Following Wednesday’s 9-8 Wild Card loss to the Kansas City Royals, Oakland A’s desginated hitter, Adam Dunn told reporters that he is retiring.
This doesn’t come as a surprise, as he said earlier this season that 2014 would be his final year. Dunn, 34, watched from the Oakland bench as the Royals rallied twice to win their first playoff game in 29 years.
Dunn made his major league debut on July 20, 2001 with the Cincinnati Reds and played in the outfield. The Texan had an illustrious career filled with home runs, walks, and strikeouts. His 462 career home runs ranked him fourth amongst active players, and also has the third most walks out of any players active during the 2014 season.
The slugger also retires with the third most batting strikeouts in MLB history with an astounding 2,379 whiffs, only behind Reggie Jackson and Jim Thome.
Dunn hinted at retirement last season, when he said he wasn’t having fun during the Chicago White Sox’s dreadful 2013 campaign. After 2,001 career games and finally making the playoffs in his 14th season, Dunn inexplicably didn’t even get to play in the Wild Card game for Oakland. One can only imagine what little fun someone is having on the bench in an elimination game when there’s nothing you can do about it.
Dunn only made two All-Star teams during his career, but that says more about the depth of the outfield and first base in his respective leagues when he played. Dunn was consistently one of the league’s most-feared power threats, hitting at least 38 home runs eight times during a nine-year span.
Had Dunn not struggled with making contact, we could be discussing his Hall of Fame merit right now, but as it stands, his counting stats probably aren’t good enough. His lack of accolades and being a defensive liability doesn’t help, but Dunn did get to live out a dream by pitching in a blowout loss this year for the White Sox.
Adam Dunn will be remembered for his towering 6’6, 280 pound frame and overwhelming power. Along with the White Sox, Reds, and Athletics, Dunn played for the Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks during his MLB tenure. In an era where a delegated designated hitter isn’t worth a roster spot, Dunn may have struggled with landing a major league gig in 2015 had he continued his career. He joins a list of notable players who retired this year, joining Derek Jeter, Bobby Abreu, and former White Sox teammate Paul Konerko.
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