Adam Dunn

In that game, Dunn hit a ball to center field that was a few feet from being a game ending home run (the game famously ended in a tie). He also walked in his only other plate appearance. Read Less

The two players were catcher Wilkin Castillo and pitcher Micah Owings. Read Less

Defensively, he had the lowest fielding percentage of all starting major league left fielders, .968, and committed more errors (7) than any other NL left fielder. Read Less

On July 1, Dunn was elected by his peers to the 83rd All-Star Game in Kansas City, his second career All-Star selection and one of four White Sox selections on the season. Read Less

One of his hits was a home run, giving him 30 to that point in the season, and in so doing became the fourth left-handed White Sox player to hit 30 home runs in a season, joining Oscar Gamble, Robin Ventura and Jim Thome. He recorded his 1,000th RBI on August 13. In a game against the Kansas City Royals on August 18, Dunn hit his 35th home run of the season and 400th in his career when he connected on a two-run shot in the eighth inning, becoming the 50th MLB player to hit 400 career home runs. Read Less

He also led the majors with walks (105) and strikeouts (222), the latter establishing a new American League record and falling one short of the major league record.

On March 1, 2009, Dunn joined the United States team for the 2009 World Baseball Classic at the late request of coach Davey Johnson. In the March 7, 2009 first round game against Canada in Toronto, he hit a two-run home run and batted in a run on a sacrifice fly play. On March 8, Dunn scored on a three run triple by Chris Iannetta, and had a solo home run against Venezuela.

Dunn has come under criticism for what some view as a lackadaisical effort in left field. When Dunn was a free agent in 2009, Toronto Blue Jays GM J. P. Ricciardi commented in response to a question about acquiring Dunn: "Do you know the guy doesn't really like baseball that much? Do you know the guy doesn't have a passion to play the game that much? How much do you know about the player? There's a reason why you're attracted to some players and there's a reason why you're not attracted to some players. I don't think you'd be very happy if we brought Adam Dunn here." Ricciardi later apologized for his comments. In 2008, Reds announcer Marty Brennaman criticized Dunn's lack of clutch hitting as well noting, "He homers; he doesn't drive in runs." Read Less

There's no arguing that. When I'm in that little funk that I get in, you know, every year for 'x' amount of times, I'm the worst in the league." Commenting about whether strikeouts were a concern for him, "It depends on when, you know. If it's first inning, two outs, nobody on, you know I'm not going to lie to you, I'm trying to get in the seats. And you know if I strikeout, okay, you know whatever, but if there are guys, runners in scoring position, things like that and you strikeout too, that to me, that's bad."

In 2009, Dunn was rated the worst fielder in the Major Leagues by Ultimate Zone Rating, at −35. After the Nationals moved him to first base midway through the 2009 season, his UZR/150 was −30.8 – the next closest first baseman (over 500 innings) was Victor Martinez, at −9.1. Dunn, for the first time in his career, went into spring training in 2010 as a first baseman. By the All Star Break, his UZR/150 was −1.1, ahead of Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard, Mark Teixeira, and Prince Fielder. Read Less