Dunn Comments on lack of RBI

[Wally Mo Pena]

Slugger leaving mates stranded
Dunn frustrated by lack of timely hits

By Marc Lancaster
Post staff reporter

When Adam Dunn strolled into the Reds' spring training clubhouse in Sarasota more than four months ago, he had a plan for the 2005 season.

While acknowledging all the success he had last season, when he tied for second in the majors with 46 home runs, drove in 102 runs and walked 108 times, it didn't take him long to pinpoint the part of his game that most needed improvement.

"Runners in scoring position was horrible," he said then. "That's something that's big."

Dunn hit .239 with runners in scoring position last season. Over the course of the year, he came to the plate with 218 men at second or third base and drove in only 39 of them - 17.9 percent. Subtract Dunn's numbers from the mix and the rest of the team drove in 21.3 percent of men in scoring position last season.

So not only was Dunn behind the curve set by his teammates, he was failing in an area that he and others considered one of his primary responsibilities. When you stand 6 feet 6, weigh around 275 pounds and have the kind of power Dunn has, you need to be driving in more runs.

"Definitely," said Dunn. "That's what I'm here for."

That explains why the slugger is frustrated with his run production this year despite his team-high 20 home runs. Not only has he failed to improve his hitting with runners in scoring position, he actually has produced at a markedly lower rate so far this season.

Dunn is hitting just .196 with runners in scoring position. Of the 91 men he has found in scoring position, he has driven in only 10 of them (11 percent) - four of those coming on home runs.

Not only does his percentage of men in scoring position batted in pale in comparison to the team total of 21.6 percent, it's far inferior to the efficiency demonstrated by nearly every other regular.

Sean Casey has driven in 29 of 93 (31.2 percent). Ken Griffey Jr. 26 of 92 (28.3 percent), Felipe Lopez 22 of 82 (26.8 percent), Jason LaRue 14 of 53 (26.4 percent), Rich Aurilia 18 of 73 (24.7 percent) and Joe Randa 22 of 93 (22.6 percent). Only leadoff man Ryan Freel, who has batted in 5 of 43 men in scoring position (11.6 percent) comes close to Dunn's rate, and RBIs are not expected from him.

Reds hitting coach Chris Chambliss didn't need to see the numbers to know Dunn has struggled in run-producing situations this season. But Chambliss made it clear that driving in more runners has been a point of emphasis with Dunn and will continue to be.

"RBIs, to me, should be the focus of a good power hitter," said Chambliss. "Power is God-given, and he's got power. Usually, the worst thing for power hitters is to realize their power, because they over-swing and try to do too much. That's why I preach hit the ball, put it in play, make contact and the power will take care of itself."

The mind-bending problem Chambliss faces in trying to help Dunn bring in more runs is that he doesn't want the outfielder to approach an at-bat with a runner on second base any differently than he would an at-bat with the bases empty.

Dunn admitted he's already prone to over-thinking in such situations.

"I think I change (my approach) with runners in scoring position when I don't have to," he said. "I think sometimes I'm probably too aggressive with runners in scoring position, I swing at their pitch. I've got to really wait and keep my same approach."

Adding to the frustration level in those situations is that Dunn isn't getting as many pitches to hit with runners on base as he used to. Part of that has to do with his burgeoning reputation as one of the most dangerous power hitters in the majors.

And then there's the batting order. Dunn has batted either fifth or sixth in nearly every start he has made this year, meaning most of the Reds' better hitters are in front of him. He's there to drive them in, but the opposition doesn't mind pitching around him to get to the generally less dangerous hitters behind him.

"I really don't think that really matters," Dunn said of not having much protection in the batting order. "Maybe in certain situations it would, but I just think for the most part it's me."

He has been patient when confronted with a nibbling pitcher in run-scoring situations, drawing 22 walks - six of those intentional. But with all due respect to the time-honored Little League catchphrase, he said a walk is not as good as a hit under the circumstances.

"In that situation, I'm there to drive in runs, not get on base," said Dunn. "But I don't want to get up there and say, 'I've got to get this runner in so I'm going to swing at anything close.' I can't do that."

Chambliss concurred. The last thing he wants to see is Dunn expanding his strike zone in pressure situations. In his mind, taking a walk is fine if the pitcher isn't providing anything Dunn can drive.

"If you're not getting strikes, you should be getting walks," said Chambliss.

But when the ball comes down the pipe with the opportunity to bring runners home, Dunn wants to be on it.

"That's still a big concern with me," he said. "That's one thing I really want to work on."

[AdamDunn#44]

[PHP]"I think I change (my approach) with runners in scoring position when I don't have to," he said. "I think sometimes I'm probably too aggressive with runners in scoring position, I swing at their pitch. I've got to really wait and keep my same approach."[/PHP]

exactly

[PHP]Definitely," said Dunn. "That's what I'm here for."[/PHP]

nah your here to get on base. your doing that

[PHP]The last thing he wants to see is Dunn expanding his strike zone in pressure situations. In his mind, taking a walk is fine if the pitcher isn't providing anything Dunn can drive.[/PHP]

ive been sayign that all along but people on here dont listen

[Wally Mo Pena]

you pick and choose what you listen to. They also talk about how he needs to learn to hit to all fields, and Dunn himself said that he was supposed to drive people in and you tell him that he's wrong.

