Time for the Nationals to get it Dunn!
Fourth round pick AJ Cole signed. Check. Second round pick Sammy Solis signed. Check. Number one pick Bryce Harper signed. Check.
What next?
The Washington Nationals franchise has a decent amount of baseball to play in the 2010 season. It will be interesting and fun to watch younger players continue to develop. We still await the return of Jordan Zimmerman. We are still waiting a healthy Ross Detwiler. Are we going to see SS Danny Espinosa in Washington? How about Adam Carr, Josh Wilkie, or Cole Kimball? They are all deserving.
But, beyond awaiting to watch these prospects, baseball in Washington for the remainder of the season is not that interesting. The Nationals can’t even get a distant scent of playoff baseball. Nationals park, even with phenom Stephen Starsburg on the mound, is packing in only above 20,000. Further hurting the Nationals season remainderment? Washington Redskins football is back.
Let’s face it, most sporting eyes in the Washington, DC metro area will turn toward Ashburn, VA and Landover, MD. The Washington Capitals and their winning ways with an exciting offensive juggernaut and excellent character turn some heads, but eyes will remain on the Washington Redskins. With the arrival of Mike Shanahan and a stripping away of a more than decade long, toxic culture that gripped the Redskins franchise, optimism, excitement, and curiosity reign and surround Redskins football. Shanahan’s past success, accountability style of coaching, and professionalism that has taken over the front office, along with the arrival of former rival QB Donovan McNabb, have generated excitement for Redskins football that rivals the past.
However, there is one BIG piece of business yet to be done, besides the remaining Nationals schedule. That piece of business is big. That piece of business can have dramatic impact on the building of the franchise and annual improvement. That piece of business will be expensive. The nationals now must turn the attention to resolving what to do with the expiring contract of slugging first baseman Adam Dunn.
We as Nats fans don’t need to be convinced of Dunn’s production. His numbers speak for themselves. Dunn is batting .271 with 31 home runs and 78 RBI with a .581 slugging percentage. Dunn leads the National League in home runs, is fourth in RBI, and third overall in slugging percentage. Again, Dunn’s stats speak for themselves, and quite loudly.
What the Nationals have to determine is, does the plan to for the future, which the Nationals are currently building upon, include Dunn, or another option at first base? Is it Chris Marrero, the 2006 first round draft pick? Is he even ready? Additionally, who will provide the power in the lineup to protect Ryan Zimmerman? Looking at the Nationals system, I don’t see a legit, 100%, power hitter. So is the plan to sign a free agent bat in the off-season? Then why not just re-up Dunn?
These questions need answers to coincide.
Solis, Cole, and Harper are now completed. The Nationals have one major, major decision left. All eyes will turn to that decision.
It’s Adam Dunn time.
Our thoughts here at DCPSR? Get it Dunn!
