Well, that’s the premise behind this story at mlb.com:
Left fielder Adam Dunn could be going on the final leg of his final road trip as a member of the Reds, followed by the final homestand next week.
But to Dunn, he’s just going to San Francisco and Cincinnati — no more, no less, at least for right now.
“I haven’t really thought about it until you said something,” Dunn said.
Cincinnati holds a $13 million club option on Dunn’s 2008 services with a $500,000 buyout. If it’s not picked up, the 27-year-old would be a first-time free agent.
If I were Dunn, I’d be praying that the Reds didn’t pick up the option. He would make a mint on the open market.
At this point, I’m cautiously optimistic that the Reds are going to pick up that option, but I’ve seen them do dumber things. For what it’s worth, the linked article concedes that it’s a good possibility that Dunn will be back:
In the current market, the price of Dunn’s option is a relative bargain for power hitting that would be tougher to replace. The club wouldn’t receive more than two high Draft choices as compensation if he left as a free agent. He’s also on good terms with the only organization he’s ever played for. Two weeks ago, he reportedly had lunch and good conversation with Reds owner Bob Castellini.
I’m not sure whether he’s on good terms with the Reds or not, but there’s no question that Dunn’s production could not be replaced in the lineup.
Oh well, we’ll wait and see…