There's a difference between changing your approach and swinging at balls, and changing your approach and not swinging to hit a 500+ foot HR everytime, which is what i've been saying. Note where Chambliss talks about how with a guy that size the power will be there.

Dunn swings and misses so much because he's trying to kill the ball so much. If ryan freel wanted to hit HRs, that's how he'd have to swing. That's not how dunn has to swing. If he hit more line drives he'd up his average, OPS, RBI, and HRs. That's why he should change his approach.

[AdamDunn#44]

yep because changing his approach worked so well in earlr april lol

[CincyRedsFan30]

I thought Lancaster knew a little more than this, but obviously not.

This article was one of his worst ever.

[redsrbetter]

Dunn does need to drive runs in when he has the chance. At that point, getting on base only puts the game in less able hands. He knows he is here to drive in runs, yet he is lacking in that department. I am just glad that he acknowledges his weakness and wants to address it. Go to work Chambliss.

[AdamDunn#44]

getting on base avoids outs.

[redsrbetter]

Whats the point in getting on base when LaRue or Aurilia will come up after you and strike out? He is the one that we should confide in to get it done. LaRue is there because we have no better option at catcher, and Aurilia???? We all have no clue about him, but thats a whole other tired story.

I understand it helps Dunn's OBP to get a walk, but what would be better for the team? Have him learn how to have the same approach everytime up, or have him add to his .OBP?

[AdamDunn#44]

so dunn should swing at shitty pitches, because the manager is stupid and bats crappy hitters behind dunn?

[redsrbetter]

I understand that pitchers pitch around him and do not give him much to hit with RISP. But that is just what he is trying to fix. He wants to drop the amount of holes in his bat and be able to put the ball in play. I am not a hater of all the Dunn Ks, but when he misses with RISP, it gets tiring. He knows that he has to work on it and I agree with him. This team needs its slugger to become an RBI type hitter.

Again, I do not hate it when he walks, but I think he wants to try and hit the ball when a pitcher is not necessarily pitching around him. Go ahead and walk if the pitcher wants nothing to do with you, by all means. But when he strikes out, he is swinging and missing or is not swinging at something he might want to.

[QuietAcre]

Whats the point in getting on base when LaRue or Aurilia will come up after you and strike out? He is the one that we should confide in to get it done. LaRue is there because we have no better option at catcher, and Aurilia???? We all have no clue about him, but thats a whole other tired story.

I understand it helps Dunn's OBP to get a walk, but what would be better for the team? Have him learn how to have the same approach everytime up, or have him add to his .OBP?

I hate saying this, but the difference between an immensely talented slugger like Pujols, and an immensely talented slugger like Dunn, is that Pujols has two big things going for him:

- surrounded by other great hitters
- "makes you pay" on a consistent basis.

[Sea Ray]

Ahhh, the Dunn lovers come out in full force. That's something you can always count on with these boards.

Folks, no player is perfect and that includes Dunn. The guy admits he's not very good at driving in runs and at 6'6" and 275 lbs you've got to drive in runs. Batting .196 with RISP is a problem. Will you Dunn lovers agree with Adam here?

Chambliss said that he doesn't want him to expand his strike zone, just not swing for the RF fences all the time. What's wrong with that?

I don't know what it is with Adam Dunn that riles so many folks up that they lose all common sense. Suddenly if it's Adam Dunn it's OK to hit below .200 with RISP. It's OK to strike out 190+ times. It's OK to have a 1:2 ratio of HRs to RBIs.

Sensible Reds fans look at this team and the massive number of runners LOB and this team's inconsistent offense and see the reason why. It's because of folks like Wily Mo and Dunn, situational hitting and the numbers I posted above.

I think Dunn is arguably the most talented player on the roster and I'd like to see him play in Cincinnati for a long time. But I also think he could be a superstar and if he doesn't represent the Reds in the All Star game every summer that he's under achieving.

[AdamDunn#44]

i find it hilarious that the reds have the highest ERA in baseball and people still want to complain about the offense. holy crap

[Wally Mo Pena]

we're just discussing an article from the press man. We've talked about the pitching plenty. Adam Dunn is (hopefully) part of this teams future, so the things that can potentially make him better are important for the team. Let us have something worth talking about, or do we have to just repeat that our starters suck over and over?

[Wally Mo Pena]

yep because changing his approach worked so well in earlr april lol

i don't understand what you are laughing out lout about. in april dunn hit .292 /.427 /.694 /1.121

Thats what he should be hitting imo. In april he got more hits which is what i want him to do.