Patience is a Virtue, But Can it Hurt?

Sporting News interviewed Mr. Adam Dunn:

Q: You are among the major league leaders in walks again this season. That has been a common thread throughout your career. Have you always had great patience at the plate?
A: I’ve always walked a lot and seen a lot of pitches. It’s just a part of my game.

Q: What about the strikeouts, the other part of your game that has been maddeningly consistent as well? Is there anything about your approach at the plate that makes you particularly vulnerable to striking out?
A: I think sometimes I am too patient at the plate. I’ve tried to change it and I can’t. So it’s kind of what I am.

Q: So you’re saying that a pitch has to be where you want it before you’ll swing?
A: No, not exactly. I have an idea how a team or a pitcher is going to pitch me. And I like to not be overly aggressive and swing at a pitch that I normally wouldn’t swing at early in the count. And sometimes that puts me in a hole.

Adam Dunn is a horrendous fielder, but he's remarkably consistent as a hitter. No, he isn't consistently great, but he's been a solid hitter for a long time. He strikes out a lot and can't field, so many people tend to focus on those things that he doesn't do well. However, when you focus on what he can do, he's quite good, albeit at DH.

In the minors Dunn hit for a fine average, never hitting below .288. I'm not saying that Dunn should change his approach, but I wonder if Dunn was hitting .260 consistently in the minors if they would ask for him to try to hit for less power and more average, that's something that "baseball" people say a lot. Listening to the Mets game during Fernando Martinez's first start Keith Hernandez said how he has to focus on hitting for a high average first, then wait for the power. That's all fine and dandy, but Hernandez never hit more than 18 homers and said that David Wright should even try to hit for more average. I'm not sure where I'm going with this because I don't disagree that power should come later, but hitting for power is a very good and effective thing. If players show the ability to do that early on, people shouldn't be trying to change that approach. Dunn's approach is fine, he's been very successful. Sure if he struck out less he'd be better, but you can't just stirke out less without changing everything. Jack Cust cut down on his stirke outs this year, and his wOBA has fallen, I have a feeling the same would happen to Dunn.

h/t BTF