Monday, June 8, 2009

Special from the draft in Yuma by Frank Terry, Canton Repository

Don't get me wrong, it's a dry heat.  Of course, so is a convection oven.  Here in Yuma, the Canton Longshoremen ventured from the pleasant climes of Northern Ohio to the scorching desert in an attempt to infuse some talent into their farm system.  The first step in that direction was the selection of Bob Dunn, aka as “Bob Ross”.

Bob Dunn hails from Brooklyn, New York and comes with all of the media hype usually associated with someone from New York.  (Dunn is quite well known nationally, which seems odd for a baseball player in high school.)  Dunn lived with the hype – and dozens of fawning women – and avoided the urge to just swing from his socks.  Dunn took 44 walks on his way to a .488 OBP in high school this year.  "I just get on base," said Dunn.  "I'm all about a sabermetric style."

That patient style is what attracted Canton GM Brad Dobney to Dunn.  "Yes, I like it when people are on base.  What kind of moron doesn't?" Dobney went on to explain that Dunn projects to be a wonderful leadoff hitter, not one obsessed with steals and home runs.  "We want him to get on base and stay there.  It's all in the numbers.  We've got no need for anyone to be a hero and run every time.”  Dobney then went on an unrelated rant about how little he likes Chris Berman.

So what about the "Bob Ross" incident on draft day?  "That's a long story," Dunn said "and there is no way I am going to tell you.  It involves an episode of Friends and the time I went on a date with Jennifer Aniston, and that's all you get to know."