Hatteberg sign extension with Reds

by nodaclu on Jul 26, 2006 12:30 PM PDT

Our favorite departed Moneyballer has signed an extension with the Reds for 2007, with an option for 2008.

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060726&con tent_id=1576250&vkey=pr_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin

From MLBTradeRumors.com:

The 36 year-old slumped to an awful .256/.334/.343 line for the A's in '05. He signed a free agent deal in February for $750,000 with Cincinnati. This year, Hatteberg has surged to a .324/.417/.505 performance in 275 ABs. He's drawn a walk in an impressive 14% of his plate appearances, 12th in the league.

Hatteberg historically performs worse against southpaws, and Jerry Narron has done well to use him primarily against righties. In the previous three seasons, Hatteberg faced lefties in 28% of his at-bats. This year, he's seen them just 19% of the time.

Happy for Hatty.....sad for us. I know it isn't and wasn't realistic, but I can't help thinking about those numbers, combined with Ethier's, in the A's lineup this season.

:Sigh::

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<sobs>

"I almost landed in some lady's lap, which was kinda fun.'' -- Swish

by Sharon on Jul 26, 2006 12:32 PM PDT reply actions

Most people on this site

wanted Hatteberg gone. I wanted him back as a pinch hitter and at a signicantly reduced rate. But that's interesting about the stats with him versus lefties.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Jul 26, 2006 12:36 PM PDT reply actions

I agree at the end...

...Hatty had a horrible 2005, and I don't think any of us saw him as the full time answer at 1B going forward.

But he was a popular figure in 03 and 04. Like Payton, he was stretched as a full time, everyday player, but as this shows, he could still be effective when used properly.

`I think every morning I wake up I'm a little dazed. For some reason, I'm used to hitting things with my head.' - Eric Byrnes - 6/25/05

by nodaclu on Jul 26, 2006 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions

and who cares what most people think...

as if we are the arbiter of who the A'sshould keep or not?

Beane stuck with dye and Hatteberg through some lean times, then made the classic mistake of dumping them both too early. Again, maybe all of us would have done the same-- but we ain't paid to make those calls, and he is.

oaktoon

by oaktoon on Jul 26, 2006 2:47 PM PDT up reply actions

and just to clarify...

before the AN wolves descend on me-- no I would not have kept Hatteberg in favor of Thomas. But in retrospect a pinch-hitting/occasional 1B role would have been better than DJ's performance this year.

oaktoon

by oaktoon on Jul 26, 2006 2:50 PM PDT up reply actions

I wonder if its any coincidence

that they both prospered when they went to the NL.

Can it be that much easier?

Hi, I am closetasfan, and I am a NRAF, and an ANA

by closetasfan on Jul 26, 2006 12:51 PM PDT reply actions

By the way

has anyone noticed that Tim Hudson is having a terrible season? He's 8-8 with an ERA near five in the NL. For all those saying that the deal was a bust, Hudson could've been in Loaiza territory this season in the AL.

Meyer still has a chance, albeit a small one, once he gets that problematic shoulder fixed to be a ML starter. Hudson very well could be on the downside of his career.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Jul 26, 2006 1:25 PM PDT up reply actions

Mulder's even worse.

"I smell like a meadow." - Yuniesky Betancourt

by Ozzz on Jul 26, 2006 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions

It's funny how people conveniently

forget that.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Jul 26, 2006 2:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Not me...

I've been noting Hudson and Mulder's travails since last season, and obviously they've regressed further this year. That sort of negates the "NL is easier" theory to explain Hatty's success, doesn't it? truth is, Cinci is a great hitting park.

oaktoon

by oaktoon on Jul 26, 2006 2:48 PM PDT up reply actions

Looks like Meyer's shoulder....

...has now been repaired as of 7/18/06.

2007 is make or break time for Meyer. Even if he doesn't make the club out of camp, he MUST show something...anything, next March in Spring Training.

I'm one of this kid's biggest fans, but sooner or later, he's got to show something, otherwise the club really needs to make plans going forward without him.

Not that they aren't already doing that...but you know what I mean (I hope).

`I think every morning I wake up I'm a little dazed. For some reason, I'm used to hitting things with my head.' - Eric Byrnes - 6/25/05

by nodaclu on Jul 26, 2006 5:10 PM PDT up reply actions

no, it doesn't negate that theory...

it supports it. Hudson and Mulder are two pitchers in decline in the NL; Hatteberg is an NL hitter.

