SARASOTA, Fla. - The catcher's initials are R.H., and it isn't Ryan Hanigan. It's Ramon Hernandez. If anybody has a right to stick his face noseto-nose with Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker and say, "Hey, what about me and what do I have to do?," it is Hanigan. That, though, isn't Hanigan's style, and the first day he met newly acquired Hernandez he decided he liked this guy very much. Hanigan, an International League all-star at Class AAA Louisville, was voted the catcher with the best tools in the IL. And on Aug. 10, Hanigan was promoted to Cincinnati after David Ross was released, and he started 25 of the Reds' last 44 games. The team was 14-11 in his starts and he caught both of the complete games thrown by the staff last year while throwing out 35 percent of those trying to steal. Toss in a .271 batting average and aren't those enough reasons to merit a chance to be the regular? "I knew they were going to go out and get a catcher. It was a good deal for the team (trading Ryan Freel to Baltimore)," said Hanigan.
"You can't bicker about stuff like that because it doesn't help the team," he added. "We have to play as a team. Me and Ramon get along great. He has a good attitude and hopefully we both can help the team. That's the way I see it." Baker sees it that way, too.
"Hanigan fits in big," Baker . " I' give Joey Votto a rest against a tough left-hander and I'll play Hernandez at first base and catch Hanigan.
"I like Hanigan. Always have. He's a hardnosed, smart player. And you can't win without two catchers. It's a valuable position, and a lot of things can happen back there and most of it ain't good."
Baker said he has no set numbers as to how many games Hernandez or Hanigan will catch, but knows he has to keep Hanigan sharp for when he is called upon.
"I'm a team guy, I really am," Hanigan said. "I want to win. That's the bottom line. You can't do that when you have dissension of any kind. I met Ramon at RedsFest and I liked him right away. He has a lot to offer this team. We can play together as a team."
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