Hatteberg: "This is a team that can put up runs like I've never seen"

[CincyRedsFan30]

Cincinnati finds way to beat Marlins
Edwin Encarnacion's game-ending double in ninth caps 9-8 win over Florida.

By Hal McCoy

Staff Writer

CINCINNATI | Scott Hatteberg said he has never seen nor felt anything like it, this feeling in the dugout that no matter how dire the situation the Cincinnati Reds are going to extract their 25 pounds of flesh and make the other team kneel and beg.

It was as real as air Wednesday while the Reds were scrambling from way behind to beat the Florida Marlins, 9-8. It ended quickly and dramatically on Edwin Encarnacion's double, but the comeback was long, tedious and, if you believe Hatteberg and manager Jerry Narron, inevitable.

The Reds trailed Dontrelle Willis, 5-0, after three and trailed the Marlins bullpen, 8-4, after six.

"Feel it? It is one of the more amazing things I've felt here," said Hatteberg. "It's the resilience and the ability mentally for the team not to fold. They come back from deficits that where I came from (Oakland) they'd say, 'Let's get through nine and look for tomorrow.' "

Hatteberg was in the midst of a three-run eighth inning when the Reds trailed, 8-5. His leadoff walk torched the uprising. And he was in the middle of the game-winning ninth after Adam Dunn led with a walk. With one out, Hatteberg singled sharply to right. Encarnacion ended it with his double inside the third-base bag.

"This is a team that can put up runs like I've never seen," Hatteberg added. "It's fun to be a part of it because there is no rollover and no give up."

Score runs? Consider this. Over their last five games the Reds have scored 34 runs (6.8 a game) — and lost three of those games because they gave up 38 (7.5), including 12 to Florida Tuesday in a 12-6 loss.

"I'm telling you, on Tuesday when we were down 10-2, I felt like we'd come back because the guys in the dugout are very, very positive," Narron said. "Our guys really believe they are going to score lots of runs."

Of Encarnacion's game-winning hit, Narron said: "We know he is going to have his ups and downs. We knew he wouldn't continue that torrid hitting he had the first 10 days of spring training or he'd be in Cooperstown already, but he is going to keep improving."

Ryan Freel, The Pesky Pest, was on base all five times he batted — error, single, infield hit, hit-by-pitch, fielder's choice, and he senses what he believes this team is all about.

"We have a potent offense capable of scoring eight-10 runs a game and we've proven we can score five and six an inning," he said. "There is a lot of heart on this team and it is going to take us a long way. We have guys who can hit the ball out of the ball park at will and that will take us a long way, too."

They scored nine Wednesday without a home run. Florida hit four home runs to go with three Tuesday and mashed 33 hits over two games. So, the answer to what might hurt this team is the same answer it was last year, the year before and for a long, long time. Poor pitching.

[Geki Ace]

Dude's been playing for the A's. Of course he hasn't seen offense like this.

[volzok]

Good point.

[Providence A's]

too bad he'll never see pitching like he saw in Oakland

score all you want, but if you can't shutdown the other team, it doesn't matter and you'll end up with last year's result.

and actually, the Reds only scored 48 more runs than the A's last year (820 - 772). Whereas the Reds gave up 889 and the A's only gave up 658 for a 231 run difference...now that's funny

[General]

That's not funny. It just affirms the fact that the Reds suck at pitching.

[albbla2000mu]

too bad he'll never see pitching like he saw in Oakland

score all you want, but if you can't shutdown the other team, it doesn't matter and you'll end up with last year's result.

and actually, the Reds only scored 48 more runs than the A's last year (820 - 772). Whereas the Reds gave up 889 and the A's only gave up 658 for a 231 run difference...now that's funny

The Reds offense was actually quite a bit better....48 runs is 1/3 of a run a game. Plus, throw in the major fact that AL has a DH. But yes, we all know the Reds pitching is worse.

[Providence A's]

actually, it's .3 per game if you round up from .296 for the offense and 1.43 more runs given up per game by the pitching. 1.43 > .3

[CincyRedsFan30]

That's not funny. It just affirms the fact that the Reds suck at pitching.

You can't even find stats. for why the Braves have their (1) World Championship.

[albbla2000mu]

actually, it's .3 per game if you round up from .296 for the offense and 1.43 more runs given up per game by the pitching. 1.43 > .3

is this about the pitching staff????????? I said the offense.

[General]

You can't even find stats. for why the Braves have their (1) World Championship.

What does that have to do with the fact that you field possibly the worst pitching staff in baseball?

[McKain]

Nothing like a topic full of oversensitive Reds and Athletics fans/fan to start my day.

[Providence A's]

is this about the pitching staff????????? I said the offense.

baseball is both offense and defense as you know. my point was score all the runs you want, but without any pitching you won't win. and I showed that as only 48 runs separated these offenses last year...the difference? pitching...

[Wally Mo Pena]

yes we know, but albbla, this thread was about how the reds offense is sweet and how hattegerg hadn't been on a team that was so strong offensively. That is all. Winning, never brought up. Pitching, never brought up. I say moderator, moderate thyself. Are you really so insecure about your A's that you can't handle some lowly reds fans discussing the one facet of the game that their team kicks ass at?

Also, we totally swept the everloving crap out of the Roid Brothers and the rest of that band of jackasses in '90.

[albbla2000mu]

yes we know, but albbla, this thread was about how the reds offense is sweet and how hattegerg hadn't been on a team that was so strong offensively. That is all. Winning, never brought up. Pitching, never brought up. I say moderator, moderate thyself. Are you really so insecure about your A's that you can't handle some lowly reds fans discussing the one facet of the game that their team kicks ass at?

Also, we totally swept the everloving crap out of the Roid Brothers and the rest of that band of jackasses in '90.

ditto

[Providence A's]

I also made the point that the offenses were not that different in terms of run scored, which your fellow Reds fans tried to state prior to any post I made.

and what the hell does moderating have anything to do with this? did anyone post anything inappropriate? no, so what is your problem?