Major news here in the DC Area: Nats sign Adam Dunn to $20M for two years...

[madinmaryland]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/nationalsjournal/2009/02/sources_nats_sign_adam_dunn.html

Aiming to legitimize their lineup and energize their fanbase, the Washington Nationals today agreed to a preliminary two-year, $20 million deal with Adam Dunn, the 29-year-old free agent they have pursued for more than a month. The team is planning a press conference tomorrow to announce the signing, which reverses the course of an inactive offseason just days before the Nationals report for spring training.

By signing Dunn, the Nationals fulfilled their longstanding mission to find a left-handed power hitter. Dunn will provide Washington with perhaps its most legitimate power threat since baseball returned to the District. His arrival also closes speculation, debated for years now, about the club's willingness to pay for higher-end free agents.

Washington obtained the highest annually paid free agent in its franchise history only after plenty of waiting. In December, the team fell short in its bid to land Mark Teixeira, the premier offensive player on the market. In January, the team turned its attention to Dunn, but the weak economy slowed player movement to a standstill.

February, though, brought urgency. Dunn, who earned $13 million last year, needed a team. The Nationals, perhaps more than any other team in baseball, needed Dunn.

..snip

The Dave Kingman of the late 2000's.

:hide:

[TZ]

1. and the Pirates signed who in the offseason?

:P

[madinmaryland]

2. 64-63 this year!!1!!

:rofl:

Why bother!!!

[Upton]

3. Dunn has one of the highest strikeout percentages in MLB

if not the highest. His power numbers were inflated by playing in that LL ballpark in Cincinnati...there was some talk about the Dodgers getting him...that's what I was hoping for. I'm glad the Giants didn't go after him.

[madinmaryland]

4. Did you read his quip about Bonds...

When Dunn struck out for the 190th time in 2004, surpassing Bobby Bond's single-season record, he quipped, "At least I beat a Bonds at something."

:rofl:

Yes, the Dave Kingman of this era. Who'd have thought we'd here that name again!

[Captain Hilts]

9. Dave Kingman, first guy to hit 500 home runs and NOT get into the HoF. nt

[madinmaryland]

10. Maybe Kingman should have taken some roids!

[hughee99]

6. Adam Dunn is Rob Deer 2.0

Good HR totals, a ton of strikeouts. If he gets the HR's when you need them, then he's worth it. If he only hits them in 9-2 blowouts, he's not.

[madinmaryland]

7. What ever happened to Rob Dibble. Used to be on with Dan Patrick.

Did he have a roid moment with DP??

[Kingofalldems]

5. Is Orlando Hudson next?

And Strasburg warming up at SD St. The Nats could be the Rays of 2010.

[nickgutierrez]

8. Good signing.

He probably hurts more than he helps in the outfield, defensively, but he can play 1B and help a team on offense. He gets on base, and he hits the ball out of the park - who couldn't use that?

By the way, Jerry Jones, the difference between Dunn and Kingman is about 80 points of OBP.