Adam Dunn to Sign With Nationals

A report from the Washington Post has stated that Adam Dunn will sign a two-year contract with the Washington Nationals, likely being officially announced Thursday morning. Dunn had been connected with the Nationals for months, but didn't sign -- reportedly because he wanted to play for a contender.

This almost seems like a situation akin to a girl overrating herself leading up to her high school prom. You know, one guy asked her months ago, yet she kept holding out hope that someone better would come along -- only he never did. So, with just a few weeks to go, she had to settle on the nerdy dude from her calculus class.

The last piece of the puzzle was likely Bobby Abreu's signing with the Angels earlier Wednesday. Once the Angels were off the table for Dunn, he had to have seen the writing on the wall that no traditional contenders were going to enter the mix this close to spring training.

Dunn is an elite power hitter who gets on base with the best of them, but his defense likely hindered his value in this economic climate. The 29 year-old has hit at least 40 home runs in the past five seasons, while driving in over 100 runs in four of those five years. His career on-base percentage is a stellar .381, due to his incredibly high walk-rate. On the other hand, he was maligned in Cincinnati for his atrocious defense and strikeout rate.

Regardless of the stimga he brings in those two areas, he's going to be a great presence in the middle of the Nats lineup -- a feared slugger they sorely need.

Hat-tip: MLB Trade Rumors