Dunn designated to power White Sox offense
Adam Dunn is not going to win a batting title.
Barring injury, he’s going to rank among American League leaders in strikeouts.
And cover your eyes when he puts on the glove and trots out to first base once or twice a week.
The 6-foot-6, 285-pound Dunn has some big holes in his game, but the White Sox didn’t hesitate to sign the hulking free agent to a four-year $56 million contract on Dec. 3.
“Consistency,” Sox general manager Kenny Williams explained. “Consistency with getting on base, the power and driving in big runs. He’s done it consistently for the last eight years. We needed that offense, period, but to get it from the left side certainly is a bonus.”
Not only does Dunn have the second-most home runs (282) in baseball since 2004, he ranks first in walks (750) and ninth in RBI (709).
So forget about Dunn’s career-high 199 strikeouts in 558 at-bats with the Washington Nationals last season.
Don’t worry too much about his lifetime .250 batting average.
And as the White Sox’ regular designated hitter, Dunn’s not likely to play enough defense to do much harm.
Can he excel at the Cell?According to Fantasy Baseball Dugout, U.S. Cellular Filed had the highest home run index in the major leagues last season at 157, with 100 being the average.
Coors Field in Colorado was second at 144 and Yankee Stadium third at 143.
Nationals Park, Dunn#146;s home in Washington the past two seasons, had a 99 index in 2010, and the 31-year-old Texan managed to hit 38 home runs.
This year FBD projects Dunn to hit 49 home runs.
How about 50?In an interview with the Daily Herald earlier in spring training, Dunn almost welcomed the challenge of hitting 50 home runs this season.
#147;Why not?#148; he said. #147;I#146;m not going to say I#146;m going to go out and hit 50, but I absolutely think it#146;s attainable.
#147;Anyone can hit 50. Really, it#146;s 50 good swings if you think about it. It#146;s 50 good swings out of, what, 650 at-bats? We#146;ll see. I#146;ve got to get the first one first.#148;
Dunn hit a career-high 46 home runs with the Cincinnati Reds in 2004.
How#146;s the bench?Remember when many were laughing at the White Sox last year for signing 43-year-old Omar Vizquel?
Well, he#146;ll be 44 on April 24, and the 11-time Gold Glover is still going strong.
Vizquel is a natural shortstop, and he played 19 games at second base in 2010.
But it was his stellar play at third base that really made Vizquel stand out last season.
Taking over on the hot corner when Mark Teahen went down with a fractured finger at the end of May, Vizquel stepped right in and helped the Sox overcome a sluggish start and surge to the top of the AL Central at the all-star break.
Dunn probably can bunt the ball farther than Vizquel can hit it, but the veteran infielder did bat .278 last June and a robust .351 in July.
Anybody else?If Brent Morel claims the starting job at third base this spring, there is a good chance Mark Teahen#146;s going to be traded.
But the White Sox could use Teahen off the bench, and he#146;d provide some left-handed pop at a steep price ($4.75 million this season, $5.5 million in 2012).
Brent Lillibridge played very well in the first half last season, batting .455. But the second baseman/center fielder dipped to .158 after the all-star break and struck out nine times in his final 10 at-bats.
Lillibridge is out of minor-league options, so he#146;d have to clear waivers if he doesn#146;t break training camp with the Sox.
Who backs up A.J.?Tyler Flowers has been one of the biggest surprises during spring training with a .467 batting average in the Cactus League.
But veteran Ramon Castro still is a better option as the White Sox#146; No. 2 catcher behind A.J. Pierzynski.
Castro batted .278 last season and tied his career high with 8 home runs.