Nats President Stan Kasten Hosts Sports Talk, Challenges Adam Dunn

Sports talk radio is usually so formulaic -- first time, long time, thanks for taking my call -- that sometimes it's fun for local stations to spice up the talent pool with some local celebrities or non-traditional radio voices.

Nationals president Stan Kasten is one such local celebrity in DC and while guest-hosting the Mike Wise Show on 106.7 The Fan, Kasten interviewed one of his own players -- slugger turned first baseman Adam Dunn. From the talented Mr. Steinbog:

"I think a lot of Adam's future hinges on the transition [to first base] he makes," Kasten said at one point. "And Adam, you know I've said this to you personally, you are so skilled at the plate, you are so athletic ... but the rest of your career will be determined by how well you make the transition to first. Everyone on our team knows you can be a very good first baseman. If you do, you have a long future in the National League playing two ways. Otherwise, if you don't, you'll wind up having to be an American League player far too early in your career. Because as I said, I don't even think you're at the midpoint of your career now. And your ability to stay in the National League ... it's all gonna be dependent on how far you come in becoming a really good first baseman."

I'd call that a challenge. When your president calls you out on a radio show (he is co-hosting), it's a box that any player might find tough to escape. But Dunn has always been an affable fellow and habitually good and candid with the media, even if 'the media' is technically his boss in this particular instance.

"Yeah, I definitely agree with you," Dunn said. "I know that. And that's why this spring training's really important for me.

"I think the first year for me was disappointing, because I knew and I know we have the talent to win," Dunn said. "This was a very disappointing season for me, and I know it was for the fans, and it should have been. But I can promise you that we have the right people in place, and we're getting some of the riff-raff out of there and kind of getting a main core together and turning this thing around. And it's not gonna be five years from now. I really believe the moves that you guys are making this year, it's what we needed."

The 'riff-raff' line was presumably referencing the likes of Lastings Milledge, who was traded last season. Kudos go to both Kasten and Dunn for being so refreshingly open with the audience. And let's face it, the Nationals could use a little bit more of an audience in the DC area. With the seventh-worst attendance in baseball, maybe candor and openness on the part of their president and their top players will start to award them more local favor and get more people in the seats.

Or they could just use the current model of promotion, telling fans to come down to the ballpark on Opening Day to see Phillies ace Roy Halladay. Whatever works, I guess.

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.