Scott Hatteberg

From SoSH

Scott Allen Hatteberg spent seven years with the Boston Red Sox, appearing in 454 games (including 369 as a catcher, 35 as a designated hitter, and one game as a third baseman). Overall, Hatteberg batted .267/.357/.414 with the Red Sox, collecting 86 doubles, 34 home runs, and 159 RBI in 1310 at-bats. While with the Sox, Scott wore uniform number 10.

Contents 1 Overall Career 2 Awards 3 Hatteberg's Moments in the Sun 4 Trivia 5 Transactions 6 External Links

Overall Career

After being drafted by the Boston Red Sox, Scott Hatteberg moved quickly through the system, starting 1991 in Single-A and batting .277/.356/.361 for Winter Haven. In 1992, he struggled in Double-A New Britain, batting just .232/.330/.300, but his second and third tries at Double-A in 1993 and 1994 saw steady improvement in his batting. Hatteberg spent his next two seasons mastering Triple-A Pawtucket, and he proved that he was ready for the majors by batting .271/.375/.422 in 85 games in 1995. Finally, Hatteberg was summoned to the majors on September 8, 1995, collecting 1 hit in two at-bats against the New York Yankees. After starting the 1996 season back in Pawtucket, Scott returned to the majors on July 19, 1996. Hatteberg appeared in 10 games for the 1996 Red Sox, getting two hits and three walks in 14 plate appearances. The following spring, Hatteberg was named as the starting catcher for the Red Sox, and he responded by batting .277 with 23 doubles, 10 home runs, and 44 RBI in 114 games. Scott followed up his strong 1997 season with an almost identical campaign in 1998, batting .276 with 23 doubles, 12 home runs, and 43 RBI in 112 games.

Unfortunately for Scott Hatteberg, he injured his elbow in May of 1999, causing him to miss three months and allowing the Red Sox to use Jason Varitek as an every day catcher. Varitek, who had been acquired (along with Derek Lowe) in a 1997 deal for Heathcliff Slocumb, would never relinquish his starting role, and Hatteberg was reduced to being a backup catcher for the rest of his time in Boston.

During the 2000 season, Hatteberg was used both as a catcher and as a designated hitter against some right-handed pitchers, and he batted his usual .265/.367/.435 in 92 games. The 2001 season began the same way, but when Varitek broke his elbow, Hatteberg was thrust back into everyday duty. It soon became apparent that Hatteberg could no longer throw as well as he had before his elbow surgery, and he was eventually replaced by the stronger defensive catcher Doug Mirabelli.

Following the 2001 season, the Red Sox traded Hatteberg to the Colorado Rockies in a bizarre exchange for infielder Pokey Reese. Two days later, both players were granted free agency by their new clubs, and Hatteberg signed with the Oakland Athletics. Oakland's Billy Beane saw Hatteberg as a patient hitter with a good on-base percentage, and he signed Scott to be a first baseman and designated hitter. Hatteberg would spend the next four seasons in Oakland as the Athletics' first baseman, batting a combined .272/.361/.411 in 435 games. His final season in Oakland (2005) saw his playing time reduced to 134 games, and his on-base percentage dropped to .334 (its lowest in any season with Oakland), and he was granted free agency by Oakland after the season.

Hatteberg has spent the 2006 season as a first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds, batting over .300 with an on-base percentage over .390. He has signed a contract extension to stay with the Reds through the 2007 season.

Awards

• 1990 Topps All-Star Rookie Team

Hatteberg's Moments in the Sun

• May 7, 1997: Hatteberg was 3 for 3 (plus a walk) with two home runs and 4 RBI in Boston's 11-3 win over Minnesota. The home runs were his first two in the major leagues.
• September 4, 2002: Hatteberg slammed a pinch hit game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth to extend the Oakland Athletic's win streak to 20 games, a new major league record, after Oakland had squandered an 11-0 lead to the Kansas City Royals.
• August 3, 2004: Hatteberg went 3 for 5 with two home runs and 5 RBI as Oakland beat the New York Yankees 13-4.

Trivia

• Hatteberg batted .365 with 6 homers and 35 RBIs his junior year at Washington State, where he was Aaron Sele's catcher.
• On August 6, 2001, Hatteberg hit into a triple play and hit a grand slam in consecutive at bats in a game against the Texas Rangers, becoming the only major leaguer ever to accomplish the feat.
• Hatteberg was involved in a bizarre trade for Pokey Reese on December 19, 2001: two days later, both players were granted free agency.

Transactions

• June 1, 1988: Selected by Philadelphia Phillies in the 12th round of the free-agent draft - did not sign
• June 3, 1991: Selected by Boston Red Sox in the 1st round (43rd pick overall) of the free-agent draft (signed June 13, 1991)
• December 19, 2001: Traded by Boston Red Sox to Colorado Rockies in exchange for Pokey Reese
• December 21, 2001: Granted free agency
• January 2, 2002: Signed as a Free Agent with the Oakland Athletics
• November 1, 2005: Granted free agency
• February 12, 2006: Signed as a Free Agent with the Cincinnati Reds

External Links

• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• TheBaseballCube.com - Career Statistics and Analysis