Nationals Now Are Shopping Dunn

Chico Harlin reports in today’s Washington Post:

“ Contrary to what Rizzo said in a radio interview earlier this month, the Nationals are willing to trade cleanup hitter Adam Dunn before the July 31 trade deadline.”

Whether this is a change in policy or strategy since the Manny Acta firing or just a simple mistake by Rizzo at the beginning of the month is unclear, however what is clear is that the Nationals are willing to trade Dunn and have taken several offers into consideration.

This decision may finally mean the Nationals are willing to move in the right direction.

The honest truth is the Nationals signed Adam Dunn so they could trade him. The same way they signed Dmitri Young or traded for Alfonso Soriano. The two-year length of his contract was a clear indicator that this wasn’t a permanent solution for either side, only a quick fix for both.
 

Through 95 games Dunn is batting .274/.404/.548, he has 24 home runs, 65 RBI and has drawn 73 walks. Never mind the fact that he should have been an All-Star this season, Dunn is on pace to have the best year of his career.

If the slugger stays on current pace he will finish batting .274, a career high, get on base at .404, a career high, and drive in 110 runs, yet again a career high.

Dunn is currently tied for fifth in the NL in homers. He is sixth in the NL in RBI and he is third in walks. He is having a far better year than such prized sluggers as Adrian Gonzalez and Ryan Howard.

Dunn’s value is as high as it will ever be right now. There are plenty of American League team’s who are in the fight right now who could use a hitter that will give them 40 home runs and get on base at over .400.

The Red Sox hitting has been atrocious, and they could desperately use a bat in either the outfield or first base.  

The Tampa Rays offseason acquisition of Pat Burrell has been a disaster with the imported slugger batting below .230 with less than 10 homers, they would love to replace him with the bat of Dunn.
  

There is a demand and the Nationals have the supply. Dunn has another year on his contract which only means that his value will go down this time next year. The trend in the MLB is to trade for players who have another year or two on their contract so they aren’t simply trading their future to rent a player for a few months.

On the Nationals side, it will save them a great deal of money to trade Dunn now instead of later. Dunn is only making $8 million this season, a steal for the numbers he is putting up, however in 2010 he is slotted to make $12 million, a significant raise for a team that is going to finish in last place.

Reports are that the Nationals asking price for Dunn has been high, as it should be. But the Nationals will be better off if they trade Dunn now, not later.

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