News
Baker gives Hernandez a breather
Catcher by trade gets finale off after filling in at first base
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
06/18/09 1:12 PM ET
CINCINNATI -- A victim of circumstance, Ramon Hernandez's catching equipment has rarely seen the light of day lately. More times than not this month, it's been kept zipped in its bag. That will soon change. Normally the Reds' regular catcher by trade, Hernandez has made 23 starts this season at first base, including 15 of the past 17 games while Joey Votto has been on the disabled list with a stress-related issue. "When I started catching ground balls, I stopped hitting singles," Hernandez said on Thursday. "It's unbelievable how everything changed around so quickly. It's never easy." Hernandez came into the day stuck in a 1-for-27 slump, with his only hit being a solo home run on Friday at Kansas City that snapped a 0-for-20 streak. He's 3-for-41 over his past 12 games, which has dropped his batting average from .281 to .240. Reds manager Dusty Baker gave Hernandez a break during Thursday's series finale vs. the Braves and had Adam Rosales at first base. He'll likely be behind the plate again for at least two Interleague games this weekend against the White Sox. "He knows those guys better than anybody that we have here," Baker said. Hernandez spent the previous three seasons in the American League with the Orioles and also had several years logged with the Athletics. Although it's been a while since he's looked at the world through a catcher's mask, Hernandez was preparing himself. "It's been a while -- we'll see how it goes," he said. "It won't be comfortable at first but after a while, it will get right. Sometimes it feels weird when it's been so long without catching." Hernandez's days at first base should be coming to an end soon. Votto started a rehabilitation assignment at Class A Sarasota on Thursday, which means he's close to returning to the lineup. At his locker on Thursday morning, Hernandez scanned a collection of bats and wasn't sure which one to pick. Once he selected his lumber, he made his way to the indoor batting cage adjacent to the Reds clubhouse. "Today I'm going to the cage and hit lefty," the right-handed-hitting Hernandez said. "Maybe it will fix the right side. You never know."Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
