Hatteberg trade? (update)

Peter Gammons floated the idea of the New York Mets trying to obtain Scott Hatteberg to spell/platoon with Carlos Delgado.

Hatteberg isn't demanding a trade. But he'd welcome one.

"First and foremost, I'd like to be here and help the team win," he said. "I play baseball to play."

I talked to Walt Jocketty after the game. He's heard from no teams about Hatteberg. Would Jocketty considered moving Hatteberg if a team made an offer?

"He's been an important part of the team," Jocketty said. "I'll all try to do anything to make the team better."


Hatteberg is in strictly a backup/pinch-hitting role with the emergence of Joey Votto. Hatteberg's 0-for-7 as a pinch-hitter and hitting .161 overall.

"It's difficult," he said. "I've never been a very good pinch-hitter. I'm trying to figure it out. I'm trying."

The only pitch a pinch-hitter gets to hit is often times the first one. Hatteberg rarely swings at first pitches.

"That flies in the face of the way I hit," he said. "This is my 13th year in the major leagues. I have a theory behind how I like to hit. I like to see a lot of pitches. Pinch-hitting isn't really conducive to that. I change my approach a little bit."