Who are you and what did you do with Dusty Baker?

[Post Count Padder]

Reds manager Dusty Baker is open to going with Joey Votto as his starting first baseman over Scott Hatteberg.

 

"What's Hatteberg? 38?" Baker said. "Votto's the future here. I talked to Hatteberg about Votto. He thinks he's going to be a heck of a player. He's not conceding his position. ... I think he understands to be part of the club that Votto might have to be a major part of it. It might be Votto's time."

Source: Cincinnati Enquirer

[rocket]

Haha, whatever. Just wait til Votto strikes out with the bases loaded or makes an error or something.

[Yestheydo]

The Cubs never had a hitter of Votto's caliber come up when Dusty was here. Either that or he's doing his part to sell some team on Votto as the centerpiece for a starting pitcher.

[BigbadB]

It's only preseason. Dusty obviously still has a lot of work to do to get into game shape.

 

I trust he'll get their soon enough.

[Roast]

What the hell. Where was he in chicago.

 

Eff you, Cincy.

[anabiono]

i actually think the reds are a dark horse this season...we always have a hard time with them...and this year it is going to be a little tougher...

 

don't count them out just yet

[BigbadB]

The Cubs never had a hitter of Votto's caliber come up when Dusty was here. Either that or he's doing his part to sell some team on Votto as the centerpiece for a starting pitcher.

 

Votto career minor leagues: .289 .385 .476

Choi career minor leagues: .275 .379 .511

 

Votto=Choi

Hatteberg=Karros

 

Only significant difference is Hatteberg hits lefty handed, making it less likely for a platoon.

 

Of course, we could always add Randall Simon to the equation. :wink:

[CubColtPacer]

The Cubs never had a hitter of Votto's caliber come up when Dusty was here. Either that or he's doing his part to sell some team on Votto as the centerpiece for a starting pitcher.

 

Votto career minor leagues: .289 .385 .476

Choi career minor leagues: .275 .379 .511

 

Votto=Choi

Hatteberg=Karros

 

Only significant difference is Hatteberg hits lefty handed, making it less likely for a platoon.

 

Of course, we could always add Randall Simon to the equation. :wink:

 

You'd have to add in the accident for Votto to make it a full comparison. Choi won the starter job out of spring training, and while platooning was getting the majority of the starts until the collision.

 

Even after the collision when Choi came back they had a competition for the job the next 3 weeks where they split up the starts evenly before Karros finally won the job.

[wade]

I'll believe this when I see who's starting in May.

[BigbadB]

My post was somewhat tongue in cheek.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Dusty said he liked "Big Choi" too. We saw how that worked out. Hatteberg will be entrenched at first by mid-June.

[CubColtPacer]

Overall, I don't think Dusty ever had a young/old thing. He would stick by whoever he thought was the best player, which it rarely was.

 

For example, he stuck by young players like Patterson, Cedeno and Bynum even when they were putting up awful production.

 

He was kind of in the middle with Murton and Choi, and really didn't like Dubois, Cruz, or Hill.

 

Votto actually is probably a better mold for what Dusty likes in a first baseman than Hatteberg because Votto has more power, which is essential in Dusty's mind for that position to have.

 

I also believe that quote means nothing though. Look at the last sentence. If Dusty decides to go with Hatteberg, all he has to do is shrug is shoulders and say I guess it wasn't his time.

[Wolfgangbucks]

Not so fast my friend................

 

Baker slow to warm to young Reds

 

this is from a Yahoo article........

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AvMLWjWyljSEGa2gamZ1nZwRvLYF?slug=jp-redsbaker022108&prov=yhoo&type=lgns