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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona
Blake Dunn couldn't find the ball in the notorious Arizona sun. Even in a meaningless exhibition, where wins and losses are meaningless in the bigger picture, Dunn knew no other way but to go all out.
"The ball was in the sun. I was trying to approach it from an angle until it came out of the sun. When it did I realized I'd have to dive for it. That's when my foot slipped," Dunn recalled on Saturday.
Buddy Kennedy's bloop fell safely sending the runner home with the lone run allowed by Lyon Richardson.
Dunn had a hyper extended knee and left the game.
"Sean (McQeeny the head trainer) thinks we dodged a bullet," Francona said after the game.
This morning Dunn was by his clubhouse cubicle early and appeared to be moving OK but an MRI was being scheduled later on Saturday.
"I've actually torn that ACL back in high school," Dunn recalled. "I was long jumping in track and I landed on the board, hyper extending my knee and my ACL just snapped. When I did it yesterday that was my main concern. I thought maybe I'd done it again. When everything calmed down and I was able to walk off the field I felt better and it wasn't as bad. We got inside and they checked some things. Every thing is looking ok. We are just going to get some images to make sure every thing is good. Right now there's a positive outlook."
Dunn mentioned a couple of days, taking it easy will be all he needs but reserved his optimism until after the MRI.
"We were really hopeful, he dodged the bullet," Francona repeated. "Saying that for his peace of mind, we're going to line up an MRI. I think it is a good thing. You're asking a guy to go play hard, to slide and dive, for him mentally it's the right thing to do."
Dunn needs to play hard. He is in intense competition for an outfield spot. There are seven players who are primarily outfielders competing for five spots at the most.
Will Benson, JJ Bleday, TJ Friedl, Rece Hinds, Noelvi Marte and Dane Myers are Dunn's competition. Throw in Spencer Steer and his experience in left field and the plot thickens.
The offensive run down with slash lines:
Benson .235/.381/.588
Bleday .353/.450/.588
Friedl .235/.300/.235
Hinds .429/.500/1.071
Marte .250/.286/.500
Myers .462/.588/.923
Dunn .176/.263/.412
Francona is on record that he wants to see players do well but he never looks at statistics. He praised Dunn for his defensive ability.
"He is a good defender no matter where you put him." Francona said.
It is competition among friends for jobs. It is competition even when Cactus League exhibition scores are forgotten two minutes after the game.
On Thursday, the Reds came back against the Dodgers with four runs capped by Rece Hinds game winning three-run home run. Dunn and Hinds had torrid second halves of the season last year. They have played together since Double A but cheer for each other non the less.
"For anyone in that position, whether it's spring training or a regular season game, there is still that pressure moment. You're in the box and trying to pass the baton or win that game. It is good to feel success in that moment. It was really cool. A lot of us in the dugout felt after the first couple at bats, the way they went, that things were going to turn in our favor. Then Rece put the dagger in it which was awesome."
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