Slugger Adam Dunn may have said goodbye to Washington, but he could stay in the area next season and in the future.
Unfortunately, to the dismay of Nationals fans, he could be in a Baltimore Orioles uniform.
The Orioles, unlike the Nationals, finished strong under new manager Buck Showalter (34-23 in final 57 games), which reinforces the perception going into the season that they had enough talent to be competitive in 2010. It just took a real baseball manager, after Dave Trembley was fired, to make that perception a reality.
But the Baltimore franchise and owner Peter Angelos, after 13 straight losing seasons, can’t afford to take baby steps anymore to compete in the most powerful division in baseball — the American League East — with the Yankees, Devil Rays and Red Sox in their way.
No, they have to make their move next season, and one of those moves could be Dunn, who, according to reports, is not likely to be pursued by the Nationals in the free agent market — despite hitting 76 home runs over two seasons in Washington and despite cries of fans to “Sign Adam Dunn” during the final home stand at Nationals Park.
If Nationals fans want a glimpse into 2011, they might want to watch Tampa Bay in the AL Division Series against Texas and pay close attention to Rays first baseman Carlos Pena, who hit 28 home runs, drove in 84 RBI and hit a woeful .196 this season. He’s a better defensive player than Dunn, likely a cheaper option and a client of the agent the Nationals love to please, Scott Boras.
I understand the Nationals’ concerns about Dunn — locking into perhaps a three-year, $40 million contract with a player with defensive limitations. The name of the game in the post-steroid era is defense.
But 38 home runs this year and the fear and protection they bring to a lineup still have value. They certainly would have value to the Orioles.
Dunn has made it clear he is not warm to the idea of being in the American League and being limited to designated hitter duties. He wants to be an everyday player in the field as well as at the plate. But I suspect AL teams will be creative in their pursuit of Dunn and perhaps present him with a deal that defines playing time in the field split with time as a DH. And if the money is right, that might be enough to soothe Dunn’s ego.
The Orioles could make that kind of presentation to Dunn because he would be a monster in Camden Yards.
To mark whenever a ball lands on Eutaw Street beyond the flag pavilion in right field, the Orioles put down a marker to note who hit the home run and when. Dunn certainly would make his share of marks on Eutaw — and perhaps be the first one to put his mark on the B&O Warehouse in a regular-season game.
It’s certainly not a done deal that Dunn won’t return to the area in a Washington uniform. But he certainly presents an attractive option for the Orioles — the new Boog Powell.
Examiner columnist Thom Loverro is the co-host of “The Sports Fix” from noon to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on ESPN 980 and espn980.com. Contact him at [email protected].
