HAVE BASEBALLS BEATING IN THEIR CHESTS

There has to be an ad campaign in that.

Adam needs to hire someone to market Adam and after that Dunn should just shut up. If Gary Sheffield can re-package himself to appear as if he has found the Lord, etc and have folks believe it then some clever person should be able to re-shape Adam's affable nature into something that does NOT convey an image of disinterest in one's profession.

Because I don't believe that to be the case. What I DO think happened is that Adam was so determined to project a "slacker" persona, which has (had?) a certain cachet a few years back among his age group that it boomeranged on him to an extent that now front offices are concerned that if they give this guy umpteen dollars he will pull a Jeff Blauser and just pack it in and go home to watch bass fishing on his High-Def television.

I feel for Adam. He's a young man that really didn't make a mistake per se. Just didn't THINK and now a confluence of events have worked to greatly reduce his chances of getting paid at a level appropriate to his skill set.

I’m not sure how a lefty-throwing Rickey plays shortstop or catches

I know that left-handed catchers are very rare, but I don't think there is the inherent disadvantage at being a left-handed thrower at catcher that there is at shortstop.

I want the Pirates to sign Adam Dunn. I know it would make no sense whatsoever in either the short or the long term, but it would be the first interesting thing they've done since they traded Jason Kendall, gosh darn it, and it would actually get people's attention around here.

Pittsburgh is like Cincinnati except that it's better in every way and there's no Marty Brennaman. And it's pretty close to Kentucky. Move up the Ohio River, Adam!

Wait. What did Jeff Blauser do?

I know that left-handed catchers are very rare, but I don't think there is the inherent disadvantage at being a left-handed thrower at catcher that there is at shortstop.

The only thing I've ever heard about a disadvantage for lefties at catcher is that they are throwing over the right batter's box. Other than that, I don't think there's any disadvantage, there's just no lefty catchers.

The only thing I've ever heard about a disadvantage for lefties at catcher is that they are throwing over the right batter's box. Other than that, I don't think there's any disadvantage, there's just no lefty catchers.

Someone--Neyer, James, I don't recall exactly--pointed out that the real reason you don't have any left-handed catchers is that if you have a lefty with an arm to catch, he's not going to be on that side of the battery for long.

Isn't it harder to throw to third from a crouch as a lefty?

Isn't it harder to throw to third from a crouch as a lefty?

Yeah, but right-handed catchers make throws to first. A lefty catcher would probably need a stronger arm than a righty, but there's nothing inherently prohibiting a righty catcher.

Also, in the pre-internet age, it was probably a real pain to find a left-handed catcher's mit.

I imagine coaches at the younger levels have something to do with it. Since there are no lefty catchers at the big league level, the assumption is there's some disadvantage, and the southpaw is immediately put on the mound, at first or in the outfield.

Or forced to throw righty. There are a few natural lefty catchers throwing right-handed.

A lot of good reasons listed here for why no LH catchers. A principle one is that since most batters are RH, catcher would usually have to throw through a full battersbox. Also, if you are LH and have the strength/speed to throw as a catcher, they will try to teach you a second pitch and get you on the mound.

One not mentioned yet is that the natural tailing action of a throw to 2B, in case of a steal, is wrong from a lefthander. It will tail toward LF. A superb thrower could compensate by always throwing right of the bag (like a golfer who accounts for his slice off the tee), but there is so much involved in a throw from the plate that it's not worth trying to train someone from the LH side, because anything thrown directly at the bag or to the SS side will be trouble, and makes either receiver have to go a long way, across the bag, to tag the runner.

Pricess Willie

I don't know if this typo was Priceless Willie or Princess Willie, but I'm ok with either.

Adam needs to hire someone to market Adam and after that Dunn should just shut up.

I agree, Adam has an image problem. He has been cast as this slacker, who doesn't like baseball. Part of that is his fault, his laid back attitude, but most of the blame goes on the Cincinnati media (I'm looking at you marty), for trying to mold, twist, contort Adam for years into some kind of player he isn't. They harp on is inability to get the little hit with a runner on 3rd with 2 outs, or his perceived lack of "clutchness", or because he strikeouts and walks a lot he cannot be a middle of the order bat, a solid run producer. Marty and the media in Cincinnati personify what most analytical baseball writers have been saying for years, your memory is faulty and your long-standing opinions might be off. Any of the Red's TV or Radio crew can easily conjure up a dozen tales of Adam failing in their perceived "clutch" situation; yet none of those announcers seem to remember his walk off HR's, or any of his 2 or 3 run shots.

