I was a beat writer covering the Cincinnati Reds when Adam Dunn called Great American Ball Park home. Throughout his time with the Reds, he was the subject of trade rumors and every July he'd get a little antsy about the repetitive questions. Even though Dunn has been traded once -- in 2008 to Arizona after the non-waiver trade deadline -- and signed with a new team, he's again the subject of trade rumors, as he will enter the offseason as a free agent. With the Nationals in Cincinnati this week, I caught up with Dunn and talked to him about this year's turn of trade talks . Here's our conversation:
C. Trent Rosecrans: I know I've asked you these same stupid questions, is this getting…Adam Dunn: Old? Yep.
CTR: I'm pretty sure you thought this was getting old five years ago…
AD: Yeah. It was old five years ago, it was old 10 years ago and it's still old now.
CTR: Are you able to deal with it any differently?
AD: Yeah, it doesn't bother me. I don't care. There's nothing I can do about it, I don't lose sleep over it, there's nothing I can do but clock in and out.
CTR: Is it different because you've been through it, you've been traded?
AD: No, it's the same every year. It's not a big deal. Look, if it's going to happen, it's going to happen. OK. If it doesn't happen, great. I'm going to play somewhere.
CTR: The other thing is you know July 31 isn't the end of that…
AD: No, it doesn't mean [anything].
CTR : There's been so much talk about you and being in Washington, do you want to stay with the Nationals?
AD: I like it here. In the very near future, when everyone gets off the DL, we've got two pitchers down there, we've got some really young arms that got hurt last year that were our best pitchers last year and they're going to come back. It's pretty exciting here.
CTR: For you, it's got to be frustrating, because you've been on one team that's finished with a .500 record (2008 Diamondbacks).
AD: Yeah, something like that.
CTR: It would be silly to say it's you, but is it frustrating for you, or maybe you'd like to go somewhere where you can be in the playoffs right away…AD: Yeah, that's what you play for. I don't play to lose. I don't go out there to lose, I don't go out there just to say I'm playing baseball and how many can we lose? Would I love to win 120 games? Absolutely. That's why you play. Maybe it is me. If that's what you want to say, you can say it. I could care less. It doesn't matter.
CTR: Is this a place you can do that?
AD: There's no doubt. Y'all don't see -- it's a young nucleus. The pitching here, it's like it was in Cincinnati. They've developed some young guys, gotten some guys in trades and they're going to start seeing results soon.
CTR: You were here when Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez got here…
AD: Yeah, you knew they were going to be good. Then they had a good draft with [Mike] Leake and there you go.
CTR: You guys had a pretty good draft that year, too.
AD: You're seeing results from that. There's some guys that are really good major-league pitchers.
CTR: Is that something you'd like to see through, sign a long-term deal and get 10-5 rights, is that something you'd like, because we've talked about trades?
AD: No. It doesn't matter. The trade stuff doesn't affect me, I don't sit here hoping I don't get traded today. If I do, fine.
CTR: You've been traded before…
AD: I'll be fine. Would I prefer to stay here? Yes. Will it work out? I don't know.
CTR: There's always talk that you don't want to play in the American League, is that accurate?
AD: I don't want to DH. I don't want to DH. If I have to DH, I'll probably go home.
CTR: Really?
AD: I'm 30, I'm not ready to DH yet, 35, maybe.
-- C. Trent Rosecrans
For more baseball news, rumors and analysis, follow @cbssportsmlb on Twitter.
Subscribe to this blog
