While I’m proud to be a member of the Cincinnati Reds broadcast team, and even prouder to get the chance to broadcast games with my father, Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennemann, I can’t help but think about the nine wonderful seasons I spent with my previous MLB employer.  I’m speaking, of course, about the 2001 World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks.  That year of 2001, when America faced its greatest tragedy, was also a magical year for Bob Brenley’s crew as they upset the Evil (Yet Beloved) Empire that is the New York Yankees.  I can only hope that the fans of these Reds experience the glory and excitement that the World Championship brought to that quaint little expansion team.

This year, they’re once again at the top of their division, engaged in a life-or-death struggle with those wily Los Angeles Dodgers, their storied skipper Joe Torre, and their newest acquisition, mercurial slugger Manny Ramirez.  Some people might claim that the Diamondbacks’ acquisition of Reds player Adam Dunn was a response to the Ramirez deal.  Those in the know, however, realize that it’s only with their savvy pick-up of two-time World Series winner David Eckstein from their northern neighbors in Toronto that Arizona has finally countered LA’s big-ticket move.

After watching Adam Dunn play baseball (if you can call what he did “playing”) for most of his career, I can safely say that he is not the missing piece of any championship team.  In fact, I’d suggest that any team that wants to win would be better off getting rid of a player like Adam Dunn.  With his me-first focus on selfish statistics like on-base percentage and slugging percentage, he’s certainly not made of the stuff that typifies a National League champion.  For over 100 years, the Senior Circuit has prided itself on being the league of strategy — of sacrifice bunts, of hit and run tactics, of double switches, of home steals.  A slow, heavy free-swinging slugger like Adam Dunn goes against everything the NL stands for.  His sub-.250 batting average is an insult to every hard-working fan paying to see their team win.  And when he strikes out with runners in scoring position with the team down 5 or more runs, you know he’s only thinking about cashing his next paycheck and laughing at the people dumb enough to think he cares about winning.

Sure enough, Dunn’s cancerous presence in the clubhouse has infected the Diamondbacks with a terminal slump — they’ve only gone 9-10 since his arrival, and have lost 7 of their last 9 contests.  (Meanwhile, the Reds have managed a respectable .500 record in Dunn’s absence.  Nuff said.  You are not missed amongst the fine folks here at the Great American Ballpark, my friend.  And you can sure believe that.)  Clearly, Arizona GM Josh Byrnes has come to his senses and now knows what his young team needs, especially in the absence of veteran All-Stars Orlando Hudson and Eric Byrnes.  They don’t need flashy offense and meaningless A-Rod-like homer barrages.  They need good solid fundamentals.  They need hustle and grit.  In a word, intangibles.  David Eckstein provides those in spades.

Every time he hustles down to first after a walk, he inspires his teammates to do the same.  Every time he dives in the dirt for a ground ball, he’ll make his teammates want to get dirty as well.  And every time Eckstein pokes a ball to the right side for a productive out, he’ll have folks on the bench asking their coaches to show them how to make that very same play.  Though Eckstein made his name with those great Mike Scoscia Angel teams, he’s always been a National League kind of player, and it’s great to have him back where he belongs.  I can’t speak for Reds GM Walt Jocketty (the architect of that Eckstein-lead Cardinal champion), but I know that signing Eckstein to a multi-year deal wouldn’t be the worst thing he could do for the 2009 season.  In fact, it might be the best thing he could do.

Thom Brennemann is a broadcaster for the Cincinnati Reds and Fox Sports.  His signature call is, “Can you believe it?”