Atomic RoadRunners | Andrew Flynn’s High-Energy Fantasy Baseball

Hatteberg is beginning to grow restless on the bench as Joey Votto gets the starts at first base. “It’s tough for me, very tough,” he said. “Not anywhere in my career have I been any good coming off the bench or being a pinch-hitter. I’ve avoided taking one of these jobs my entire career.” Joey Votto is hitting .318, while Hatteberg is 0-for-7 as a pinch-hitter. “I’m trying to get good at this role and I feel bad that I’m not doing it well,” Hatteberg said. First base is in good hands. Joey is going to be a big-time player.” Hatteberg is usually a solid contact hitter with everyday at-bats, but since that is no longer the case, he is nothing more than a NL-only Fantasy reserve. (CBS Sports)

Cardinals reserve outfielder Brian Barton hasn’t gotten a start since April 24. Barton is a decent reserve outfielder for the Cardinals and the deepest of NL-only leagues, but the fact he rarely gets a start is real discouraging. The Cardinals just have more powerful options ahead of him at the position right now. As a Rule-5 pick, though, Barton figures to at least stick around as a reserve for a full season. (CBS Sports)

The Pirates pulled to 4-3 in the eighth Tuesday when Duaner Sanchez walked in a run — his first in 6 2/3 innings this season. Sanchez has assumed the setup role from struggling Aaron Heilman and will be nothing more than a middle reliever for deeper NL-only formats that use true middle men. (CBS Sports)

FAAB Acquisitions:

• RP Reynel Pinto, Marlins [$0 bid, add to actives]
• RP Matt Herges, Rockies [$0 bid]
• OF Jody Gerut, Padres [$0 bid, add to actives]

Up:

• P Jason Marquis

Down:

• OF Ryan Spilborghs
• P Nelson Figueroa
• P Carlos Villanueva

Cut:

• 1B Scott Hatteberg
• OF Brian Barton
• P Duaner Sanchez

Notes:

• $0 bid on OF Luis Gonzalez was out-bid by Cover Zero ($0, last place)
• $0 bid on RP Ryan Franklin was out-bid by Misogynistic Padres ($13 FAAB)

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Scott Hatteberg “would welcome a trade” after losing his starting job to Joey Votto. Hatteberg is 0-for-7 as a pinch-hitter and said that his patient approach at the plate makes him ill suited for the job. Hatteberg said he is not demanding, or even asking, for a trade, but would like the opportunity to start. He said that pinch-hitting isn’t “conducive” to his style of hitting, and the numbers back that statement up, he has hit .164 as a pinch-hitter over his career. General manager Walt Jocketty said Sunday that he hasn’t talked to any teams about Hatteberg. (Rotoworld, Rotowire)

Scott Hatteberg is 0-for-8 this season after going hitless in his second start in three games on Thursday. Since the Reds declined to keep a right-handed hitter to help out at first base, Hatteberg got the nod against left-hander Doug Davis today. Once Alex Gonzalez comes back, Jeff Keppinger figures to play first base versus lefties. The Reds face righties each of the next three days. Joey Votto figures to start at least one and perhaps two of the games. (Rotoworld)

FAAB Acquisition:

• Blake DeWitt, 3B, Los Angeles ($0 bid)

Up:

• 3B Blake DeWitt to Utility
• C Javier Valentin
• P Carlos Villanueva
• P Zach Duke
• P Jason Marquis

Down:

• U Scott Hatteberg
• P Peter Moylan
• P Tony Pena
• P Jon Lieber

Cut:

• 2B Emilio Bonifacio

From Baseball Prospectus’s Kevin Goldstein yesterday:

Don’t Believe The Hype: What does Emilio Bonifacio offer other than game-changing speed and good glovework at second? Not a whole heckuva lot. He needs to develop a more patient approach, or he’s going to hit towards the bottom of a lineup.

Emilio, we hardly knew you.

. . . have been sacrificed in reference to Scott Hatteberg.

Scott Hatteberg went 0-for-4 after getting the nod over Joey Votto at first base on Monday. None of the Reds’ hitters had much luck against Brandon Webb. Still, perhaps Hatteberg’s hitless day will result in Votto being inserted into the lineup on Wednesday. The Reds probably will go with the hot hand for now.

The Cincinnati Enquirer notes that Scott Hatteberg will get the Opening Day start at first base against Arizona Monday, but Dusty Baker is not considering him the regular first baseman over Joey Votto.

Killer quote: “The regular first baseman is who’s playing that day,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. Joey has great upside potential,” Baker said. “But Hatteberg had a great spring.”

Hatteberg hit .386 this spring, while Votto underwhelmed at .205. “Votto came on strong at the end,” Baker said. “You wish he’d done a little better. The fact that he’s here is based on what he did last year.” Whoever starts at first base will likely hit in the seventh spot of the batting order. “I need someone down there swinging the bat good,” Baker said. “(Adam) Dunn had a fair spring in the fifth spot. Edwin (Encarnacion) struggled all spring in the sixth spot. You don’t want to have that many guys in a row who aren’t on top of their game.” Until one wins the job over the other, there are better NL-only starters than mixed-league for now.

(CBS Sports)

From Rotoworld:

Reds manager Dusty Baker confirmed Saturday that Scott Hatteberg would be in the team’s Opening Day lineup over Joey Votto.  Versus right-hander Brandon Webb, the Reds will use a lineup of: CF Corey Patterson, SS Jeff Keppinger, RF Ken Griffey Jr., 2B Brandon Phillips, LF Adam Dunn, 3B Edwin Encarnacion, 1B Hatteberg and C Javier Valentin. Votto will still probably get a half-share of playing time at first base, though it won’t be a platoon with both him and Hatteberg batting lefty.

From CBS Sports:

Rookie 1B Joey Votto’s poor spring for Cincinnati probably cost him an opening-day start. Votto hit .206 in 63 at-bats while Scott Hatteberg batted .386 in 57 at-bats. “I was trying to give him the opportunity to win the job because he has big-time talent and skills,” Baker said. “Still, you’re in a prove-it job.” Hatteberg, a steady but unspectacular veteran, batted .310 with 10 homers and 47 RBI last season. He didn’t play much in the closing weeks of the season while the Reds tried rookie Joey Votto at first base. Hatteberg has value in NL-only leagues, but his lack of pop at a position full of it makes him a low-end, last-resort option on Draft Day. Besides, Votto likely has enough potential to unseat him at some point this season.

From Rotoworld:

Reds manager Dusty Baker wouldn’t say Saturday whether Joey Votto or Scott Hatteberg would start at first base. “We’re trying to give him [Votto] an opportunity to win the job … but we still don’t know. [We're] still in an earn-it, prove-it job,” Baker said. Except nothing either player could have done in March would have proven anything.