Adam Dunn apparently hates baseball

Update: According to ESPN, Ricciardi has apologized after pissing off baseball-hating Adam Dunn.

Adam Dunn is the darling of many stat geeks, myself included. He's a "three true outcomes" player (K, BB, HR), doesn't run well or play very good defense and remains one of the most under appreciated hitters in baseball.

JP Ricciardi, GM of the currently last in the AL East Toronto Blue Jays, dunnit want 'im.

In a radio interview he answers questions regarding Adam Git 'er Dunn and his disdain for the career he chose:

"Maybe we have more information and know the player a little more than the average fan."

This is a smug and arrogant answer. Of course you have more info on players than I do, you're the damn GM of a baseball team! If not, I will apply for your job when you're fired later this season.

"He's a lifetime .230-.240 hitter that strikes out a ton and hits home runs.

That would be more like .247, to be exact.

So is Ryan Howard (already over 100 K's this season to Dunn's 71). And Dan Uggla. Jim Thome. Reggie Jackson. Hell, Hanley Ramirez has only two less K's than Dunn this season. Striking out is not that bad, much better that grounding into double plays and only slightly, marginally worse than almost every other out.

Did you know the guy doesn't really like baseball that much? Did you know the guy doesn't have a passion to play the game that much?

Really? He doesn't like being paid millions of dollars to play a game that he is reasonably good at? Did Dunn tell you this personally? Or was this the word of Dusty "Clogging the Basepaths" Baker? Maybe you talked to Dunn's mom and dad? Magic 8-ball? Some sort of casting of bones?

Dunn has been playing pro baseball for eight seasons now. I find it very hard to believe he puts up with the grind of the season, fumbling around in the outfield, being criticized for striking out 200 times a season, for a something he "doesn't like all that much."

Not liking baseball that much:
256 HRs in less than eight seasons
Four straight 40 homer seasons heading into '08, with 18 as of June 19.
Career 130 OPS+ (ahead of HOFer Yaz, tied with Clemente and Boggs), .901 OPS (61 all-time and 21 among active players), .382 OPB which is good for someone who strikes out a lot.

Passion to play > skill.

I don't think you'd be very happy if we brought Adam Dunn here

If I was a Jays fan, I would be. But I am Red Sox fan, so you're right, I wouldn't be happy if he went to Toronto.

Being in last in your division = happy.

Toronto has scored 290 runs, third to last in the AL - just ahead of worst-record-in-baseball Seattle and terrible Kansas City - and 26 out of 30 in MLB. They also have the third freaking best ERA in the AL at 3.58 and the second most K's. If they get any sort of offense, they can contend. Tampa is probably not for real and a year or two away and the Red Sox don't look invincible.

Forget all this "he doesn't like baseball that much" bullshit and remember the guy is a lock for 40+ bombs and would be one of the top three or four DH's in the AL and drive in some runs for your worse-than-SF Giants-offense.

We've done our homework on guys like Adam Dunn and there's a reason why we don't want Adam Dunn."

That reason: the Jays hate winning.