Where I step a weed dies.

by Cutthemullet on Jul 28, 2006 1:54 AM PDT up reply actions

How Hudson is doing this year...

says nothing about the merits of the trade. He only had one year left on his contract anyway. We traded Hudson-in-2005 for what has turned out to be, basically, Brad Halsey.

In my opinion, had we kept Hudson for 2005 we would not have made the playoffs anyway, so at the end of the day we traded nothing for nothing.

by matthias on Jul 26, 2006 3:41 PM PDT up reply actions

I agree but all of last season

people pointed to that as a failing of the front office.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Jul 26, 2006 3:42 PM PDT up reply actions

Not nothing for nothing

First off, I still think it's a bit premature to write Hudson off. Of course I was also defending him 6 starts ago, and he's really only had 1 or 2 average performances since then; the rest have been pretty bad.

But the trade wasn't nothing for nothing. The Braves got a strong 14-game winner in 2005 who threw nearly 200 innings. We gave up something and have so far gotten nothing.

The A's grossly overvalued Charles Thomas (looks like a bust; doing poorly in AAA again this year) and Cruz (teased AZ for a few starts, now his ERA is up near 5.00; at least we got Halsey for him). Meyer has been hurt twice now and his future is in serious doubt - that's probably just bad luck, but it makes the trade look pretty lousy right now.

I'm not ragging on Beane, I just think we should be honest about calling the Hudson deal a pretty poor one at this stage. We may well have been better off keeping Huddy last year (we would have made the pennant race tighter at least) and getting the draft picks.

Of course if you combine the results of the Hudson trade with the Mulder trade (Haren and Calero have been very good; Barton should be if there are no long-term health issues), things start to look much better.

by andyinfremont on Jul 26, 2006 7:05 PM PDT up reply actions

Hatty Gone

I loved Hatty, but it was time for him to go. He was so-so two years ago, but just awful last year, especially in so many crucial situations where he failed to deliver. No point in speculating that he might improve. Glad to see that he is, though - a terrific guy.

by solotar on Jul 26, 2006 1:22 PM PDT reply actions

I love Hatty, and I'm happy for him.

I still can't wait for the day that he joins the A's again as a coach or as Billy's BFF, but damn, I'm happy to see the Reds extend his contract. He absolutely deserves it, great guy having a great season. I miss him dearly, so it's great to see him getting some love from the Reds.

Way to go, Dad!

"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."

by Kyli on Jul 26, 2006 1:30 PM PDT reply actions

last and for all

the national L is much weaker than the AL. Therefore there are numerous examples of career ALer's moving the the NL and prospering a few more years.

Watch the correction for lifetime NLer's moving to the AL--for the most part, players perform worse.

Kendall, Beltre, Karros, Sosa (although he was done in Chicago)

works for pitchers too.

Just look around.

Frank Thomas is big.

by robber23 on Jul 26, 2006 3:22 PM PDT reply actions

Yeah...

like Mulder and Hudson.

Just kidding you-- the AL is a superior league right now--- of that we can be certain.

oaktoon

by oaktoon on Jul 26, 2006 3:30 PM PDT up reply actions

If Hatte was still here

his stats would be what they were last year, it was the right thing to let him go. Has anyone noticed what Teahan has been doing at KC, he was part of the Dotel trade, hmmm! getting tired of former A's farmhands doing well with other teams, Bonderman, Ethier. I have no regrets about Hudson & Mulder leaving, had to be, still hope for Meyer to come around. IF he does he is part of the team for 6 years, which is a good thing.

by china bob on Jul 26, 2006 9:26 PM PDT reply actions

anyone else

voting for Mark Teahen in the All Star game next year?

"We've never been in that position. We wouldn't know how to operate, I mean, do we get him a corsage?"-Beane on Big name free agents

by pbruins92 on Jul 27, 2006 7:38 AM PDT up reply actions

Aww Hatte!

Happy for him, though I wish he was done and would come back and coach for us. :-D

"...the plate won't move. The mound is going to feel the same. The strike zone, with slight variations, is going to be right where it has always been." -Huston

by sabriel on Jul 26, 2006 10:18 PM PDT reply actions