Levine: Dunn Says 2014 Will Be His Last Year
By Bruce Levine
(CBS) -- Adam Dunn accepted a trade to Oakland as he prepared to begin the last month of his baseball career on Monday.
After waiving his no-trade clause, Dunn said that he has made up his mind to retire after the season.
"This is probably going to be it," Dunn said when asked about playing beyond this season. "That also weighed a lot on my decision (to accept the trade) This is an opportunity (to go to a playoff contender). I have been playing a long time and haven't got this chance before."
Dunn has played 14 seasons without a playoff appearance. He had a batting average 50 points below his career National League mark of .249 during his four years with the White Sox.
"I am not going to beat around the bush and say four years were great," Dunn said. "It was just bad! I did it completely to myself. I met a lot of great people here, I wish things have better but it didn't."
The 34-year-old power hitter belted 106 of his 460 career home runs with Chicago. His first season with Chicago was one of the worst in baseball history. The affable Texan hit .159 in 415 official at bats. He had career lows in RBI (42 ) and home runs.( 11 ) while striking out 177 times.
"During a season like that, you do learn out a lot about other people," he said. "I will leave it at that. That was tough, but that is over and that is way in the past."