Now I can't comment on his "lack of enthusiasm" about baseball. I have watched many Red's games for years, but I have never met Dunn and don't feel comfortable judging him. Maybe he doesn't like baseball as much as the 67+ OPS utility guy, so what. I doubt Dunn hates the game enough to intentionally fail in those "clutch" situations. Furthermore, is there any way to rationalize that if he "enjoyed" the game more, he might drive in more runs? Once again that's just the media twisting Adam into something he's not and finding ANY reason to justify their opinions.

I never liked the way Adam was treated in Cincinnati, and how marty and co still take shots at him after he left. When it was apparent Junior was falling apart and would never recover, Dunn was the star of the team. He's not a Manny or A-Rod superstar, but for a team like the Reds he should have been a tier-2 or a high tier-3 star (if pujols, A-Rod, Manny, etc are Tier-1 stars). He was never perceived as the solution for the Reds, but part of the problem. I never understood it. Here was a player that came up through the organization, hits towering HRs, seems to be a nice enjoyable guy, model of consistency, but yet he was always the problem.

I wished Dunn would have signed with the Cubs. I would have loved to see him hit about 7 HR in his 9 games back at GAB and stick it to the Reds. He deserves that chance. Now whether he is "enthusiastic" enough to care, I don't know.

"I want the Pirates to sign Adam Dunn. I know it would make no sense whatsoever in either the short or the long term, but it would be the first interesting thing they've done since they traded Jason Kendall, gosh darn it, and it would actually get people's attention around here."

I've heard worse ideas. Especially if you're going to flip Big LaRoche at the deadline (or let him walk at year's end) and then move Dunn to 1B for 2010 and beyond. He's a fairly talented player, and since AZ was kind enough to not offer him arb, he wouldn't cost us any picks.

I want the Pirates to sign Adam Dunn. I know it would make no sense whatsoever in either the short or the long term

I'm normally against non-contenders signing FAs, but in this case, Dunn is good enough that it's worthwhile. He would give the Pirates a real boost of credibility. Plus, hitting a couple or HR's into the river would probably be good for attendance.

In this depressed market, sign him for 2-3 years, and then trade him at the deadline in his last season (unless you are contending).

dunn HAS had image problems for a LONG time.

he made it known back in 03 or 04 that he REALLY wanted to come to houston (hometown) and would sign a low value contract but i hear tell the astros Organization was dead set against him - not the strikeouts, but the attitude. he is not seen as a "team player" because if he was he'd be like tejada, hitting ground balls for GIDP instead of striking out. or changing his stance with 2 strikes so as he could hit ground balls for GIDP. and of course, he has almost no sac flies. and astros fans HATE guys who walk - they want a team full of willy taverases/carlos lee.

if i was dunn, i'd try to get a 1 year deal, especially if it was to DH or play 1B, then see how the market is next year

i'm not sure why so many sportswriters/fans absolutely HATE a low BA high walk guy, or want a guy to flail away at pitches out of the strike zone, but they do.

Dunn in PNC would get off that 40 homer schneid. The worry is that left field at PNC is pretty d*mn big. You would need to give Adam a map to find his way.

To bring many of the above comments together (and I mention this every time the topic comes up but) ... I was a lefty catcher! (for a short while anyway - and this was as an 11 yr old in LL.)
Used an outfielder's mitt, which caused some consternation. Throwing to third was a little tricky - I'd have to rock back on my heels as I threw (my only plus tool was my arm, so I could still get guys out from my knees). Eventually, as you'd imagine, somebody got the idea to move me to the mound and that, along with league opposition to a lefty behind the plate, ended my career as a backstop (too bad - it was probably my best position defensively). [I blew out my knees, arms, etc... shortly thereafter stupidly trying to play through injuries - I probably top out ~ 50MPH now.]

One not mentioned yet is that the natural tailing action of a throw to 2B, in case of a steal, is wrong from a lefthander. It will tail toward LF.

Yup. I had to compensate, which wasn't too tricky, but probably caused an error or two I wouldn't have had otherwise (from overcompensating and throwing the ball into right-center).

if i was a pirates fan i'd rather have dunn at first than laroche