Scott Hatteberg Rumors
By Tim Dierkes [June 3, 2008 at 9:27am CST]
Let's discuss Ken Rosenthal's lastest column. There's some chatter that the '09 draft class will be weak. This could motivate teams to trade their impending free agent stars this July rather than collect compensation picks. Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson has "fallen out of favor with some in the organization." Rosenthal believes he'd be a hot commodity if fired. The Rangers are open to trading Vicente Padilla, as you'd expect. We've heard some crazy things about the asking price. While the Royals don't seem to consider Zack Greinke untouchable, they'd have to be bowled over to trade him. The Yanks...
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By Tim Dierkes [May 31, 2008 at 1:52pm CST]
Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times writes of "mounting speculation" about Richie Sexson's situation with the Mariners and "a growing call among fans" for Seattle to acquire recently DFA'd Scott Hatteberg from the Reds to replace him. The Mets are reportedly also in the mix for Hatteberg, who was designated on May 27. Hatteberg is 38 and hitting .173. He did, however, hit .310 last year. Sexson, only 33, is struggling to clear the Mendoza line at present. The struggle began last year when he hit .205 in 121 games. However, of his 31 hits this year, nine have been...
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By Tim Dierkes [May 29, 2008 at 9:04am CST]
THURSDAY: MLB.com's Marty Noble says the Mets have already discussed Hatteberg internally. They could move quickly to sign him after he clears waivers, but Marlon Anderson's injury is a factor here. Additionally, the Mariners are "actively pursuing" Hatteberg. The Ms actually started Miguel Cairo at first last night. WEDNESDAY: According to Ken Davidoff of Newsday, "the Mets have some, but only some" interest in recently-designated first baseman Scott Hatteberg. Davidoff says the Mets will wait until Hatteberg clears waivers and then perhaps see if Hatteberg is open to a minor league deal. Hatteberg is a left-handed hitter who succeeds against...
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By Tim Dierkes [May 27, 2008 at 1:42pm CST]
1:42pm: It's done - the Reds have designated Hatteberg for assignment to make room for Bruce. 9:30am: The Reds haven't announced the corresponding move to Jay Bruce's callup yet. John Fay wonders whether they'll opt to designate Scott Hatteberg for assignment, noting his well-diminished role on the team. I speculated back in April that Hatteberg might be a good replacement for Carlos Delgado or complement to Richie Sexson. Corey Patterson has to be worried as well, since Bruce is expected to take over as the regular center fielder. Patterson is hitting just .201/.242/.354 in 155 plate appearances.
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By Tim Dierkes [May 20, 2008 at 9:07am CST]
The Padres stuff got its own post; let's see what else Ken Rosenthal has for us today. Rosenthal thinks it makes sense for the Phillies to shop Shane Victorino for pitching, since Jayson Werth is playing well. That'd increase reliance on Geoff Jenkins, though. The Marlins expressed some interest in Victorino last year. Rosenthal expects the Reds to move Scott Hatteberg and a catcher before they get down to the more serious business of mullling offers for Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. Trading Paul Byrd would make sense for the Indians. Rosenthal says the Brewers, Braves, and Astros "likely...
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By Tim Dierkes [May 7, 2008 at 1:17pm CST]
Ken Rosenthal has a new column; let's take a look. Aside from Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr., Rosenthal suggests Walt Jocketty could look to trade veterans Paul Bako, Scott Hatteberg, David Weathers, Jeremy Affeldt, and Kent Mercker. Most of the Marlins' best players will reach arbitration for the first time after this season, which could prompt a trade or two. Rosenthal expects collusion investigations to go nowhere. The Brewers don't plan on paying any of the $2.5MM remaining on Derrick Turnbow's contract in order to trade him. They might end up losing him and paying it anyway, however.
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By Tim Dierkes [April 28, 2008 at 9:45am CST]
According to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, first baseman Scott Hatteberg would welcome a trade. Joey Votto, off to a .310/.319/.549 start (AVG/OBP/SLG), seems to have taken Hatteberg's job. When asked about the situation, new GM Walt Jocketty said he hasn't had inquiries on the veteran. He makes just $1.85MM, so that won't be an obstacle. Hatteberg, 38, hit .310/.394/.474 in 116 games last year for the Reds while facing mostly righties (he's a lefthanded hitter with a major platoon split). For that reason, Hatteberg wouldn't pair well with Carlos Delgado on the Mets. He'd be better suited to...
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By Nat Boyle [April 27, 2008 at 11:18am CST]
Is Carlos Delgado the next Frank Thomas? Or worse yet, is he the next Mike Piazza? Sammy Sosa? Barry Bonds? (steroid implications aside). So asks Joel Sherman of the NY Post who's headline - always in that in-your-face extra-bold verdana - reads "DELGADO ON HIS WAY OUT AT FIRST". With aging veterans out of work, and a rash of young talent being locked up, 2008 really feels like the end of one era and the marked beginning of the next. An arbitrary fun-fact from Sherman, "In the past 25 years, just one champion has had a regular first baseman older...
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By Joe Pawlikowski [April 26, 2008 at 12:25pm CST]
Buster Olney has some thoughts. Let's have a looksee. He thinks that Xavier Nady could fit with the Mets or the Indians, but notes that the Pirates are sitting tight for now, hoping to compete this year. They'll be singing a different tune in July. Olney goes on to speculate that the Mets could release Carlos Delgado if he continues his weak hitting. Nady would seem a decent replacement, though he hasn't played first since 2006. Scott Hatteberg could be another option. In what he calls "pure speculation," Olney suggests that the Mariners trade Jeff Clement to the Red Sox...
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By Nat Boyle [April 20, 2008 at 12:08pm CST]
And now for more Odds and Ends around the league: In his latest "Full Count" audio piece at Fox Sports, Ken Rosenthal expects the Reds to do some roster shuffling that could come down to trades. Scott Hatteberg has become "expendable" with the recent emergence of Joey Votto and by the fact that the Reds have too many lefty hitters. Cork Gaines latest Baseball Blogs Weigh In delved into the Evan Longoria signing. To add to that, Ken Rosenthal, also in his Full Count piece, notes favorably that Longoria has set himself for life without having to establish himself and...
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