Adam Dunn Must Be Removed from the Heart of the Chicago White Sox Lineup

The Chicago White Sox have been trying to force a square peg into a round hole for the better part of the 2011 season. Adam Dunn may have looked like the right piece in the middle of Chicago's lineup once upon a time, but the past four months and change have screamed otherwise.

It's time to put that square peg down.

Dunn has been very visible in putting on the most dismal of offensive performances this season. He continues to show no sign of coming out of the colossal funk he has been mired in all year, but Ozzie Guillen continues to trot him out in the cleanup spot.

From July 2nd to last Saturday's game with the Twins, Dunn batted either third, fourth or fifth 27 times. The results? A .144 average, four home runs and 10 RBI.

Regardless of potential or contract status, no one should be allowed to languish in the heart of the order with those kinds of numbers. It's ridiculous to keep letting him hit cleanup, but until the last two games, that's right where he's been for most of the last month.

With Paul Konerko hobbled by a painful bone bruise and no experienced first basemen on the bench, Dunn may be a necessary evil at first until the captain feels strong enough to return to the field.

On the other hand, if Guillen keeps bringing in Brent Lillibridge at first as a defensive replacement, and the defensive replacement is hitting a hundred points better than the guy whose glove you want out of the lineup...well, that suggests the obvious.

Dunn really should take a powder for as long as Chicago retains hope of catching the Tigers. At four games out, Guillen needs to maximize his team's chances.

It appears that the White Sox are going to wait until September to call up Dayan Viciedo. Fine. Platoon Alejandro De Aza and Tyler Flowers in the DH spot, or play De Aza in right field every day and let Carlos Quentin DH.

Activate Harold Baines and let him take his hacks if his knees feel up to it.

All right, that may be going too far.

The point is that Dunn isn't performing well enough for the seventh spot in the order, let alone cleanup. If Guillen feels he needs to keep forcing the square peg that is Dunn's bat into the lineup, he should fill the round hole in the heart of the order with another option; that option being anyone else.