Adam Dunn doesn’t like coming out of games early, and he had a meeting on Thursday with manager Pete Mackanin about it:
Several times, including the previous three games vs. Atlanta, Dunn had been lifted during the late innings for Norris Hopper in left field for defensive purposes. In Tuesday’s game, Cincinnati had a six-run lead in the seventh inning.
The meeting was viewed as entirely positive.
“It was a great conversation,” Mackanin said. “At least he expressed it. Every manager loves players that don’t want to come out of the game. He didn’t come in complaining. He was expressing that he didn’t like coming out. It was kind of a ‘get it off your chest’ good. He’s fine with everything.”
Although a prolific home run hitter, Dunn is considered below average defensively.
“I understand a lot of situations. I’ve got it. I’m not dumb,” Dunn said. “We just talked about some situations. [In a] one-run game, I’ve got it. Sometimes, though, in the seventh inning, there’s a lot of game left.”
Indeed. I’m so sick of this nonsense of pulling Dunn out of games early. I understand the theory behind it, and if this team had a better bullpen, I might not complain about it.
But how many times this season has Dunn been removed for defensive purposes, only to see this bullpen give up the lead…and we’re stuck with Norris Hopper or Ryan Freel for the rest of the game. It’s insanity. With such a terrible bullpen, the odds are good that the Reds will need Dunn’s bat in the late innings. Don’t bother telling that to the Reds on-field staff, though.
And if anyone thought things would change when the last manager was fired, that’s called wishful thinking. There is plenty of evidence that there isn’t an inch of difference between Mackanin and Jerry Narron. Narron just spoke with more of an accent. Otherwise, they’re the same guy.