I know the free agent market has been down this year but the complete lack of interest in Adam Dunn has been quite perplexing to me. But the Nats got him, it seems, according to the Washington Post.

The Washington Nationals have agreed to a preliminary deal with free agent Adam Dunn, a signing that would fulfill their offseason-long search for a left-handed power hitter. Two independent sources have told the Post that Dunn will sign a two-year deal, possibly announced as early as tomorrow.

Dunn's arrival gives Washington perhaps its most legitimate power threat since baseball returned to DC, and closes the speculation about whether the club had a willingness to pay for higher-end free agents.

Since finishing 2008 with 117 home runs, second-worst in the National League, Washington has targeted a left-hander capable of strengthening the lineup and, in turn, lessening the burden on the team's young nucleus.

In each of the last five seasons, Dunn has played at least 152 games and hit at least 40 home runs. In four of those seasons -- including 2008, which he split between Cincinnati and Arizona -- Dunn also knocked in at least 100 runs. Dunn was drafted in 1998, a second-round pick by then-Cincinnati General Manager Jim Bowden.

It seems like a bit of an exaggeration that this proves the Nats are willing to go pay for high end free agents considering everyone seems to hate Adam Dunn for no reason. Although who knows, maybe they did pay him a ton; we'll know soon enough.

If it turns out to be a relatively small deal I'll be bummed. Adam Dunn would have been an awesome DH for the Orioles.