he walked 19.1% of the time, the highest percentage in major league baseball.[3]

Defensively, he had the lowest fielding percentage of all starting major league left fielders, .968, and committed more errors (7) than any other NL left fielder.[4]

Washington Nationals

On February 11, 2009, Dunn agreed to a two-year $20 million contract with the Washington Nationals.

Team USA - 2009 World Baseball Classic

On March 1, 2009, Dunn joined the United States team for the 2009 World Baseball Classic at the late request of coach Davey Johnson. In the March 7, 2009 first round game against Canada in Toronto, he hit a two-run home run and batted in a run on a sacrifice fly play. On March 8, Dunn scored on a three run triple by Chris Iannetta, and had a solo home run against Venezuela.

Position changes

In December 2005, Reds manager Jerry Narron informed the press that, due to the trade of popular first baseman Sean Casey to the Pittsburgh Pirates for left-handed pitcher Dave Williams, Dunn would be moving to first base for the 2006 season. However, with the acquisition of free agent first baseman Scott Hatteberg (who played for the Oakland Athletics in 2005) during spring training and the March 20 trade of outfielder Wily Mo Peña to the Boston Red Sox for right-handed pitcher Bronson Arroyo, the plan to convert Dunn was scrapped (Dunn had mentioned that he would rather not play 1B also) and, to date, he has only played 108 games there.

Personal

Dunn is married to Rachel Brown of Kentucky, and the couple have a young son, Brady, who is two years old.

His batter walkup music in Arizona is In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins.

Statistics

Year	Age	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB	SH	SF	IBB	HBP	GDP
2001	21	Cincinnati	NL	66	244	54	64	18	1	19	43	4	2	38	74	.262	.371	.578	.949	141	0	0	2	4	4
2002	22	Cincinnati	NL	158	535	84	133	28	2	26	71	19	9	128	170	.249	.400	.454	.854	243	1	3	13	9	8
2003	23	Cincinnati	NL	116	381	70	82	12	1	27	57	8	2	74	126	.215	.354	.465	.819	177	0	4	8	10	4
2004	24	Cincinnati	NL	161	568	105	151	34	0	46	102	6	1	108	195	.266	.388	.569	.957	323	0	0	11	5	8
2005	25	Cincinnati	NL	160	543	107	134	35	2	40	101	4	2	114	168	.247	.387	.540	.927	293	0	2	14	12	6
2006	26	Cincinnati	NL	160	561	99	131	24	0	40	92	7	0	112	194	.234	.365	.490	.855	275	1	3	12	6	8
2007	27	Cincinnati	NL	152	522	101	138	27	2	40	106	9	2	101	165	.264	.386	.554	.940	289	0	4	8	5	12
2008	28	CIN/ARI	NL	158	517	79	122	23	0	40	100	2	1	122	164	.236	.386	.513	.899	265	0	5	13	7	7
Totals:				1,131	3,871	699	955	201	8	278	672	59	19	797	1,256	.247	.381	.518	.899	2,006	2	21	81	58	57

Roll over stat abbreviations for definitions. Stats through September 28, 2008.

See also

• Top 500 home run hitters of all time

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs