The book on Adam Dunn

Sporting News, The, Sept 3, 2001 by Steve Walentik

He may as well be holding a toothpick at the plate, considering the ease with which he swings.

The bat just gets lost in his hands. That McGwire-like frame--topped with red hair to boot--makes everything look tiny.

A casual fan arriving in time for the visitors' batting practice earlier this month could be forgiven for wondering just who this monster was--all 6-6, 240 pounds of him.

But a few pitches into the game, Adam Dunn became identifiable. He became "the guy who absolutely crushed a ball into the upper deck ... just foul."

This was nothing new for Dunn, a lefthanded-swinging outfielder. He once brought the home crowd to its feet when he played at Class AAA Louisville when he belted an awe-inspiring foul ball.

He managed to straighten out his majestic shots 32 times in the minor leagues this season--enough to have Cincinnati fans eagerly awaiting his arrival.

On the day he finally got The Call, July 20, he already had an eventful year. "Three months ago seemed like three years ago," Dunn says.

Especially since three months ago, the 21-year-old was in Class AA Chattanooga beginning his first season above Class A.

Dunn has shown no signs of being overwhelmed since his major-league debut. He looks plenty comfortable--and unusually patient--at the plate. Although he's hitting just .258, he has a .372 on-base percentage and has smacked 10 homers and collected 28 RBIs in only 132 at-bats.

Dunn is more than just a big bat, though. He had the speed to steal 24 bases last season at Class A, and he has a cannon arm, one that was good enough to get him a scholarship to Texas as a quarterback.

He's relatively new to the outfield and must improve at reading the ball off the bat and taking better routes.

After seeing him play only once, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa described Dunn this way: "As advertised." Asked to elaborate, La Russa says, "He's real impressive. He has a chance to be very special in this game. He's probably very close already."