Dunn da dun dun

Is this another sign that the world is about to end? Adam Dunn has been traded!

Eh... that's probably not a sign of the apocalypse, as Dunn has been swapped before and the world kept on turning. In fact, it's the fifth time Dunn has been traded! Interestingly enough, each time Dunn has been dealt, a pitcher has gone back the other way.

January 4, 2008: Hillsborough Hired Hitmen trade Dunn, Alex Rodriguez, Jeremy Bonderman, Ian Snell, and Jonathan Broxton to the Arkansas Golden Falcons for Dan Haren, Nick Markakis, a 7th round pick in 2008, 4th and 7th round picks in 2009, and their 5th round pick in 2010.

July 16, 2008: Arkansas Golden Falcons trade trade Dunn to the Philadelphia Endzone Animals for Jonathan Sanchez and their 3rd round pick in 2010.

November 4, 2008: Philadelphia Endzone Animals trade Dunn and their 9th round draft pick in 2009 and their 6th round pick in 2010 to the Hoboken Cutters for Scott Kazmir.

February 5, 2011: Hoboken Cutters trade Dunn and Hillsborough's 5th round pick in 2011 to the Amityville Ant Slayers for Matt Cain and their 6th round pick in 2012.

May 20, 2011: Amityville Ant Slayers trade Dunn and their 12th round pick in 2012 to the Blue Ridge Bombers for Cole Hamels and their 4th round pick in 2012.

Dunn was initially drafted way back in 2002 as an ineligible prospect, taken in the 4th Round (#50 overall) by the Phoenix Dragons. He had a miserable rookie year in '03 (.198/.316/.333) and the Dragons didn't protect him; he then went to Hillsborough in the '04 draft in the 2nd Round (#23 overall), but he struggled again, hitting just .170/.228/.377. But the Hitmen stuck with him and he finally broke out in '05, hitting .290/.377/.618 with 55 HRs and 150 RBIs. He's never been left off a protected list again.

The 31-year-old slugger began the 2010 season with a career .245 batting average (but .866 OPS). His 2011 season is pretty typical -- .259 BA, .860 OPS. However, Dunn's outlook for 2011 isn't promising at the moment -- he's hitting just .203 (.689 OPS), and at the moment only qualifies at DH. But there's still four and a half months left in the season, so he has plenty of time to turn it around... or be traded again!