How can they justify sitting Hatte?

[redsrule2500]

He was our best hitter last year, and freaking owned spring training. I would be royally pissed if I was Scott!

[bucksfan2]

He is almost 40, in the twilight of his career and there is a younger, more talented player who is waiting in the wings. Good for Hatty but he had to know the situation coming into this year. Making a cool 2M for sitting the bench isn't a bad gig.

[OnBaseMachine]

He is almost 40, in the twilight of his career and there is a younger, more talented player who is waiting in the wings. Good for Hatty but he had to know the situation coming into this year. Making a cool 2M for sitting the bench isn't a bad gig.

Agreed.

Plus Hatteberg was not the Reds bets hitter last year. Dunn, Hamilton, Keppinger, and Griffey all had better seasons with the bat. And in a very small sample size Votto was better. Joey Votto needs to be the starting first baseman or else we'll be going through this same discussion next season.

[redsrule2500]

Agreed.

Plus Hatteberg was not the Reds bets hitter last year. Dunn, Hamilton, Keppinger, and Griffey all had better seasons with the bat. And in a very small sample size Votto was better. Joey Votto needs to be the starting first baseman or else we'll be going through this same discussion next season.

He was the most consistant, with the highest batting average.

I dunno, I just don't like it personally.

[Patrick Bateman]

1. He's not part of the future

2. We have a young guy who is

3. He's not that good. He's done a hell of a job as a Red, but he is what he is. A platoon first basemen that represents little value as a full time player.

[Raisor]

He was the most consistant, with the highest batting average.

batting average? Really?

[RedsManRick]

This might sound a bit obvious, but you don't play guys based on what they did last year, you play them based on what they are likely to do this year.

Hatteberg had a nice year in 2007. That doesn't make him the better option for 2008.

[WMR]

Thank God the Reds are going to go with Votto. Shows me they're at least trying to do the right things.

[red-in-la]

I really hope Baker agrees with you guys......is it written somewhere that Votto will start at 1B on Monday?

[Screwball]

I really hope Baker agrees with you guys......is it written somewhere that Votto will start at 1B on Monday?

Fay says as much in his blog:

Here's the roster:

Starting lineup:
Corey Patterson CF
Jeff Keppinger SS
Ken Griffey Jr. RF
Brandon Phillips 2B
Adam Dunn LF
Edwin Encarnacion 3B
Joey Votto 1B
Paul Bako/Javy Valentin C

Bench
Ryan Freel INF/OF
Juan Castro INF
Scott Hatteberg 1B
Norris Hopper OF

[Far East]

Dusty has used Votto late in ST as a pinch hitter and as a DH -- where he sits on the bench and enters the game similar to what a PH does.

So, the manager is probably confident that either Votto or Hatte can be successful coming off the bench late.

Furthermore, most pinch-hitting is done for the #9 slot in the order, much more rarely one position player for another; so the "platoon" might work even though neither first baseman bats right-handed.

[reds44]

I think you'll see alot of both of them while Votto goes through his normal early season struggles, but once Votto turns it on he'll be the everyday 1st baseman.

[red-in-la]

Fay says as much in his blog:

I am not sure that I take that so seriously. Fay said it was his guess.....and he has missed on many occassions in the past.

[BoydsOfSummer]

Flip Votto and Patty, please. Thank you.

[jmcclain19]

I like Hatteberg quite a bit. I have gained a huge amount of respect for him as a ballplayer during his time with the Reds. He's what I always wished Sean Casey would have turned into. A gap hitter who has a high OBP to make up for his power shortcomings. He's helped out the Reds tremendously in the last two seasons.

That being said - it's time for the Reds to look to the future, and that future includes Joey Votto - a player who is younger, more talented and has a higher ceiling than that of Hatteberg.