Just for fun, from the Jumanji-fied word of the Jen-Man :- )

=== Do-ability Dept. ===

This is as do-able as acquiring Dunn by itself is. In terms of acquiring both players, that is, with roster configuration problemos aside. If you win the bidding for Dunn, there's no big reason you can't talk ownership into popping for a year or two of Griffey. Chuck Armstrong would go to bat on that one, we know that much.

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=== Crunching the Numbers Dept. ===

vs RHP, about 75%-80% of games:

Batting order ... RC/27 ... Player, Pos (RC/27 rationale)

1 ... 6.2 .... Ichiro, rf (career RC/27 = 6.6; 2008 = 5.6 in depressing year)

2 ... 5.0 ... Lopez, 2b (4.9 = 2008; 5.3 = 2H)

3 ... 7.0 ... Griffey, lf (8.0 = 3-yr vs RHP; 5.2 = 2008 overall; 6.6 = 2007 overall; 6.6 = 2008 vs RHP)

4 ... 7.8 ... Dunn, dh/1b (7.3 = 2008 and career overall; 8.1 = 2008 vs RHP despite bad luck)

5 ... 4.2 ... Beltre, 3b (5.2 = 2008 and career; career platoon splits are small)

6 ... 7.0 ... Branyan, 1b/dh (5.8 = career overall, but huge platoon split)

7 ... 5.0 ... Clement, c (estimate)

8 ... 3.5 ... Gutierrez, cf (4.2 = career overall; normal platoon split; young improving player)

9 ... 3.6 ... Betancourt, ss (4.0 = career overall; platoon splits tiny)

T ... 5.7 runs per game = 923 runs/year

T ... 5.56, Texas (2008 AL leader in runs scored)

T ... 5.22, Boston (2008 AL runner-up in runs scored)

Against RHP, Griffey, Dunn, Branyan and Clement are all going to pile up the BB and HR like Ichirolls behind the main concourse. That's quite a lefty TTO guantlet for the Lackeys and Millwoods of the division, wouldn't you say?

That's an offense that is, in effect, a 900+ runs offense even if you don't get a breakthrough from Clement. Or from Lopez, or Dunn, or anybody else, for that matter. You're talking 925 runs with some tight estimates there, because the fact is, Russ Branyan is an impact hitter vs RHP. Five of those guys ARE big-time hitters vs RHP, not counting Jose Lopez (who hit like Miguel Tejada in the second half of 2008).

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=== Quibbles & Bits, Dept. ===

It's become almost cyber-blasphemy to speak of a Safeco outfielder who isn't defense first. :- )

But with a repaired knee, you can put Griffey in left, next to two terrific OF's beside him. It's only in cyber-Seattle that you're going to find a 4.5 40-yard time as an entry requirement to a major-league outfield. Other cities put bats in the corners without feeling like they've just added 0.50 to their staff ERA's.

..............

A tough lefty reliever creates a "situation", in the late innings, against those 4-of-5 lefty mashers in your lineup. But you can, and do, pinch-hit for Branyan and Clement in the 8th inning against a LOOGY: Shelton and Joh hit for them.

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You can't really sit Johjima that many games, we realize, and it's not like you're going to see those four lefty TTO mashers play 100 games together. But if Joh plays half-time, and pinch-hits, you can get Clement in there for Griff, Dunn, and Branyan in spots.

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You are going to want a utility infielder who plays every position, with this plan, and you might have to play with two catchers instead of three.

The roster is:

OF Ichiro, Gutierrez, Griffey, Wlad/Chavez, Dunn;

IF Beltre, Betancourt, Lopez, a Hairston-type IF who plays OF;

1B/DH Branyan, Shelton, (Dunn);

C Johjima, Clement

Yeah, you have in effect used one of your bench slots for a pure bat -- Shelton -- in old-timey Earl/Terry Crowley style.  So sue me.

Interchangeable/replaceable gloves are not the Grand Theme of this roster.  Scoring more runs than the other team is the Grand Theme, and the gloves are workable.

If you have to have a 3rd catcher, Shelton is the one who goes.

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=== More Than Good Enough the Other 20% of the Time, Too ===

Against LHP, the lineup becomes, for example:

1 Ichiro, rf

2 Balentien (Chavez), lf

3 Lopez, 2b

4 Dunn, dh/1b

5 Beltre, 3b

6 Shelton, 1b/dh

7 Johjima, c

8 Gutierrez, cf

9 Betancourt, ss

A virtually all-RH lineup, and you have Griffey, Branyan, and Clement on the bench to hit for Wlad, Shelton, and Gutierrez late.

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I expect the M's to do this, as much as you do. :- ) But you put that hyper-platoon system in place along with up years from Felix, Bedard, and Morrow, and I don't think anybody wants to face them in the playoffs.

BABVA,

jemanji