There can be no more excuses. No more allowances.
The alibis and explanations no longer wash. Too much time has already passed. The waiting needs to be over.
Starting right this moment, Adam Dunn must transform himself from erratic bopper to consistent threat. Dunn must once and for all rid himself of his unpredictable ways. He needs to become a bat that the Reds can rely on day in and day out.
Put another way, it's essential that the massive 6-6 outfielder become a rock in Cincinnati's lineup. The six-year vet can no longer afford to disappear for days at a time or allow himself to fall prey to lengthy slumps.
Dunn must begin demonstrating a maturity and a professional approach to hitting that reflects his experience level. It's time for the gifted 27-year old to step up dramatically and start fully tapping into the enormous potential that he possesses.
Despite some notable achievements thus far in his career, one senses Dunn hasn't yet come close to maxing out on his capabilities. There's still a mother lode of production yet to be unearthed.
But there is real cause for concern that perhaps Dunn will never become the megastar that his physical talent suggests.
Instead of showing growth and progression over the last two years, which should have been expected given his status as a seasoned player, Dunn regressed.
Most troubling has been his drop in average (.247 in '05 and a dismal .236 in '06 ) and his absurd and inexcusable strikeout totals that topped out at 168 and 194. You talk about coming up empty.
Dunn should have learned long ago that it's all about contact and putting the ball in play. You can't do any damage, no matter how awesome your power, if you're slapping air and whiffing.
Dunn must begin to rein in his free swinging ways and be more disciplined at the plate when the count reaches two strikes. If he chooses to do this and makes this slight adjustment, he'll hit anywhere from 10 to 15 more additional or "accidental" homers that will drive his numbers almost off the charts.
What makes Dunn so confounding and frustrating is that he's a strikeout fiend with a discerning eye. You don't walk 108 times or more over the last three years without knowing something about the strike zone. And yet, the big Texan will hack away at bad pitches and employ an all-or-nothing swing when he has but one strike remaining. In this regard, he's the supreme contrarian.
The question now is will Dunn change his ways and wise up or will he stubbornly cling to his previous approach that has resulted in some nice homer and RBI totals but poor numbers in other key areas?
Or put another way, will it finally dawn on Dunn to shorten his stroke when the situation warrants it?
Based upon some recent results, perhaps the 275-pound redhead is at last getting the message. Working closely with the Reds' new hitting coach Brook Jacoby, a collaboration that goes back to Adam's days in the minors, Dunn had an encouraging spring.
Not only did he spray the ball to all fields but he made more contact and hit for an impressive average while suffering no decline in power. The Reds can only hope and pray that there's a carryover effect into the regular season.
And there has been, at least as it relates to the opener. Continuing his remarkable penchant for blasting away on opening day, Dunn slammed a pair of dingers that keyed a 5-1 Cincy win. As usual, he also drew a walk. And, as usual, he also fanned.
But manager Jerry Narron will gladly live with that ratio if for every K Dunn endures, he plants two out of the ballpark.
Dunn must surely realize his importance and value to the Reds. His success or lack thereof is directly related to the fortunes of his team.
A telling case in point that substantiates this fact came during the dog days of summer in '06. It was during this period that Dunn struggled mightily. Not coincidentally, the Reds fell apart at the exact same time, never to quite recover from that bad stretch.
It's become an undeniable truth that in many respects, as Dunn goes so go the Reds.
No one is more aware of his shortcomings than Dunn. He's a standup guy and he took responsibility for his meltdown last season. He berated and castigated himself for letting the team down. He vowed to not let it happen again.
Thus, he came to camp super motivated, worked diligently on his sometimes suspect fielding and seemed determined to become a more refined and competent batsman.
He clearly put the work in. Now it's just a matter of reaping the benefits.
But neither the Reds nor their fans can afford to wait on Dunn any longer. Dunn's arrival as an all-around player is long overdo. His impact as a dependable and trustworthy hitter should have been felt a while ago. Adam's vast potential must become reality as of today if not sooner.
So to reiterate, the time has come for Dunn to become a legitimate difference maker and one of the most imposing forces in baseball. It's in his DNA to be something special.
For Adam Dunn, time's been a wasting. His career has reached a crossroads. The time to emerge is now or it figures to be never.