All Things Bubba

The Reds traded Adam Dunn yesterday. Many Reds fans are bummed and bereft. He's being sent to the Diamondbacks, and is happy to be going to a contender.

Dunn has spent his ten-year pro career with the Reds. He was drafted in 1998 (the same year as Bubba, in the second round). Dunn was only 18, so he's just 28 now. He has an option for next year, but Arizona is not expected to pick it up. Dunn will likely be a free agent next year.

Would the Yankees be interested? Maybe, but I hope they don't sign him. I like Dunn fine. Lots of power, great eye, and a good base runner despite his hulking size. But his defense is not very good. The Yankees already have too many players like Dunn: left-handed power hitters with suspect gloves. I think they need to sign some different kinds of players - increase their versatility. In particular, they need to shore up the defense. Speed doesn't slump, and defense slumps a lot less often than offense.

Melky Cabrera got to start on his birthday yesterday, and he was 0 for 3 with a crushing GIDP. He swung at the first pitch, and wiped out the Yanks' best chance for scoring. In the end, the Yanks were blanked by the twins, and Girardi got a ton of criticism for not starting Damon.

I think the Yankees will be in the market for a center fielder this winter.

And yesterday morning, Dave Miley's 17-year-old son, Cody, died in a car crash. Dave Miley is the manager of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. He was also the Reds' manager for a couple of years. He played for the Reds organization as well, but never made it out of the minors. He is on indefinite leave from the SWB Yankees.